Short stack socks by Kirsten McTeer

Short stack socks

Knitting
December 2015
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
8 stitches = 1 inch
in Stocking stitch
US 1 - 2.25 mm
3.25 mm (D)
280 - 400 yards (256 - 366 m)
Medium (to fit 8" foot), Large (to fit 9" foot)
English
This pattern is available for £3.50 GBP buy it now

Short Stack socks are so named because they are made up almost entirely of short rows. They start with a short row toe. The foot is constructed first one side then the other using short rows without wrapping (to form the broken line across the foot). After the short row heel is worked, the leg is then constructed in a similar manner to the foot, one side and then the other, using short rows of different lengths. The sock is finally finished in the round with a ribbed cuff. If you don’t like short rows, these are not the socks for you! However if you like to experiment with slightly different sock constructions, why not give them a try!

This pattern works especially well with multicoloured yarn with short colour changes, as the rapidly changing row length causes the colours to pool in different ways on different parts of the sock.

Two sizes are given; Medium (sock circumference approx. 6.75” to fit 8” foot) and Large (sock circumference approx. 7.5” to fit 9” foot). The sock is stretchier than usual because of the “seam” where the short row sections join. Do not be fooled by the stitch counts!

The pattern is written with either Magic Loop or working on two circular needles in mind. It could be worked on DPNs but bear in mind there is a lot of turning and changing row lengths which may make the use of DPNs tricky.

You will need up to 400 yards of fingering weight sock yarn, 2.25mm (US 1) needles for knitting in the round, two stitch markers preferably different in appearance, and a darning needle. You will also need a small amount of waste yarn and a crochet hook (3.25mm/D or size close to this) for working the provisional cast-on.

You will need to be able to: work a crochet chain for a provisional cast-on, knit in the round and back-and-forth in rows, work wrap-and-turn, work short rows.

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