“Put joy and gratitude out into the world and it shall return to you tenfold…” {kind of like a boomerang effect!}

I designed these socks as a fun way to play with color and a new-to-me heel technique (the ‘boomerang’ heel). The socks are simple to knit, top down in the round with a wedge toe.

The short row heel is based on the German Short Row method and produces almost NO HOLES. It’s a fun technique and easy to memorize - no picking up pesky wraps - and it creates a jaunty stripe!

Use your partials or mini skeins to create colourful heels and toes! And honestly what’s better than using up stash or special sock yarn minis and learning a new technique?

SIZE:
Finished Sock Circumference: approximately 7 (7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5)”

Choose a size with 0.5” negative ease – so 0.5” smaller than actual foot circumference.

Leg length: 8” as shown in samples, but customizable
Foot length: customizable

YARN:
Any fingering weight, between 250-400 yrds/ (320 - 388 metres) depending on foot and leg length

Samples utilized the following:
Color block socks:
C1: Knit Picks Stroll in ‘Ash’
C2: Knit Picks Stroll in ‘Dove’
C3: hand dyed Chickadee Knits CashSock in ‘Louie the Lightning Bug’
C4: hand dyed Chickadee Knits CashSock in ‘Neon Coral’.

Striped socks:
C1: Knit Picks Stroll in ‘Ash’
C2: Knit Picks Stroll in ‘Dove’
C3: The Plucky Knitter Feet Gradient 002.

NEEDLES:
Size 1.5 (2.5 mm) 32” or 40” long circular needle or DPNs if not using Magic Loop method (knitter’s choice!) or needle size required to achieve gauge.

GAUGE:
30 sts and 32 rows over 4” in stockinette worked in the rnd, unstretched and after blocking.

ADDITIONAL TOOLS:
Tapestry needle, 3x stitch markers (one unique marker for BOR)

NOTES:
This pattern is totally suitable for the short row heel knitting newbie!

A Special Techniques section is provided in the pattern (on a separate page in order to save on printing) which has step-by-step pictures and descriptions to aid in learning the short row heel technique.

Here are a few clarifications to the heel and toe sections of the pattern that may help!:

• After completing Rows 3 & 4 of the heel and all the outer st have been worked as double sts, you will end on a Row 3, NOT a Row 4.
• Rnd 1 of the Toe decrease section should read: k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before M, k2tog, k1, sl M, k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before BOR M, k2tog, k1.