Product Description
Hands up if you'd like to try a new heel.
If your hand is in the air, then this is a pattern for you.
Lately, I've been playing around with new heel ideas. I love the look of afterthought and short row heels, but they always pop off my foot. I'm a big fan of the heel flap and gusset shaping, they're perfect for the shape of my feet. However... My head started thinking...Maybe it's time to start rethinking the construction of this 'heel and gusset' shape. Is there another way?
The Minerals Sox are a top down pattern. Yes, so far everything is normal. These socks then have gusset and heel shaping. Here's where things make a change. Of course, I'm not going to give away the exact details here, but I will mention there are no picking up of stitches involved in this heel. 'Minerals' then relaxes into a fairly standard foot and toe.
Are you willing to give my socks a knit?
Minerals Sox by Anneknitty
What is Being Made
Minerals Sox are a pair of knitted socks featuring the distinctive 'What the Heel?!' shaping technique designed by Annette Traves. These socks are crafted as an intermediate-level knitting project suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to explore custom heel construction. The design accommodates creative color work through the use of two contrasting yarn colors, allowing knitters to personalize their finished socks with complementary shades.
Techniques Used
The primary technique featured in Minerals Sox is the specialized 'What the Heel?!' shaping method, which offers an alternative approach to traditional sock heel construction. This technique is integrated into an otherwise straightforward sock knitting pattern, making it an excellent project for intermediate knitters looking to expand their technical repertoire. The pattern employs in-the-round knitting, the standard method for sock construction that creates seamless, tubular fabric. Knitters will work with stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping points throughout the project.
Stitches Used
Minerals Sox utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with decreasing techniques essential for sock shaping:
- Knit (k) – the basic stitch forming the primary fabric
- Purl (p) – used for textural variation and pattern definition
- Slip stitches – including slip 1 purlwise (sl1p) and slip 1 knitwise (sl1k) for creating clean edges and stitch transitions
- Knit 2 together (k2tog) – a right-leaning decrease for shaping
- Purl 2 together (p2tog) – a decrease worked on purl rows
- Slip, slip, knit (ssk) – a left-leaning decrease created by slipping 2 stitches knitwise, placing the left-hand needle into the front loops, and knitting them together
Materials
Minerals Sox is designed to work with 4-ply (fingering weight) yarn, a lightweight yarn category ideal for creating well-fitting, durable socks with excellent stitch definition. The pattern calls for approximately 100g (365m/400yds) each of two contrasting colors. The original design was created using It's a Stitch Up Favourite Sock yarn in the shades Ore (Colour A) and Oyster (Colour B). However, the pattern is flexible and works with any commercial or hand-dyed sock yarn in 4-ply weight. The main sock body requires no more than 50g of the primary color, with a 20g mini skein being sufficient for the contrasting color used in the toe section. This yarn requirement makes Minerals Sox an excellent project for using leftover sock yarn from previous projects. Knitters will need a set of double-pointed needles or circular needles appropriate for 4-ply yarn, along with stitch markers to track increases, decreases, and pattern sections throughout the in-the-round construction.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | 4 Ply |
| Pages: | 6 |
| Designer: | Anneknitty |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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