Damenkniestrümpfe in Regia Silk 4 Ply - 5436

Damenkniestrümpfe in Regia Silk 4 Ply – Knitted Ladies' Knee-High Socks (Pattern 5436)

This downloadable PDF pattern from Schachenmayr, worked in Regia Silk 4 Ply yarn, provides instructions for knitting a pair of elegant ladies' knee-high socks. The design combines a decorative openwork (Ajour) lace panel running up the leg with classic stocking-stitch sections, making these socks both refined and wearable. The pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF, ideal for knitters looking to expand their sock-knitting repertoire with a more sophisticated, knee-length project.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a pair of knee-high stockings for women, featuring a shaped leg with calf decreases, a structured heel, a gusset, and a neat toe finish. The socks are worked in the round on double-pointed needles, following a traditional top-down construction from the cuff down to the toe.

Construction and Techniques

• Top-down construction: The socks are begun at the cuff and worked downward through the leg, heel, foot, and toe.
• Calf shaping (Wadenabnahmen): Decreases are worked over the first needle to shape the leg to fit the calf, reducing to 60 stitches as the leg tapers toward the ankle.
• Ajour (openwork/lace) pattern: A decorative lace panel is worked along the leg, adding visual interest and a delicate, feminine texture. Ajour knitting involves deliberate yarn-overs and corresponding decreases to create an open, airy stitch pattern.
• Heel construction – Dreiteiliges Käppchen (three-part heel cap): The heel is worked back and forth in rows over 30 stitches (needles 1 and 4) in stocking stitch for 28 rows. The stitches are then divided into three equal sections of 10 stitches each to form the traditional German short-row-style heel cap, which provides an excellent, comfortable fit.
• Gusset (Zwickel): After turning the heel, stitches are picked up along the heel flap edges — 14 stitches per side — plus one stitch from the bar between needles, bringing needles 1 and 4 to 20 stitches each. Gusset decreases are then worked every 3rd round, repeated 5 times, to return to 15 stitches on each of needles 1 and 4.
• Foot: The foot is worked with stocking stitch on the sole needles (needles 1 and 4) and the lace Grundmuster (base pattern) continues on the instep needles (needles 2 and 3), maintaining the decorative element across the top of the foot.
• Toe – Bandspitze (band/wedge toe): After approximately 20 cm of foot length, the toe is shaped using a classic band toe method worked in stocking stitch, with the remaining 8 stitches drawn together using a doubled yarn to close.

Stitches Used

• Glatt rechts (stocking stitch / stockinette): Used for the heel flap, sole, and toe sections, creating a smooth, dense fabric ideal for areas of wear.
• Ajourmuster (openwork lace pattern): Worked along the leg and instep, this pattern uses yarn-overs (Umschläge) paired with knit-two-together decreases to form decorative eyelets.
• Grundmuster (base/ground pattern): A foundational stitch pattern continued across the instep through the foot section.
• Rechts zusammenstricken (knit two together – k2tog): Used for calf and gusset shaping decreases.
• Überzogen zusammenstricken (slip, slip, knit – ssk-style decrease): Used on the opposing needle during gusset shaping to create symmetrical, mirrored re