Novita Nalle: Graffiti woolly socks
Piia Karttunen’s gorgeous and richly patterned designs have featured in many of our special edition magazines. What inspires her to create new sock patterns is the chance to challenge herself creatively and to use stitches to tell stories that are so full of intricate detail you will spot something new with every wear. Her Graffiti socks, knitted using Novita Nalle yarn, take their visual cue from street art, the energy and spirit of which is captured through a mix of stitched and embroidered detail.
Designer
Piia Karttunen
Size(s)
39 (US8.5)
Yarn demand
Novita Nalle (048) Rock 100 g (010) Off-White 100 g (740) Lavender 50 g (264) Papaya 50 g (099) Black 20 g
Needles and other supplies
Double pointed needles Novita 3 mm (US3) and 2.5 mm (US2) for cuff
Gauge swatches Textured stitch in the round: Rows 1–2: *k2, p2*, repeat *–*. Row 3–4: knit all sts. Repeat Rows 1–4. Stockinette in the round: knit all rounds. Colorwork: work all rows in stockinette in the round as shown in chart and pattern instructions. Anchor any floats longer than 5 stitches by twisting them around your working yarn on the WS.
Tension 31 sts and 33 rows of colorwork = 10 cm (4 in)
Important The colorwork sections are worked in Off-White and Rock. The embroidery in Papaya, Black and Lavender is added as the work progresses using the duplicate stitch method. For the letters (GRAFFITI), work the sections in Lavender using Off-White and the sections in Papaya and Black in Rock. For all other details in Papaya, Black and Lavender, work all stitches in Rock.
Leg
Cast on 84 sts using Lavender and divide onto four needles. Needle 1 marks the start of a new round.
Work in the round in textured stitch. Continue in textured stitch for 20 rounds, repeating the 4-row pattern 5 times. Note On the last round, increase 8 sts at regular intervals = 92 sts. Redistribute your sts as follows: Needle 1 25 sts, Needle 2 21 sts, Needle 3 21 sts, Needle 4 25 sts.
Switch to the larger needles here and work all rows in Chart 1. The colorwork sections are worked in Off-White and Rock only. See under Important for details of how the embroidery in lavender, papaya and Black is worked. These will be added as the work progresses using the duplicate stitch method. Decrease according to chart. Once Chart 1 has been worked, you will have 66 sts on your needles. Redistribute them as follows: 16 sts on Needle 1, 17 sts on Needle 2, 17 sts on Needle 3, 16 sts on Needle 4.
Heel
Start the heel flap by knitting the sts on Needle 1 onto Needle 4 = 32 sts using Off-White. Leave the remaining sts for now.
Turn your work and work in heel stitch as follows:
Row 1 (WS): slip one st with yarn in back (= sl1 wyib), and purl remaining sts to end. Turn your work.
Row 2 (RS): *sl1 wyib, k1*, repeat *–* to end. Turn your work.
Repeat Rows 1–2 16 times (=32 rows), then repeat Row 1 one more time.
Continue in the same reinforced stitch as above, as you work the heel decreases: work the RS round until 11 sts remain. Slip 2 sts individually as if to knit, slip back to left needle and knit these 2 sts together through the back loop (= ssk) and turn your work. Sl1, p10, purl 2 sts together (p2tog) and turn work. Sl1, knit until 10 sts remain, ssk. Continue as set, making decreases at the end of every row. The number of side sts will decrease by 1 on every row, while the middle sts remain the same (=12 sts). When the side sts have been used up, divide the heel flap sts between the two needles, 6 sts on each. K6 to bring your working yarn between Needle 4 and Needle 1.
Foot
Continue in pattern as set in Row 1 of Chart 2: Knit all 6 sts on left onto Needle 1. Using your empty needle, pick up 16 sts from the left side of the heel flap + 1 st from between the heel flap and Needle 2 and knit the picked up sts tbl onto Needle 1. Work all sts on Needles 2 and 3. Using Needle 4, pick up 16 sts from the right side of the heel flap + 1 st from between the heel flap and Needle 3. Knit the picked up sts tbl onto Needle 4 along with the heel sts. You now have 80 sts.
Work Rows 2–14 of Chart 2, working gusset decreases as indicated at the end of Needle 1 and beginning of Needle 4. After the decreases have been worked, you will have 66 sts.
Work remaining chart rows. Break yarn.
Knit 1 row in Papaya. Continue in stockinette as you begin toe decreases: ssk at the end of Needle 1 and Needle 3 + k1 and at the start of Needle 2 and Needle 4 k1 and k2tog. Repeat these decreases on every alternating round until 42 sts remain. Now repeat the decreases on every round until 10 sts remain. Break yarn and draw through the stitches to fasten off.
