Toe Up Raggi Socks

MATERIALS

1.5 skeins of Raggi (3 skeins makes 2 pair.)

40" magic loop #5 needle

 

ABBREVIATIONS:

K - knit
K2tog - knit two sts together
Kfb - knit in front loop and back loop of same stitch (will make 1 stitch)
P - purl
P2tog - purl two sts together
Round - a row on both needles ( instep and sole of sock)
RS - right side
Sl - slip
sts - sts
WS - wrong side

DIRECTIONS

CO total of 17 sts ( 9 on one side, 8 on the other) with figure 8 cast-on (Judy's Magic Cast On).
Round 1:  Knit.
Round 2 (increase row):  K1, Kf&b in next st, K across to last 2 sts , Kf&b in next st, K1. 
Repeat rows 1 & 2 until you have 20 sts on one needle (instep) and 21 on the other (sole).
Then K every row to length desired, i.e. beginning of your heel, measuring straight down from back of ankle bone.  This is approximately 2 1/2 to 3 inches shy of the total foot length.

TURNING THE HEEL

K across instep (needle with 20 sts), then begin short rows on sole only (needle with 21 sts) as follows:
Row 1A: K to last st.,  wrap (bring yarn to front as if to purl, slip unworked stitch to right needle), turn.
Row 2A: Slip the unworked stitch back the right needle (you have wrapped the unworked stitch), purl across to last stitch, slip unworked stitch to right needle, turn.
Row 3A: Slip the 1st stitch, move your yarn to back as if to knit (you have wrapped the unworked stitch), knit across to last stitch before wrapped (unworked stitch), wrap and turn.
Row 4A: Slip the unworked stitch from the left to right needle, purl across to stitch before wrapped stitch (last unworked stitch), wrap and turn.
Repeat rows 3A and 4A, five more times until there are 7 wrapped sts on each side and 7 unwrapped sts in the middle.  At this point you should be ready to start the second half of the heel on the right side.

Row 1B: Knit across the 7 center sts to the first wrapped stitch.  Slip the stitch to the right needle, pick up the wrap, slip the stitch back to the left needle and knit the two together.  Wrap the next stitch.  Turn.  Note that now this stitch is wrapped twice.

Row 2B: Slip the double wrapped stitch to the right needle and purl across the row to the first wrapped stitch.  Slip the stitch to the right needle, pick up the wrap, slip the stitch back to the left needle and purl the two together.  Wrap the next stitch. Turn.
On the following rows, you will pick up both wraps and knit or purl three together.  Continue working until all sts have been unwrapped.  Pick up two sts in the gap between the sole and instep and knit across the instep.  Then pick up two sts in the gap between the instep and sole and knit across the sole.  You will now have 22 sts on the instep needle and 23 sts on the sole needle.

Next instep row:  Begin K2P2 ribbing.  K2tog in the first stitch and P2tog in the last stitch. (20 sts on needle)

Next sole row:  K2tog in the first stitch, continue in k2p2 ribbing decreasing one stitch in middle and one more at the end. (20 sts on needle).

Knit to length desired (cuff will be same length as foot when folding sock in half.)

Russian bind-off: Loosely K2tog, sl knitted st back to L needle, repeat.  Weave in ends.  Celebrate!

You can easily add a pattern to the instep after about 2 to 3 inches are completed on the toe and continue up the cuff.  If you add a pattern, rib the top two inches to make the cuff more secure.