These socks began as an experiment with ribbing, exploring how a carefully placed increase or decrease can turn an otherwise straight line of knitting into sloping angles and sinuous curves. The cuff-down design begins with inward-pointing diagonals that follow your leg as it narrows down to the ankle. Reverse the placement of the shaping, and the diagonals change direction, curving around your heel at the back, and flaring out over your foot at the front.

The vertical lines serve as structure to the curves, both providing visual contrast for the diagonals, and keeping the socks from twisting around on your foot. Overall, the socks have a very organic feel, reminding me at various times of peacock feathers, pine boughs, and fishbones.

Finished Foot Circumference: 6.57, 7.5, 8 inches / 16.518, 19, 20 cm, unstretched. The ribbing pulls in a lot, so choose a size that is 1.5 inches/4 cm smaller than your foot.

Yarn: Opal Funny Fruits 4-Ply 75% wool, 25% nylon; 465 yd/425m per 3.5 oz/100 g skein; color 11414 Bananenstampf; 11, 1, 1 skeins (M orange sock)
OR
Schoppel-Wolle Admiral Hanf 67% wool, 23% nylon, 10% hemp; 459yd/420 per 3.5 oz/100 g skein; color: 2377 Elefantenhaut; 11, 1, 1 skeins (XL black sock)

Recommended needle size: 2.25mm / US 1
Or size needed to match gauge