Pretty Peds~

 We are bringing you a new feature to our blog! Every second Friday of the month, we will feature a design by one of our customers. Our second installment in this tradition features a pattern by Bethany Dailey. Reminiscent of ballet slippers, this exquisite design will have you reaching for your EFG Sock Loom!  To contact Bethany, simply submit a comment at the bottom of this post. 

Knitting loom: KB EFG Sock Loom (set to 60 pegs in the round for ladies size 6.5-8.5).

Yarn:   1 skein Patons Stretch Socks (sample in Plum), Super Fine #1 weight, 239 yards, 41% cotton /39% wool / 13% nylon / 7% elastic

Notions: loom tool, 3mm crochet hook (for cast on and help with possible missed stitches, etc),  (2) size 3 double pointed knitting needles (for Kitchener Grafting), stitch markers, scissors, yarn needle, row counter, measuring tape

Gauge: 8.5 stitches and  13 rows per inch in stitch pattern.

Skills Needed: True Knit Stitch or U-stitch, E-wrap, Purl, Double Wrap Short Row Method (shown in video links below), 2 peg I-Cord, Kitchener Stitch (or other grafting method), Picot Edging, CO, and BO (as described in pattern notes)

Abbreviations: 

CO: cast on

EW: E-wrap

K: knit stitch or U-stitch, as desired

P: purl stitch

KO: knit off

St(s): stitches

WY: working yarn

BO: Bind off

Pattern Notes:

This pattern is created for ladies size 6.5-8.5, as the nature of the stretchable sock yarn allows for forgivable sizing.  If you’d prefer a smaller or larger size, just add or decrease pegs as needed.

All knit stitches are either worked as a true knit stitch, or as a U-stitch, not e-wrap.

Video Tutorials and Web Tools:

Picot Cast On (Bethany Dailey’s version)

Heel and Toe Part 1 & Part 2

Kitchener Grafting Stitch Tutorial (at the bottom of Twisting Vines Socks)

Picot Stitches Instructions:

Picot Edging: Where called for in pattern, at the beginning of each panel knit row, EW and KO turning peg 5 times to create chain. When turning to knit the next row, slip (skip) this peg.

Picot Cast On: (note: when called for in pattern, you will already have a base loop on the starting peg)

• * -EW and KO 5 times on 1^st CO peg to create chain.
• -Remove loop from peg and place on crochet hook.
• -Place hook with loop just before the peg you chained on, and point towards the inside of the loom.
• -Wrap WY around the front of the peg, towards the next peg in line.
• -Snag WY to the back of the peg with crochet hook, and pull through chain loop to create a new loop.
• -Place new loop onto next empty peg.
• -Repeat from * until you’ve reached the next peg with a base loop.  At the base loop peg, knit 2 loops off as one on the first EW KO, then complete 4 more, to equal 5 EW’s.

Picot Bind Off:

• * -EW and KO 5 times on 1^st BO peg.
• -Move loop from 2^nd BO peg to 1^st BO peg, KO.
• -Move loop back to 2^nd BO peg.
• -Repeat from * to last BO peg.

Pattern Instructions:

Set loom to 60 pegs in the round.  CO to 30 of the pegs, centering stitches on a long section of the loom. (Note: if you have adjusted the number of pegs being used for an alternate fit, just CO half of the new number.)

Knit first row on all 30 pegs, then using Heel and Toe Part I, decrease until there are 10 pegs unwrapped. (Note: if you have adjusted the number of pegs being used for an alternate fit, just decrease to a third of the total short row pegs.)

Using Heel and Toe Part 2, increase back to a full 30 pegs.  After wrapping peg 30, knit back to peg 1.  Pegs 1 & 30 will still have wrapped loops-just knit these loops together as one during the next row.

Carefully stretch CO edge across loom and place onto the corresponding pegs on the other side of the loom, filling all 60 pegs. (If this stretch is just too much for your chosen yarn, you can instead CO the empty pegs with your working yarn.  You’ll then need to graft these edges together later, during the finishing steps of this project.)

*(Note: you will now be knitting from the first peg after the heel section (your new peg 1) toward the newly CO pegs, then proceeding on to the heel pegs.  Please adjust the numbers of the pegs to reflect this change.)

Place stitch markers on pegs 11 and 20.

Knit 12 rounds using all 60 pegs in the following pattern:

• -Pegs 1-10: K
• -Pegs 11-20: K, P, K, P…
• -Pegs 21-60: K

Row 13: K pegs 1-10, Picot BO pegs 11-20, K pegs 21-60 & 1-10.

*To connect the picot trim on the heel to the trim you will now begin creating on the sides, you’ll need to pull up the base of the 5 EW chain from peg 11 up onto peg 10. Treat these 2 loops as one in the next steps.

*Please now make peg 10 your new peg 1 and work the next rows from this point.

Instep Rows:  Knit in the following 2-Row pattern until the entire length of knitting measures the total length desired for foot minus 3.5” (3” for toe and .5” for negative ease) (Note: Sample used 56 rows):

Row 1:

• -Picot Edging, slip peg and turn.
• -Pegs 2-4: Purl
• -Pegs 5-50: Knit

Row 2:

• -Picot Edging, slip peg and turn.
• -Pegs 49-47: Purl
• -Pegs 46-1: Knit

Once you’ve reached your planned measurement, Picot CO to 10 empty pegs so that all 60 are filled. Complete the round in Knit, so you are back to your original peg #1.

Re-number your pegs so that they are continuing in this direction for the following rounds.

Knit 6 rounds using all 60 pegs in the following pattern:

• -Pegs 1-10: K
• -Pegs 11-20: K, P, K, P…
• -Pegs 21-60: K

Complete the next 18 rounds in the Knit stitch.

Repeat the same steps that you used to turn the heel, making sure to use the same pegs and side of the loom as before.

Remove the live loops from the loom and graft edges to close the toe, using the Kitchener Stitch (see tutorial included in this post for instructions).  If required, repeat the same technique for the heel section.

For tie strings, pull up 2 stitches from the edge of your sock, where you prefer for your tie to be attached, and create an 8” 2 Peg I-Cord for the instep, and a 5” 2 Peg I-Cord for the outside. (2 Peg I-Cord Tutorial)

Weave in all ends.  Work all steps once more for your completed pair of Pretty Peds!