Repeat to make second sock.
Finishing
Weave in loose ends. Steam gently to finish.
Novita Nalle: Graffiti woolly socks
Size(s)
39 (US8.5)
Yarn demand
Novita Nalle (048) Rock 100 g (010) Off-White 100 g (740) Lavender 50 g (264) Papaya 50 g (099) Black 20 g
Needles and other supplies
Double pointed needles Novita 3 mm (US3) and 2.5 mm (US2) for cuff
Gauge swatches Textured stitch in the round: Rows 1–2: *k2, p2*, repeat *–*. Row 3–4: knit all sts. Repeat Rows 1–4. Stockinette in the round: knit all rounds. Colorwork: work all rows in stockinette in the round as shown in chart and pattern instructions. Anchor any floats longer than 5 stitches by twisting them around your working yarn on the WS.
Tension 31 sts and 33 rows of colorwork = 10 cm (4 in)
Important The colorwork sections are worked in Off-White and Rock. The embroidery in Papaya, Black and Lavender is added as the work progresses using the duplicate stitch method. For the letters (GRAFFITI), work the sections in Lavender using Off-White and the sections in Papaya and Black in Rock. For all other details in Papaya, Black and Lavender, work all stitches in Rock.
Leg
Cast on 84 sts using Lavender and divide onto four needles. Needle 1 marks the start of a new round.
Work in the round in textured stitch. Continue in textured stitch for 20 rounds, repeating the 4-row pattern 5 times. Note On the last round, increase 8 sts at regular intervals = 92 sts. Redistribute your sts as follows: Needle 1 25 sts, Needle 2 21 sts, Needle 3 21 sts, Needle 4 25 sts.
Switch to the larger needles here and work all rows in Chart 1. The colorwork sections are worked in Off-White and Rock only. See under Important for details of how the embroidery in lavender, papaya and Black is worked. These will be added as the work progresses using the duplicate stitch method. Decrease according to chart. Once Chart 1 has been worked, you will have 66 sts on your needles. Redistribute them as follows: 16 sts on Needle 1, 17 sts on Needle 2, 17 sts on Needle 3, 16 sts on Needle 4.
Heel
Start the heel flap by knitting the sts on Needle 1 onto Needle 4 = 32 sts using Off-White. Leave the remaining sts for now.
Turn your work and work in heel stitch as follows:
Row 1 (WS): slip one st with yarn in back (= sl1 wyib), and purl remaining sts to end. Turn your work.
Row 2 (RS): *sl1 wyib, k1*, repeat *–* to end. Turn your work.
Repeat Rows 1–2 16 times (=32 rows), then repeat Row 1 one more time.
Continue in the same reinforced stitch as above, as you work the heel decreases: work the RS round until 11 sts remain. Slip 2 sts individually as if to knit, slip back to left needle and knit these 2 sts together through the back loop (= ssk) and turn your work. Sl1, p10, purl 2 sts together (p2tog) and turn work. Sl1, knit until 10 sts remain, ssk. Continue as set, making decreases at the end of every row. The number of side sts will decrease by 1 on every row, while the middle sts remain the same (=12 sts). When the side sts have been used up, divide the heel flap sts between the two needles, 6 sts on each. K6 to bring your working yarn between Needle 4 and Needle 1.
Foot
Continue in pattern as set in Row 1 of Chart 2: Knit all 6 sts on left onto Needle 1. Using your empty needle, pick up 16 sts from the left side of the heel flap + 1 st from between the heel flap and Needle 2 and knit the picked up sts tbl onto Needle 1. Work all sts on Needles 2 and 3. Using Needle 4, pick up 16 sts from the right side of the heel flap + 1 st from between the heel flap and Needle 3. Knit the picked up sts tbl onto Needle 4 along with the heel sts. You now have 80 sts.
Work Rows 2–14 of Chart 2, working gusset decreases as indicated at the end of Needle 1 and beginning of Needle 4. After the decreases have been worked, you will have 66 sts.
Work remaining chart rows. Break yarn.
Knit 1 row in Papaya. Continue in stockinette as you begin toe decreases: ssk at the end of Needle 1 and Needle 3 + k1 and at the start of Needle 2 and Needle 4 k1 and k2tog. Repeat these decreases on every alternating round until 42 sts remain. Now repeat the decreases on every round until 10 sts remain. Break yarn and draw through the stitches to fasten off.
Repeat to make second sock.
Finishing
Weave in loose ends. Steam gently to finish.
