Chunky Mochi Socks
By Bobbi Jo Quigley
This sock is a very cozy and thick sock, so it fits M to L sizes of feet.
Techniques involved: stretchy cast-on, knitting in the round or magic loop, Ribbing, decreases, afterthought heel, Kitchener stitch or 3 needle bind off.
Needle Size: US 11
Yarn: Yarn used here is Crystal Palace Chunky Mochi (150g/3 balls if using 1 colourway, 4 if using 2 colourways (you will have a little left over of each colour).
You can use any similar weight chunky yarn (Gauge 11.0 to 13.0 sts = 4 inches).
Start Leg:
Cast-on 41 stitches using a very stretchy cast-on (I used Old Norwegian).
Knit the first and last stitch together to join in round (this helps to prevent jag), making sure not to twist (keep the stitches lined up with the bumps on the bottom).
Row 1: *K1, P1*, repeat from * to * all the way around (with the stitch that you just joined being your first K).
Row 2: K1tbl, P1, *K1, P1*, repeat from * to * all the way around.
Repeat row 2 until you get to the top of your heel/just below your ankle (on my sock I did 35 rows including row 1, and not including cast-on row).
(If you are using 2 colourways, follow the same but switch yarns every 6 rows)
Heel part 1:
Knit half your stitches with waste yarn (of very noticeable colour) leaving a few inches of tail at begging and end of waste yarn so that you can find it easy later (tie them in a loose knot in front if you like), then slip your stitches back to left needle, and continue knitting them with non-waste yarn. The stitches that the waste yarn are in will be your bottom stitches, make sure you keep this in mind when doing your toe. I will remind you later.
(If you are using 2 colourways this will look best in the middle of a stripe, so add your waste yarn after 3 rows of the colour you want to frame your heel, then do another three rows after in same colour as the three rows you just did before the waste yarn.)
Foot from heel to toe:
Continue in established ribbed pattern until you get to where you want your toe to start, or about 1.5 inches before the tip of your longest toe (remember that there will be a heel where your waste yarn is, so imagine a heel around 2 inches either side of that waste yarn).
Toe:
(If you are using 2 colourways : pick what colour you want to start your toe with and break off the other strand at 6 inches to weave in later).
Make sure you evenly split your stitches between 2 needles (for magic loop knitters) so the top and bottom halves line up with the top and bottom of your heel, or put a marker at the halfway points (for DPN or non-magic loop circ users) between your top of foot stitches and bottom of foot stitches are. Basically, the markers are the sides of your foot, and this helps to make sure your toes are not sideways.
Row 1: knit across
Row 2: k1, ssk, knit across until 3 sts before the end of your top stitches, k2tog, k1, slip marker if you have one,
Do same on bottom of foot:
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have done about an inch and a half or until you are down to 8 stitches on top and bottom sections).
Check that you have the same number of stitches on top and bottom, which you should have, but if not, just make a decrease on the side that has an extra stitch somewhere so that you have the same number on top and bottom of foot.
Close toe: Do Kitchener-stitch or 3 needle bind-off, as you prefer. Kitchener stitch has no seam, so good for sensitive feet.
Heel Part 2:
Carefully pick up the stitches that are on the waste yarn, top and bottom stitches. Put the bottom stitches on one needle and top stitches on another like you did for the toe, with a marker at both sides= marker, 20 stitches, marker, 20 stitches.
You are essentially making a second toe. The only difference is that we will be knitting through the back loops to bring the stitches tighter together.
Row 1: *k1tbl across.
Row 2: * slip marker, k1tbl, ssk, then k1tbl across until 3 sts before the marker, k2tog, k1tbl*, repeat from * to *.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have 6 stitches left on top and bottom sections.
Do Kitchener-stitch to seam top and bottom stitches together, break off yarn leaving a 6 inch tail.
Try on sock, do your happy dance, weave in ends, block, and please remember to take a pic to show-off those beauties on Ravelry!