Moustached Cat- Sock Pattern

MoustachedCat.pdf

Second Sock Syndrome nearly killed these socks but somehow, I was able to overcome the affliction and get them done.  It was a lot of fun to watch the cats appear on the needles as I worked the chart.  There are some long stretches of color on the cats that I couldn’t break up without ruining the overall picture, but keeping the floats loose kept the socks stretchy enough to get into.

For those who would like to reproduce, there’s a link to the PDF above or here’s the spill:

Skill Level- Intermediate

Materials- 440 yds of fingering weight yarn or 2 hanks Knit Picks’ Stroll Tonal Sock yarn (as shown in photo).

Gauge- 8 stitches per inch and 8.5 rows per inch in color-stranded stockinette on size 1 (2.25 mm) circular needles.

Directions:

Note:  Remember to keep your floats loose in the back of your work in order to keep the socks stretchy enough to get your foot into them! 

TOE
Using Judy’s Magic Cast On, cast on 30 stitches (15 per needle.)  Note:  The cast-on loops on needle #2 are twisted.  On the first round only, knit them through the back of the loops to untwist them.  After this round, the stitches are worked normally.

Set Up Round:  On first needle [k1 in CC, k1 in MC] repeat across entire needle ending with k1 in CC.  On second needle [k1 in MC, k1 in CC] repeat across entire needle ending with k1 in MC

Increase Round 1:  On first needle, k1 in CC, m1R in CC, [k1 in MC, k1 in CC] repeat across needle until 1 st remains, m1L in CC, k1 in CC.  On second needle, k1 in MC, m1R in MC, [k1 in CC, k1 in MC] repeat across needle until 1 st remains, m1L in MC, k1 in MC.

Even Round:  k all sts in the color they already are to maintain striping across both needles.

Increase Round 2:  On first needle, k1 in CC, m1R in MC, [k1 in CC, k1 in MC] repeat across needle until 1 st remains, M1L in MC, k1 in CC.  On second needle, k1 in CC, m1R in CC, [k1 in MC, k1 in CC] repeat across needle until 1 st remains, m1L in CC, k1 in CC.

Even Round:  k all sts in color they already are to maintain striping across both needles.

Repeat previous four rounds 3 more times.  62 sts (31 per needle)

FOOT
Maintain Stripes:  On first needle (INSTEP), [k1 in CC, k1 in MC] across needle, ending with k1 in CC.  On second needle (SOLE), [k1 in MC, k1 in CC] across needle, ending with k1 in MC.

Repeat this round until piece measures 3.25 inches, ending having worked across second needle and ready to work across first needle.

GUSSET
Increase Round 1:  On first needle, work all sts in established pattern.  On second needle, k1 in MC, m1R in MC, [k1 in CC, k1 in MC] across needle until 1 st remains, m1L in MC, k1 in MC.

Even Round: k all sts in color they already are to maintain striping across both needles.

Increase Round 2:  On first needle, work all sts in established pattern.  On second needle, k1 in MC, m1R in CC, [k1 in MC, k1 in CC] across needle until 1 sts remains, m1L in CC, k1 in MC.

Even Round:  k all sts in color they already are to maintain striping across both needles.

Repeat these four rounds 6 more times and then first two rounds once more.  92 sts (31 on first needle, 61 on second needle)

HEEL CUP
The heel cup will only be worked on the second needle and with only the MC yarn.

Set Up:  K across first needle (INSTEP), maintaining established pattern.  Drop the CC yarn.  On second needle (SOLE) and with MC yarn, k15, pm, k30, slip 1, bring yarn to right side to wrap stich, pm on left needle, slip st back to left needle.  Turn work.

WS:  Bring yarn to front of work, p to 2 sts before marker, slip 1, bring yarn to back of work to wrap st, slip st back to left needle.  Turn work.

RS:   Bring yarn to back of work, k to 2 sts before previously wrapped st, slip 1, bring yarn to front of work, slip st back to left needle.  Turn work.

WS:  Bring yarn to front of work, p to 2 sts before previously wrapped st, slip 1, bring yarn to back of work, slip st back to left needle.  Turn work.

Repeat last two rows until only 4 sts remain between wrapped sts, ending having completed a WS row.  Turn work.

RS:  K3, slip1, bring yarn to front of work, slip st back to left needle.  Turn work.

WS:  purl across, lifting wraps and purling them together with their sts as you come to them until 1 st before marker.  Slip 1, rm, slip sts back to left needle and p2tog.  Turn work.

RS: slip 1, k across, lifting the wraps and knitting them together with their sts until 1 st before marker, slip 1, rm, move st back to left needle, lift wrap and knit together with its st and the next st.  Turn work.

HEEL FLAP
WS:  slip 1, p across until 1 st before gap, p2tog.  Turn work.

RS:  slip 1, [k1, slip1] repeating until 2 st before gap, k1, k2tog.  Turn work.

Repeat these 2 rows until only 1 st remains on either side of the gap, ending having worked a RS row.

WS:  slip 1, p across until 1 st before gap, p2tog.  Turn work.

Resume Pattern Striping (RS):  slip 1, [k1 in MC, k1 in CC] repeating until 1 st before gap, k2tog with MC.  62 sts (31 per needle)

LEG
Note:  To close any gaps between heel and instep, pick up a st in the gap where the instep sts meet the heel flap and knit together with the first st on the next needle in pattern color.

Even Round:  k across first needle and second needle in established pattern.

Repeat this round 2 more times.

Work Chart:  On first needle, begin working the Moustache Cat chart.  On second needle, continue working in established pattern.

Continuing working chart until all 54 rows of the chart have been knitted.

Even Round:  Work sts in established striped pattern across both needles until sock is as tall as desired, at least 2 more rounds.

CUFF
Break CC yarn, leaving 6 inch tail.  Work cuff with MC.

Ribbing: On first needle, [k1, p1] across ending with k1.  On second needle [p1, k1] across ending with p1.

Repeat ribbing round at least 4 more times, or until cuff is desired length.

Bind off.