The Story
Winter is on its way and we’re dreaming about cuddling up by the fire with a warm drink and maybe, just maybe, some knitting to keep our hands busy.
But what about our poor little toes? They need something to feel good about, too, so these quick-to-knit sport weight socks are just the ticket!

Materials

• Ewe Ewe Yarns ‘Ewe So Sporty’ (sport weight; 100% fine merino wool, superwash; 145 yds/50g): 1 (2, 2) skeins: 95 Chocolate (brown; MC), 1 skein: 05 Cotton Candy (pink; CC)
• US 3 (3.25mm) 32” circular needle (for Magic Loop method)
• 2 Stitch markers
• 1 Removable stitch marker (optional)

Finished Sizes
Small (Medium, Large): 7 (8.25, 9.5) inches circumference; recommended fit: 0.25 to 0.5 inches of negative ease. Sample is knit in a size medium and modeled on an 8.5 inch foot.

Project Gauge
27 sts and 32 rows = 4 inches in Colorwork pattern, after blocking

Notes

• These socks are worked from the top-down: the cuffs are cast on with a German Twisted Cast-On, utilize a modified Eye of Partridge heel gusset, and are finished by using the Kitchener stitch to graft the toe closed. Detailed instructions or links to tutorials are provided for all techniques.
• Written instructions are provided for the Cast On, Cuff, Heel and Toe; charted instructions are provided for the Leg and Instep of the sock.
• The right and left socks are identical to one another; make two socks to complete a pair.
• Adjust needle size as necessary to match gauge.
• The Colorwork design varies slightly between sizes; make sure you use the correct Colorwork Chart for the size of sock being knit.
• The Colorwork section of the sock is worked as stranded knitting. It is recommended to use the CC as the dominant yarn (carried below the MC). On any of the non-colorwork rounds, where carrying the CC is required, catch the CC with the MC every 4th stitch; try to avoid stacking your caught stitches where possible.
• The instructions are written for the smallest size of sock with additional sizes in parentheses. Where only one number is provided, it applies to all sizes.
• To save on yarn, and avoid large numbers of ends to weave in, carry the CC up inside the sock between the colorwork rows.
• This pattern is written for the Magic Loop technique. For DPN users, assume that the Front needle is synonymous with Needles 1 and 2, and the Back needle is synonymous with Needles 3 and 4.

Video Tutorial:
In the shaping of the gusset, a less-than-standard decrease is used to maintain the direction of slant and to maintain the colorwork in pattern. I’ve done a quick and dirty (and rather informal) tutorial for the k2pass instruction which can be found here: K2pass tutorial.

ERRATA to Gusset

Rnd 6 (Needle 2; Dec Rnd): Continuing with next row of Colorwork Chart A (C, D), work to marker in pattern, sm, k1 with CC, s2kp with MC, (k1 with CC, k1 with MC) to end of needle 2 sts dec; 26 (30, 36) sts rem.

Please note: in the above revision, I’ve had to remove the asterisk before the final instruction as it italicizes the font. The parenthesis do the same job as the asterisk of repeating the 1x1 colorwork to the end of the needle.