At the risk of sounding like the Southern Californian I used to be, I must say it’s been cold here lately. Not South Island cold, or New York cold, but this winter has been colder than last, which is my only benchmark because I missed so many. The opportunity to wear all my wool sweaters must be celebrated! Nights have been especially chilly and since we don’t keep our house overly heated in the interests of being responsible electricity consumers, extra clothing has crept into my bed. I’ve drawn the line at wearing a hat, but my Novella Socks/leg warmers have been keeping my legs cozy. This brought me to thinking about the old fashioned bed socks popular in many of my vintage knitting books, and how useful a pair might be. I made these for my Mum, Daphne (hence the heart-shaped bobble motif), but I’ve now started on a pair for myself. I plan to wear them inside my clogs once spring approaches.

 

I wonder if anyone loves Koigu Kersti as much as I do? Because it’s a crepe yarn I’m guessing it will never pill, which makes it perfect for these sockettes which will be much worn, rubbed and loved. It combines indestructibility with beauty and softness, thanks to the merino wool and the fantastic colour sense of the dyers at Koigu. It might even be my Desert Island yarn, although it would have to compete with its sister KPM for that honour. I had to restrain myself from adding pompoms to the ties since the heart motif was already sounding my cuteness alarm, but you could pile it on, or leave out the bobbles and add the poms or tassles, like ladies in the old knitting books who, in my opinion, new a thing or two about glamour, in bed. 

-Mel 

 

 

                                                                              

 

 

 

Here’s the pattern.

 

note: if you’re not sure how to make I-cord on double pointed needles, there’s a tutorial on the Waste Not, Want Not post.

 

Raspberry Bed Socks

 

YARN

Koigu Kersti 100% merino wool; 50g/100m/114yds; 2 hanks K1184

Extra fingering weight yarn or ribbon for ties. [I used Koigu KPM 1184]

 

NEEDLES

Set of 5 Size 3.25mm (US3) and 3.5mm (US4) 18cm[7”] double pointed needles 

 

NOTIONS

2 removable markers

3 stitch markers, 1 in contrasting colour

 

SIZES

To fit foot length 18(20.5,23) cm/7(8,9) inches

 

GAUGE

22 sts & 36 rows = 10cm/4” in garter stitch on larger needles

24 sts & 32rows = 10cm in stst on larger needles

 

SPECIAL TECHNIQUE

Make bobble (mb)

Beginning with next stitch on Left Needle, cast on 4 sts by knit cast on method. Knit these 4 sts, dropping original stitch off needle. On Right Needle, pass the 3^rd stitch over the 4th st and off the needle, repeat for 2nd and 1st stitches. There is one stitch left.

 

SOLE 

With larger needles, cast on 7 sts, work in garter stitch, increasing at each end of alternate rows 5 times–17sts Work 22(26,30) rows straight, placing removable marker at each end of 15^th row.

Decrease each end of next and following 4^th row twice –11sts

Work 36(40,44) rows garter stitch.

Decrease each end of next row and following 2 alternate rows–5sts

Work one row. Bind off. 

 

SLIPPER UPPER

With RS of sole facing, beginning at last bind off stitch (at heel), and working toward toe or wider end of sole, pick up and knit 33(39,45) sts to first removable marker (discard removable marker), place stitch marker, 35 sts to next removable marker (including 7 sts from cast on sts of sole), pm, 38(44,50) to end (including 5 sts from bind off sts of sole), pm for beg of round–106(118,130) sts.

 

Rnds 1-4:Knit

Begin toe decreases.

Rnd 5: K to 1st marker, [ssk, k2] three times, ssk, k3, mb, k3, [k2tog, k2] three times, k2tog, k to end–98(110,122) sts

Rnd 6:Knit

Rnd 7:K to marker, k11, mb, k3, mb, k to end.

Rnd 8:Knit

Rnd 9:K to marker, [k1, ssk] three times, mb, k7, mb, [k2tog, k1] three times, k to 5 sts before end of rnd, ssk, k1, k2tog–90(102,114) sts

Rnds 10 & 11: Knit

Rnd 12:K to marker, k6, [mb, k3] twice, mb, k to end.

Rnd 13:K to marker, k3, ssk, k11, k2tog, k to end–88(100, 112) sts

Rnds 14: K to marker, k7, mb, k3, mb, k to end.

Rnds 15&16: Knit

Begin short rows:

Row 17:K to marker, k14, wrap, turn,

Row 18:P10, wrap, turn,

Row 19: K9, wrap, turn,

Row 20:P8, wrap, turn,

Row 21: Knit to end.

Rnd 22: K to marker, k5, [ssk] twice, k1, [k2tog] twice, k to end–84(96,108) sts

Change to smaller needles.

Rnd 23: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 24: *K1, p1, yo, p2tog; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 25: as Rnd 23

Bind off.

With smaller needles, cast on 3 sts, make I –cord 56cm[22”] long. Thread through eyelets and tie a knot in each end. 

 

This entry was posted on Friday, July 11th, 2008 at 6:00 pm and is filed under Free Patterns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.