The Oblique Reflex Socks are inspired by geometry, angles, and bending light through refraction. In mathematics, “oblique” means an angle is not a right angle or a flat line, and “reflex” means an angle that is more than 180 degrees. I have to admit that physics was my worst subject in my university science program — I never got the hang of more complex force diagrams, which are a pretty fundamental part of the subject — but I always enjoyed playing with light, lasers, lenses, mirrors, and refraction mediums, which were all about the angles!

Pattern Description

These socks with an afterthought heel use bias sections to make a self-striping yarn shift at various angles. The right and left socks are mirror images. Both toe-up and cuff-down instructions are provided.

This pattern requires the knitter to be able to knit a small circumference in the round (the pattern is method-neutral to suit your preferred technique for socks) and clearly explains all techniques required. Within the pattern you will find links to useful video tutorials as well, so the pattern is easily accessible to an intermediate knitter who is just getting started knitting socks.

Yarn Requirements and Sizing

Sizes available: Adult Small (Medium, Large, Extra-Wide) for foot circumferences of 18 (20.5, 23, 25.5) cm / 7 (8, 9, 10) inches — 56 (64, 72, 80) st. The foot length and leg height are completely adjustable.

The socks require approximately 275 (300, 325, 350) m / 300 (325, 350, 375) yards of fingering weight sock yarn for standard foot lengths and equivalent leg heights.

This pattern works best for self-striping yarns with many narrower stripes of varying widths, and “micro-striping” variegated yarns (i.e., variegated yarns with a maximum of three distinct sections of colour) may work as well, depending on how they pool in a given size.

These socks are rated 2/5 — Easy — on my sock pattern difficulty scale. This is because they are a straightforward two-round pattern repeat both on the foot and on the leg.