Colour Alchemy

Pattern notes

The Colour Alchemy socks are knitted from the cuff down. The size can easily be adjusted to fit different foot sizes, and the pattern is suitable for both 4-ply and 6-ply yarn. Just make sure you cast on an even number of stitches.

Skills

You should know how to knit, purl, work stockinette stitch and twisted knit stitches.
And you should have a basic knowledge of knitting socks, such as cast on, short-row heel and round toe.

Size

European foot size 38-39

Materials

about 100 g self-striping 6-ply sock yarn (Colour A)
about 20 g single-coloured 6-ply sock yarn (Colour B)
set of 5 double-pointed needles, 3.00 mm
tapestry needle

Abbreviations

k – knit
p – purl
k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
tbl– through the back loop
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
N1, N2,… – needle 1; needle 2, …

Pattern I

Round 1 – (k1 tbl, p1), repeat around
Round 2 – (k1 tbl, p1), repeat around
Round 3 – knit
Round 4 – knit

Pattern II

stockinette stitch

Cast on

Cast on 48 stitches using Colour A,
distribute them evenly on 4 double-pointed needles and join to work in the round.

Cuff

The sock is worked without cuff and starts
with 1 round in purl stitches.

Leg

The leg is worked using Pattern I and Colour A.

• Repeat rounds 1-4 10 times (40 rounds in total)
• repeat round 1 once
• repeat round 2 across N1, N2 and N3 using Colour A, switch to colour B for N4 — cut Colour A

Heel

The heel is knitted only across N1 and N4 using Pattern II and Colour B.

• knit the first part of the heel, the short-row section
• work 2 transition rounds over all stitches – to avoid a stripe in colour B on the front of the foot, follow these instructions:
  • N1, RS – Colour B: knit all stitches
  • N2 and N3, RS – Colour A: knit
  • N1 and N4, WS – Colour B: purl
  • N3 and N2, WS – Colour A: purl
  • N4, RS – Colour B: knit
• work the second part of the heel, the extended-row section

After finishing the heel continue working stockinette stitch in Colour B across N1 (as start of round 1 of the foot) then cut Colour B.

Foot

the foot is worked in Colour A using

• Pattern I across N2 and N3
• Pattern II across N1 and N4

Repeat Pattern I until you reach the desired length of the foot. In the final pattern repeat, after Round 2, switch to Colour B and use it to finish Rounds 3 and 4.

My version is worked over 12 pattern repeats ( 48 rounds in total).

Toe

The toe is worked using Pattern II and Colour B. I knitted a round toe using the following pattern:

• Round 1 – (k4, k2tog), repeat around
• Rounds 2-5 – knit
• Round 6 – (k3, k2tog), repeat around
• Rounds 7-9 – knit
• Round 10 – (k2, k2tog), repeat around
• Rounds 11-12 – knit
• Round 13 – (k1, k2tog), repeat around
• Round 14 – knit
• Round 15 – (k2tog), repeat around

Cut off the yarn, thread it into a blunt tapestry needle and thread it through the remaining stitches — preferably twice — and pull tight.