I am very pleased that this pattern was selected for the 1999 XRX book, Socks, Socks, Socks. It was substantially rewritten and improved by the editors for that book. This version is the original pattern.
These were designed for my 10-year-old niece Sheri, who says that socks with fold-over tops are for "little kids." These have stand-up cuffs at anklet length.
The fabric is knitted in the round, giving a series of 5-stitch ribs decorated by diagonal spirals of butterfly-like bows. It is very pretty in variegated fingering-weight cotton yarn. I used Kraemer "Cotton Socks" (75% cotton, 25% polyamide) on 1's (I think, or maybe 2's) at a gauge of 7.5 sts/in. Any sock-weight yarn can be used. The size will fit a large child's or small woman's foot.
To gather a bow: reaching the tip of the right needle under the four strands below, knit the next stitch. Adjust the tension of this stitch until the strands are pulled neatly up into a bow. On the first repeat of row 1, of course there is no bow to be gathered, and at the end of the patterned portion, do a round gathering the bows but do not do the slipped stitches.
Rounds 1: *p1, sl5 with yarn in front, p1, k5, p1, k2, gather bow, k2*
All even rounds (2 through 24): *p 1, k5* 3 around
Rounds 3, 5, & 7: *p1, sl5 wyif, p1, k5, p1, k5*
Round 9: *p1, k2, gather bow, k2, p1, sl5 wyif, p1, k5*
Rounds 11, 13, & 15: *p1, k5, p1, sl5 wyif, p1, k5*
Round 17: *p1, k5, p1, k2, gather bow, k2, p1, sl5 wyif*
Rounds 19, 21, & 23: *p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, sl5 wyif*
Set-up round: work *k5 p1* around.
Work in pattern stitch as above until you have finished 5 sets of bows (ending on round 17 of pattern, the second time through).
Divide for heel. Arrange 27 stitches so that 3 columns to run down the center of the top of the foot, with 5 additional stitches on each side. The remaining 27 stitches will form the heel flap.
[From here on it is a standard sock, continuing the bow pattern on the three columns that run on the top of the foot to the toe.]
Repeat the following two rows until all the stitches on the heel needle are used:
k to one st before gap, ssk, turn.
p to one st before gap, p2tog, p1, turn.
Pick up one stitch for every chain along the side of the heel flap, knit across the instep stitches, continuing the 3 bow patterns and the purl along each side of them, pick up a stitch for every chain along the other side of the heel flap, and knit to the center of the sole of the foot.
Note: For the second sock, you can make the butterflies spiral the other direction by knitting the pattern rows in this order: 1-8, 17-24, 9-16.
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