Difficulty: Intermediate

Diamond shaped cables protect a reverse stockinette background from the seedy stitches trapped within. Braided cables form an excellent border to this central motif. I designed these socks for Sockdown November 2013’s Cable challenge. The pattern has been made available for the February 2014’s Under-appreciated challenge.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Fits: 8.5 9.75, 11 inch foot circumference.
Alternate sizes can be made by going up or down in needle size for larger or smaller socks, respectively, or by modifying the Seedy Cable Chart (and your stitch count) accordingly.

MATERIALS
Knit Picks Stroll Fingering 75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon ; 231 yd/211 m per 50g skein; 2 skeins, or about 400-450 yards of your preferred sock yarn. My sample socks are knit with Knit Picks Stroll Fingering in the Cork colorway, gradient over-dyed with 619 Crimson Jacquard acid dye.

1 set US #1.5/2.5mm double-point needles, or circular needle(s). Whatever method works for you.

Extra DPN or a clasping stitch marker with which to work cables, (or be adventurous and do without).
Stitch marker(s) to mark end of round, pattern sections, and heel turns.
Tapestry (yarn) needle for finishing

PATTERN NOTES
Much of this pattern assumes some knowledge of sock construction. Feel free to substitute methods which have worked for you in the past at any point (esp. at my vague-ish heel section). I have not tested anything but the Large size, and in my sample I used a Fish Lips Kiss Heel (heel-pattern sells for $1 in Sox Therapist’s Ravelry store, and is totally worth it), but you don’t have to. I have written out a short-row heel for the toe-up instructions, and a flap and gusset heel for the cuff-down instructions. Please call me out on errors. I can’t fix what I don’t know is broken. Just be nice; it is a free pattern. Also, all the charts (and the key) you will need for one size are on the same page, so feel free to skip the chart pages for sizes you don’t need.