The Autumn love colorwork socks feature brioche, mock cables, and an hourglass heel

Size: EU 38.

Autumn love socks: supplies

Gauge: 24 sts and 26 rounds = 10 cm in colorwork.

How to knit the Autumn love socks

Using the smaller needles and the main color, cast on 64 sts for the ribbing and distribute them over four needles (16 sts each). Knit brioche in the round for 10 cm:

Round 1: *yo, slip 1 st purlwise, k1*, repeat from * to *.

Round 2: *purl the yo and the slipped st together, yo, slip 1 st purlwise*, repeat from * to *.

Round 3: *yo, slip 1 st purlwise, knit the yo and the slipped st together*, repeat from * to *. From now on, repeat Rounds 2 and 3. When the ribbing measures 10 cm, knit 1 round in stockinette. On this round, knit every yo and the st following it together. Also increase 2 sts evenly on needles 1 and 4, and 1 st on needles 2 and 3 (you can knit the previous round’s yos through the back loop to make these increases). You now have 70 sts.

Leg

Switch to the larger needles and start the colorwork according to Chart 1. The sock features mock cables at the back, in which the purl sts are worked in the main color and the cables in the contrast color. See the chart key.

When the chart is done, knit 3 more rounds in the main color. On the first of these rounds, k2tog at the center of each needle. Knit the second round plain, then on the third round k2tog at the start of each needle. You now have 48 sts.

Hourglass heel

Work the heel with the main color on the smaller needles. The key is to pull the slipped st tight so you won’t get holes (slip purlwise and pull so tight that it looks like there are two stitches on the right needle).

Knit the sts on Needle 1 and turn. On the WS, slip the first st purlwise and pull the yarn so tight that it looks like there are two stitches instead of one on the right needle. Purl the remaining sts on Needles 1 and 4, then turn. On the RS, slip the first st purlwise again, pull the yarn tight so it looks as if there are two stitches on the needle, then knit all sts except for the one slipped on the previous row, which appears as two stitches. Turn.

Again, slip the first st purlwise and pull tight. Purl the remaining sts, except for the one slipped on the previous row that looks like two stitches. Continue like this, always slipping the first st purlwise, pulling tight, and skipping previously slipped sts. This way, the sts decrease by 1 each row. Continue until 8 sts remain in the center. The heel now looks like a triangle.

Knit one round all around, knitting all sts on needles 1, 2, 3, and 4. Knit every slipped st appearing as two sts as one st. You are now back at the beginning of the round, between needles 4 and 1.

Increases in the hourglass heel

On the RS, knit the regular sts on Needle 1 (the center heel sts) plus one st that was slipped two rows earlier, then turn. On the WS, slip the first st purlwise, pull tight, purl the regular sts of the heel plus one st that was slipped two rows earlier, then turn. Keep going like this until you're working the WS again and you slip the first st purlwise on Needle 1. Purl the other sts and turn. Slip the first st on Needle 4 purlwise, pull tight, and knit Needle 4. The heel is now complete, and you still have 48 sts in total.

Foot

Continue with the smaller needles and the main color for Rounds 1–9 of Chart 2 (remember to knit the slipped st appearing as two sts as one st on Needle 4 on Round 1). Switch to the larger needles for the colorwork, then back to the smaller needles afterwards. Knit until the sock covers your little toe.

Toe decreases

Shape the toe with a wide wedge decrease. Working in stockinette, decrease at the end of Needles 1 and 3 by knitting the second-to-last and third-to-last sts together, and at the beginning of Needles 2 and 4, decrease the 2nd and 3rd sts with an skp decrease (= slip 1 knitwise, k1 and pass the slipped st over). Decrease every other round until each needle has 8 sts, then decrease on every round. When 8 sts remain in total, break the yarn and pull it through all sts. Weave in ends and lightly steam the socks.