Rudolf Wool Socks
Designer
Minna Metsänen
Size(s)
EU 38/39 (42/43) US 7.5–8.5(9–9.5), adjustable for foot length
Yarn demand
Novita 7 Veljestä: (011) White, less than 100 g (3.5 oz) (for both sizes) (587) Cranberry, 60(80) g (618) Sandbank, 50(60) g (375) Bergenia, 30(40) g (064) False Morel, 10(20) g
Needles and other supplies
Novita double-pointed needles, size 3.5 mm (US 4) or adjust for gauge.
Stitch Patterns: Twisted rib in the round: *Knit 1 tbl, purl 1*, repeat *-* Stockinette in the round: Knit all stitches on every round. Stranded colorwork: Work stockinette in the round following the chart. Twist yarns to avoid long floats, staggering twists to prevent alignment between rows. Always bring the contrast color under the main color to maintain proper color dominance.
Gauge: 24 sts = 10 cm (4 inches)
Cuff
Cast on 60(64) sts with Sandbank yarn. The round begins between needles I and IV, at the back center. Join to knit in the round and work 2 rounds of twisted rib with Sandbank yarn. Switch to white yarn and knit 6 more rounds of twisted rib. Work 1 round in stockinette with white yarn.
Start Colorwork Chart I(II) from row 1, repeating the 4-stitch motif 15(16) times. Work rows 2–7 of the chart.
On row 8, repeat the 2-stitch pattern repeat 30(32) times.
Work rows 9–10, then on row 11, increase 1 st for size EU 42/43 = 60(65) sts.
Continue with Chart I(II) from row 12, repeating the 12(13)-stitch pattern repeat 5 times. Work rows 13–17. On row 18, decrease 1 st for size EU 42/43 = 60(64) sts.
Continue with Chart I(II) from row 19, repeating the 15(16)-stitch pattern repeat 4 times. Work rows 20–51. The leg length should be approximately 23 cm (9 inches). Cut the yarns.
Heel
Move stitches from needles I and IV onto one needle = 30(32) sts for the heel flap. Leave other sts on hold. Work the heel flap in Sandbank yarn.
Knit the heel sts, decreasing evenly by 4 sts = 26(28) sts.
Reinforced Heel:
Row 1 (WS): Slip 1 st purlwise with yarn in back, purl to end. Turn.
Row 2 (RS): Slip 1 st purlwise with yarn in back, knit 1, repeat - to end. Turn.
Repeat rows 1–2 a total of 12(13) times, then work row 1 once more = 25(27) rows.
Heel Turn: Continue the reinforced pattern. On RS, work until 9(10) sts remain, SSK, turn. On WS, slip 1 st, purl 8 sts, p2tog, turn. Continue decreasing in similar fashion until only the 10(10) central sts remain. Now divide the stitches onto two needles with 5 sts each. Work the 5 sts from the first needle. Your next row starts here.
Instep Decreases:
With the left needle of the heel flap, pick up 12(13) sts along the left side of the heel flap and 1 st from the gap between the flap and instep. Knit the first 5 sts, then knit the rest through back loop. Knit across needles II and III. Pick up 12(13) sts along the right side of the heel flap and 1 st from the gap. Knit the sts through back loop, then knit the 5 sts of the heel.
At this point, transfer 1 st from needle II unto needle I and 1 st from needle III to needle IV. You now have 19(20) sts on needles I and IV and 14(15) sts on needles II and III.Rearrange sts so needles II and III each hold 14(15) sts. Total sts = 66(70).
Continue in white. On needle I, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. On needle IV, ssk the first 2 sts. Work Colorwork Chart III from row 1, repeating the 2-stitch pattern repeat to the end and decreasing every other row. Once decreases are complete, you should have 14(15) sts on each needle, total sts = 56(60).
Note! Make the decreases with the colour that’s left in the chart after the decrease. Work rows 2-6, all the while decreasing as above.
Work row 7: On needle I, work the 4 st pattern repeat over 14(15) sts and knit the last st in white. Note! Do not count this stitch in the pattern repeat, it will be decreased away on the following row. Work pattern repeat on needles II and III. Knit the 1st st on needle IV in white, then work the pattern repeat again over the rest of needle.
Foot
Work row 8 with the last decreases, make the decreases with the colour that’s left in the chart after the decrease. You now have 55(60) sts with 14(15) sts on each needle.
Work row 9. Continue knitting the foot until it measures approximately 18(20) cm (7–8 inches) or desired length. The last row should, however, be number 12 or 15 in the chart.
If your last row was 12, continue with Chart IV. If your last row was 15, continue with Chart V. Work rows 1-4. The rest of the sock is worked in white yarn. Work 1 more row and decrease 1 st in the middle of each needle = 52(56) sts.
Toe
Work decreases for the toe: On needles I and III, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. On needles II and IV, k1, ssk at the beginning of the needle. Repeat decreases every other round until 32(36) sts remain, then every round until 8 sts remain. Cut the yarn, pull through remaining sts, and secure.
