Somewhat More Subtle

I've started another pair of socks with yarn from the depths of the stash, this with a somewhat more subdued color scheme. I picked this up several years ago at a little yarn store in Red Wing, MN. The owner had dyed it herself, and if I recall correctly the base yarn is Louet Merino Gems. The store was a cute, tiny place and the young proprietor was charming. Alas, I can't remember the name. I tried to Google for a yarn store in Red Wing, but came up with nothing, so perhaps she is no longer in business, or has moved.

The yarn was forming pretty definite stripes in the top ribbing, so I decided to break it up with a stitch pattern that combines slipped stitches and twists (really little tiny cables).

This is something I came up with myself, though it's entirely possible it exists in one stitch dictionary, or several. It would be a bit of a pain to work flat, because you would end up having to work twists on the wrong side some of the time, but it's quite simple in the round. It's a fairly dense stitch and eats up the yarn, so I'll probably make the legs a bit shorter than I usually do.

For what it's worth, here's how it goes with chart above and written directions below:

(Worked on a multiple of six stitches}

Rnds 1 & 2: k2, *sl 1, k5; rep from *, end sl1, k3.

Rnd 3: *1/2 RC, k3; rep from *.

Rnds 4 & 5: k3, *sl1, k5; rep from *, end sl1, k2.

Rnd 6: *k3, 1/2 LC; rep from *.

sl 1 = slip 1 st purlwise

1/2 RC = 1 over 2 Right Cross: Slip 2 sts from the left needle onto the right needle. Drop the next st toward the front of the work. Slip 2 sts from the right needle back onto the left needle. With the tip of the right needle, pick up the dropped st and place in on the left needle. Knit all 3 sts.

1/2 LC = 1 over 2 Left Cross: Drop the first st on the left needle toward the front of the work. Slip the next 2 sts onto the right needle. With the tip of the left needle, pick up the dropped st. Slip 2 sts from the right needle back onto the left needle. Knit all 3 sts.

These crossings take longer to describe than to actually work. The dropped stitches really don't run down, at least with a yarn that isn't downright slippery; I think because they have been stretched upward in the process of slipping them on the previous rounds.

Still, one could employ a cable needle if preferred.