These socks were born of personal experience. They were originally a vacation project for me, a project where I didn’t want to think, and where I wanted to unplug my brain and knit whatever came into my head. Now, I know from memory the figures for a banded heel knitted from the leg, but not the other way round. And of course, I completely fell for a lace pattern with little balls that I was desperate to use. Hence a slightly crazy question: is it possible to use a pattern that knits from the bottom up in socks knitted in the opposite direction?

The construction of these socks is therefore a little unusual. The socks are started with a provisional assembly, and the upper calf, including the lace pattern, is worked from the bottom up. Once the ribs are finished and folded over, the stitches are picked up and the rest of the sock is knitted in the other direction, from the leg to the toes. They feature a banded heel and rounded toes. The gusset tapers are located under the foot, in the middle of the sole, forming two small arrows.

Sizes: S [M, L] to match a foot circumference of 19-21 [21-23, 23-25] cm / 7 ½-8 ¼ [8 ¼-9, 9-9 ¾]”.

Yarn: 260 [290, 320] m / 284 [317, 350] yds of fingering wool (380 to 425 m per 100g).

The prototype is knitted in Eline and Laine Tabi (75% merino superwash, 25% nylon – 425 m / 465 yds & 100 g per skein), collar. Rose Trémière.

Needles and equipment :

• 2.50 mm / US #1.5 – circular or double-pointed needles or your favorite needles for knitting in the round.
• 2 marker rings
• Short length of auxiliary wool for temporary mounting
• 1 tapestry needle

Sample: 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4″, knitted in the round :

– Jersey = 34 stitches x 46 turns.
– Rib 1×7 (unstretched) = 38 stitches x 46 turns.

Always measure samples after they have been washed and dried thoroughly. All measurements are made in centimetres, then converted and rounded to the nearest quarter inch.