Finishing
Lightly steam block the socks.
Embroider reindeer eyes with duplicate stitches using Bergenia yarn and noses using Cranberry yarn. For the noses, make duplicate stitches and add 3 satin stitches by the nose stitch.
Stitch Patterns: Twisted rib in the round: *Knit 1 tbl, purl 1*, repeat *-* Stockinette in the round: Knit all stitches on every round. Stranded colorwork: Work stockinette in the round following the chart. Twist yarns to avoid long floats, staggering twists to prevent alignment between rows. Always bring the contrast color under the main color to maintain proper color dominance.
Gauge: 24 sts = 10 cm (4 inches)
Cuff
Cast on 60(64) sts with Sandbank yarn. The round begins between needles I and IV, at the back center. Join to knit in the round and work 2 rounds of twisted rib with Sandbank yarn. Switch to white yarn and knit 6 more rounds of twisted rib. Work 1 round in stockinette with white yarn.
Start Colorwork Chart I(II) from row 1, repeating the 4-stitch motif 15(16) times. Work rows 2–7 of the chart.
On row 8, repeat the 2-stitch pattern repeat 30(32) times.
Work rows 9–10, then on row 11, increase 1 st for size EU 42/43 = 60(65) sts.
Continue with Chart I(II) from row 12, repeating the 12(13)-stitch pattern repeat 5 times. Work rows 13–17. On row 18, decrease 1 st for size EU 42/43 = 60(64) sts.
Continue with Chart I(II) from row 19, repeating the 15(16)-stitch pattern repeat 4 times. Work rows 20–51. The leg length should be approximately 23 cm (9 inches). Cut the yarns.
Heel
Move stitches from needles I and IV onto one needle = 30(32) sts for the heel flap. Leave other sts on hold. Work the heel flap in Sandbank yarn.
Knit the heel sts, decreasing evenly by 4 sts = 26(28) sts.
Reinforced Heel:
Row 1 (WS): Slip 1 st purlwise with yarn in back, purl to end. Turn.
Row 2 (RS): Slip 1 st purlwise with yarn in back, knit 1, repeat - to end. Turn.
Repeat rows 1–2 a total of 12(13) times, then work row 1 once more = 25(27) rows.
Heel Turn: Continue the reinforced pattern. On RS, work until 9(10) sts remain, SSK, turn. On WS, slip 1 st, purl 8 sts, p2tog, turn. Continue decreasing in similar fashion until only the 10(10) central sts remain. Now divide the stitches onto two needles with 5 sts each. Work the 5 sts from the first needle. Your next row starts here.
Instep Decreases:
With the left needle of the heel flap, pick up 12(13) sts along the left side of the heel flap and 1 st from the gap between the flap and instep. Knit the first 5 sts, then knit the rest through back loop. Knit across needles II and III. Pick up 12(13) sts along the right side of the heel flap and 1 st from the gap. Knit the sts through back loop, then knit the 5 sts of the heel.
At this point, transfer 1 st from needle II unto needle I and 1 st from needle III to needle IV. You now have 19(20) sts on needles I and IV and 14(15) sts on needles II and III.Rearrange sts so needles II and III each hold 14(15) sts. Total sts = 66(70).
Continue in white. On needle I, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. On needle IV, ssk the first 2 sts. Work Colorwork Chart III from row 1, repeating the 2-stitch pattern repeat to the end and decreasing every other row. Once decreases are complete, you should have 14(15) sts on each needle, total sts = 56(60).
Note! Make the decreases with the colour that’s left in the chart after the decrease. Work rows 2-6, all the while decreasing as above.
Work row 7: On needle I, work the 4 st pattern repeat over 14(15) sts and knit the last st in white. Note! Do not count this stitch in the pattern repeat, it will be decreased away on the following row. Work pattern repeat on needles II and III. Knit the 1st st on needle IV in white, then work the pattern repeat again over the rest of needle.
Foot
Work row 8 with the last decreases, make the decreases with the colour that’s left in the chart after the decrease. You now have 55(60) sts with 14(15) sts on each needle.
Work row 9. Continue knitting the foot until it measures approximately 18(20) cm (7–8 inches) or desired length. The last row should, however, be number 12 or 15 in the chart.
If your last row was 12, continue with Chart IV. If your last row was 15, continue with Chart V. Work rows 1-4. The rest of the sock is worked in white yarn. Work 1 more row and decrease 1 st in the middle of each needle = 52(56) sts.
Toe
Work decreases for the toe: On needles I and III, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. On needles II and IV, k1, ssk at the beginning of the needle. Repeat decreases every other round until 32(36) sts remain, then every round until 8 sts remain. Cut the yarn, pull through remaining sts, and secure.
Finishing
Lightly steam block the socks.
Embroider reindeer eyes with duplicate stitches using Bergenia yarn and noses using Cranberry yarn. For the noses, make duplicate stitches and add 3 satin stitches by the nose stitch.
