Qiviut/Merino Cabled Socks...in Bordeaux : March Competition

The Clear winner of last months competition is the Egyptian red and why not ? Whats not to like about beautiful warm red with orangy undertones ! However, my fav is the bordeaux and much more suitable for me.
       Whats even better is knitting these socks with 50% Qiviut/50% merino yarn. The qiviut adds warmth, a luxurious feel...... sensuality to the yarn.....a feeling of gorgeousness and softness. The Merino adds strength,  durability and some elasticity along with supleness and adds balance to the yarn. Qiviut/merino wool blend makes the perfect socks.....that are soft and warm.
Overall Design: cabled sock top, smooth leg and foot section and toes.....for the longest time i have wanted hand knit socks with toes so every toe is snuggly wrapped in comfort ! (if you are not comfortable knitting toes.....thats ok, just knit a plain toe section)

The Competition: Win the yarn to make these socks.

*****By entering this competition you agree to use this yarn (if you are the winner) to knit the sock pattern below (socks with or without toes) and by entering you agree to send us by email a picture of the actual socks for us to post on this blog !*****
The winner will be drawn at random. Open to knitters world wide.
Tell us in the comment section what your color preference would be, either Bordeaux or Egyptian Red !
Competition is open until 15Th April 2011.
                                 Best of Luck knitting buds !

To knit these socks You will need :
1 pair of 3.5mm straight needles.
1 set of 3.00mm D.P.N
1 set of 2.75mm D.P.N
1 st marker.
1 cable needle.
Wool needle
4 skeins of qiviut/merino yarn.

TENSION: over cabled section: 16 rows= 2.5''  X 30 sts= 4.5'' inches
Tension over plain/knit st 8sts= 1'' inch X 10 rows = 1'' inch

The cabled leg section of sock is knit on straight needles. Begin by casting on 30 sts with 2 strands of yarn together. Knit across 30 sts, then begin cable work below.
1: p5, c4B, (p4, c4B) twice, p5.
2:  k5, p4, (k4,p4) twice, k5.
3: p4, T3B, (T4F, T4B) Twice, T3F, p4.
4: k4, p2, k3, p4, k4, p4, k3, p2, k4.
5: p3, T3B, p3, C4F, p4, C4F, p3, T3F, p3.
6: k3, p2, k4, (p4, k4) twice, p2, k3.
7: p3, k2, p3, T3B, T4F, T4B, T3F, p3, k2, p3.
8: k3, (p2,k3) twice, p4, (k3,p2) twice, k3.
9: p3, (k2,p3) twice, C4B, (p3,k2) twice, p3.
10: k3, (p2,k3) twice, p4, (k3, p2) twice, k3.
11: p3, k2, p3, T3F, T4B, T4F, T3B, p3, k2, p3.
12:  As 6Th row.
13: p3, T3F, p3, C4F, p4, C4F, p3, T3B, p3.
14: As 4th row.
15: p4, T3F, (T4B, T4F) twice, T3B, p4.
15: As 2nd row.
Rep above pattern 3 more times. Next bind/cast off all 30 sts.

                                                    Make sock:
With wrong side of work facing you, pick up and knit 54sts along the Longest edge onto a 3.00mm D.P.N. Next, with right side of work facing you, knit across the 54sts and put 18 sts each onto 3 dpn's.
                                                                 OR:
For a seam at the back of socks : Stitch the cast on, cast off edges together to form a rnd, with the seam facing to the center back, pick up and knit 18 sts for 1 st needle and then rep all around for needles 2 and 3.
 Join to work in the rnd, k1, place marker and continue to knit around ( putting extra tension on the 1st  stitch of each needle to prevent a ladder forming ).
continue knitting in the rnd until work measures 8.5'' inches long from beg edge of cable design.

                                                     Heel Flap:
Knit across 14sts of 1 st needle. Slip the last 4 sts onto needle 2. On needle 2 we knit the heel flap.
K1, slip 1 all across needle and add 4 sts from needle 3 to needle 2 so you now have 26 sts on needle 2 for heel flap. Next row: Turn work and purl all sts. Continue to k1, slip 1 and purl rows until flap measures 3'' inches long.

                                              This picture taken outside shows the true color of Bordeaux and its not at all Dark as the picture at the top of page suggests !

