Devil's Snare Sock Pattern

Devil’s Snare Socks

By Erica Lueder

Materials

Yarn: Fingering Weight – approx 375-400yds. Sample sock knit with Araucania Ranco Solid.

Needles: US 2 (2.75mm) – set of 2 Circular Needles, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Gauge: 32sts per 4 inches (10cm)

A Few Notes on This Pattern

• This sock is constructed with a panel of Stockinette sts on either side of the main lace panel. To adjust for size, add or subtract evenly from both Stockinette panels flanking the lace panel or go down a needle size.
• The heel flap is knit on an uneven number of sts. Please pay attention to the numbers provided in the pattern. There is not a good place to divide the lace panel for the gusset; one or two sts will have to be switched occasionally from ndl 1 to ndl 2 and vice versa in order to complete the established lace pattern.
• If one prefers a short row heel, simply disregard instructions for the heel flap, substitute a short row heel using ndl 2 and continue the rest of the instep in pattern.
• If dpns are preferred, place 31 instep sts on ndl 1 and divide the remaining 31 sts between ndl 2 and ndl 3. If needed, the side panel St St sts could be added to ndls 2 and 3 as well. The heel flap, heel turn, and gussets are knit using ndls 2 and 3 while ndl 1 carries the instep sts.

Slightly Modified Garter-Stitch Edged Eye of Partridge Heel

Row 1: k3, p to end

Row 2: p3, *k1, sl 1* to last 4 sts, k4

Row 3: k3, p to end

Row 4: p3, *sl 1, K1* to last 4 sts, sl 1, k3

Devil’s Snare Lace Panel

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cuff

CO 62 sts, divide evenly over 2 circular needles (31 sts each needle). Join for knitting in the round.

Work 15 rows of ribbing: *k1p1*.

Knit 1 row before starting the lace pattern.

Leg

Begin Devil’s Snare Lace Pattern along needle 1 only. The back of the sock (sts on needle 2) is knit in St St. Continue knitting lace pattern for a total of 6 pattern repeats or until you have reached your desired length ending with row 10 of pattern.

Heel Flap

The heel is worked using needle 2. Knit the Slightly Modified Garter-Stitch Edged Eye of Partridge Heel Pattern for a total of 9 pattern repeats (36 total rows) ending with Row 4 of the pattern. This leaves 18 garter rows for pick up after the heel is turned.

Heel Turn

With WS facing you,

Sl 1, p 16, p2tog, p1, turn

Next row: sl 1, k4, ssk, k1, turn

Next row: sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn

Next row: sl 1, k6, ssk, k1, turn

Next row: sl 1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn

Next row: sl 1, k8, ssk, k1, turn

**continue in this manner until all sts are accounted for – there should be 17 heel sts left on the needle at this point.**

Pick up the heel flap sts.

Using the ndl holding the heel sts (now referred to as ndl 1): pu 18 sts along the heel flap, pu 1 extra st between the heel flap and the instep (to close the gap), pm, k across 15 instep sts in pattern. Switch to the other needle (now referred to as ndl 2).

Using ndl 2: continue across second half of the instep sts (16 sts) in pattern, pm, pu 1 extra st between instep and heel flap (to close gap), pu 18 heel flap sts, continue to knit across 8 heel sts.

**at this point there should be 43 sts on ndl 1 (15 instep sts, 28 flap/heel sts) and 43 sts on ndl 2 (16 instep sts, 27 flap/heel sts)**

Gusset

Set up Row:

Ndl 1: k across the heel and heel flap sts until you reach 2 sts before the marker, ssk, sm, continue to knit across the instep sts in pattern.

Ndl 2: k across the instep sts in pattern, sm, k2tog, k to end

Now we’re ready to get going on the gusset J

Row 1: Ndl 1: k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k1, sm, knit instep sts in pattern

Ndl 2: k across instep sts in pattern, sm, k1, ssk, k to end

Row 2: Ndl 1: K to marker, sm, continue across instep sts in pattern

Ndl 2: k across instep sts in pattern, sm, k to end

**Repeat these 2 rows until there are 16 sole sts left on ndl 1 and 15 sole sts on ndl 2 (21 gusset rows total, not including the set-up row)**

Redistribute the sts so ndl 1 carries the instep sts and ndl 2 carries the sole sts.

Instep

Continue knitting in pattern (ndl 1: the Devil’s Snare Lace Pattern, ndl 2: St St) until you have reached your desired length (leave approximately 2 inches for the toe) ending with row 10 of the Devil’s Snare Lace Pattern.

Toe

Toe Shaping

Decrease rounds are knit as follows:

*k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1*

Row 1: decrease (29 sts per ndl)

Row 2 & 3: knit

Row 4: decrease (27 sts per ndl)

Row 5 & 6: knit

Row 7: decrease (25 sts per ndl)

Row 8 & 9: knit

Row 10: decrease (23 sts per ndl)

Row 11: knit

Row 12: decrease (21 sts per ndl)

Row 13: knit

Row 14: decrease (19 sts per ndl)

Row 15: knit

Row 16: decrease (17 sts per ndl)

Row 17: decrease (15 sts per ndl)

Row 18: decrease (13 sts per ndl)

Row 19: decrease (11 sts per ndl)

Finishing

Cut yarn leaving a 10 inch tail and weave through remaining sts using the Kitchener technique. Weave in all ends and congratulate yourself on knitting a beautiful sock. Now do the other one if you haven’t already!

Abbreviations:

CO: cast on

k: knit

k2tog: knit 2 stitches together

ndl: needle

p: purl

pm: place marker

pu: pick up

sl 1: slip one stitch as if to purl **keep yarn in back unless mentioned otherwise**

sl1, k2tog, psso: slip one st as if to purl, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over

sm: slip marker

ssk: slip 1 st as if to knit, slip 1 st as if to knit, knit (decrease)

St St: Stockinette Stitch

sts: stitches

WS: wrong side

YO: yarn over

Inspiration:

I loved the description of Devil’s Snare in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series, and was inspired by the unusual way that the plant snakes itself around things. For this sock pattern, I wanted to incorporate a simple lace pattern working its way up the wearer’s legs like the plant itself would.