Tea With Liz

Tea With Liz Knitted Socks by Corrine Walcher

What Is Being Made

Tea With Liz is a downloadable knitting pattern for a pair of socks designed by Corrine Walcher. This intermediate-level sock pattern features mirrored cables on the left and right sides, creating an elegant and symmetrical design. The socks are available in three finished sizes: Small (7" around), Medium (8" around), and Large (8.5" around), making them suitable for various foot dimensions.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques to create its distinctive appearance. The primary construction method is knitting in the round, which is the standard approach for sock knitting and produces seamless, tubular fabric. The defining feature of Tea With Liz is the use of cable stitches, which involve crossing groups of stitches over one another to create raised, twisted textures. The mirrored cable design means cables are worked symmetrically on opposing sides of the sock, requiring careful attention to cable direction and placement.

The pattern also incorporates decreasing techniques such as slip-slip-knit (SSK) and purl two together (P2tog) decreases, which are essential for shaping the sock leg and foot. Basic stitch work includes stockinette stitch as the foundation fabric, combined with reverse stockinette (purl stitches) to frame and define the cable patterns.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K): The fundamental stitch forming stockinette fabric
• Purl (P): Used for reverse stockinette sections and cable base stitches
• Slip as if to purl with yarn in back (Sl): A technique for moving stitches without working them
• Slip marker (SM): Used to mark pattern repeats and round beginnings
• Purl two together (P2tog): A left-leaning decrease
• Slip-slip-knit (SSK): A right-leaning decrease combining two slip stitches
• 2/2 Left Cable (2/2 LC): Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit 2 stitches, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle, creating a left-leaning cable twist
• 2/2 Left Purl Cable (2/2 LPC): Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, purl 2 stitches, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle, combining purl and knit elements for textured cable definition

Materials and Yarn Specifications

Tea With Liz is designed to be knitted with Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock yarn, a premium sock yarn composed of 100% Superwash Merino fiber. The pattern requires 400 yards per 4 ounces, indicating a yarn weight of approximately 3-ply to 4-ply, which is standard for sock knitting and produces fine, durable fabric suitable for everyday wear.

The sample sock shown in the pattern was knitted in the colorway Hampden. Needles required include a set of 5 double-pointed needles (DPNs) or two circular needles in size 1 US (2.5mm), or whatever needle size is necessary to achieve the specified gauge. A cable needle is also essential for executing the cable stitches that define this pattern.

Gauge and Construction Details

The pattern specifies a gauge of 8 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch, worked in the round. Achieving this gauge is critical for obtaining the correct finished sock dimensions and ensuring proper fit. The use of superwash merino yarn combined with the fine gauge creates socks that are both soft and durable, with excellent stitch definition that showcases the cable work.

Pattern copyright 2016 Corrine Walcher. This downloadable PDF is for personal use only.