                                               Turn Heel:
1: (WS) p14, p2tog, p1, turn work.
2: sl 1, k7, k2tog, k1, turn.
3: sl 1, p8, p2tog, p1, turn.
4: sl 1, k9, k2tog, k1, turn.
5: sl 1, p10, p2tog, p1, turn.
6: sl1, k11, k2tog, k1, turn.
7: sl1, p12, p2tog, p1,turn.
8: sl1, k11, k2tog, k to end.

                                               Make sock Gusset:
With (RS) work facing you and on needle 3, pick up 14 sts evenly along the heel edge. Continue knitting across needle 3. You now have 29 sts on needle 3. Rep for other side of gusset adding the sts to needle 1. Slip marker and knit 1 rnd.
dec shaping rnds; needles 1: k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
                                           2: k without shaping.
                                           3: k1, k2tog, k to end.
Every 2nd rnd k without shaping. continue until you have  17 sts rem on needles 1 and 3. Next rnd: continue shaping as above for another 6 rnds and at the same time dec on needle 2 as thus: k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
When finished you should have: 14 sts on needles 1 and 3 = (28), needle 2 has 12 sts.
 K for a further 6 rnds.

Foot shaping increases: on needle 1, k to last 2 sts, inc 1 st. needle 2- no increase. Needle 3, k1 inc 1 sts, k to end. Next rnd: knit without inc. rep these 2 rnds another 3 times until you have 18 sts on needles 1 and 3 and 12 sts on needle 2.

Continue knitting without shaping until sock reaches to beg of toes......try it on for correct fit !
                                               Knit the Toes:
''Right Foot''

 With 2.75mm d. p needles knit 2 rnds.( With  2.75mm the large toe sts will be smaller and firmer so they will be more durable) ! If your socks are anything like mine ' its always the large toe area thats goes first' !

After knitting the 2 rnds, slide 6 sts from needle 1 onto needle 2 and 6 sts from needle 3 onto needle 2. knit sts from needle 1 onto needle 3 removing stitch marker as you go. You now have 48sts divided onto 2 needles that are facing eachother. Next we divide for toes (DO NOT BREAK YARN)

It is very important to try on the sock as you knit so each toes is perfect !

I found that the toes were a little on the small side and would have been better if knitted on a 3.00mm needle !

With contrast thicker yarn and wool needle remove 16 sts to waste yarn. Rep for other needle. Divide the 16 sts remaining onto 3 needles and begin to knit around to make large toe. Knit with extra tension to keep sts firm and small = durable !
When knitting reaches just past the end of large toe, break yarn leaving a 10cm tail and close top of toe, secure sts and sew loose end inside if sock.

Next: the following toes are knit on 3.00mm D.P.N
Slip 4 sts from each side onto 2 d.p.n's, at same time pickup 1 extra st from both sides of the gap between toes so you now have 10 sts to knit 2nd toe. Leaving a 10cm tail to close gap between toes, join to work in the rnd and knit as before trying on the sock for fit.
Rep as above for the next 3 toes and then your done. Sew in any loose ends and begin other sock reversing the shapings for toes of other foot.......Knit 2nd sock as 1st until you reach the toe section, then follow the pattern below for Left foot.

Left Foot: you should have all your sts on 2.75mm d.p.n'S and are ready to divide for toes.
Needles 1 and 3. slip 6 sts each from the ends of these needles onto needle 2. This needle now contains 24 sts. knit the sts from needle 2 directly onto needle 1. You now have all sts on 2 parallel needles. to knit the large toe of left foot you must knit to the opposite end of needle 2. You are now ready to remove the extra sts to waste yarn as before and knit the large toe on the 2.75mm needles as before and remaining toes on 3.00mm needes.


ABBREVIATIONS:
T3F= put next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at front of work, purl the next st from left hand needle, then knit the 2 sts from cable needle.
T3B= put next st onto cable needle and hold at back, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, purl the st from the cable needle.
C4F= put next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at front of work, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, then knit 2 sts from cable needle.
C4B= put next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at back, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, knit the 2 sts from cable needle.
T4F= put next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at front, purl next 2 sts on left hand needle, then knit the 2 sts from cable needle.
T4B= put next 2 purl sts onto cable needle and hold at back of work, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, then purl 2 sts from cable needle.

                                       Competition winner: Photo by Jennifer Crandall.
                                                   '' The Worlds Softest Socks ''