Summer Grazing by DROPS Design

If you love sheep (and what knitter doesn’t!), you’ll enjoy knitting and wearing these fun socks

So sweet! These fun socks have a stranded colourwork sheep design

THESE SHEEPY socks are sure to make any knitter smile! They feature a fun stranded colourwork design of sheep grazing in a summer pasture, and incorporate a little texture to complement the pattern. They are knitted in the popular DROPS Fabel yarn, a classic sock yarn which comes in a wide range of solid colours, as well as self-striping and faux-Fair Isle.

SOCKS

(both alike) Using 2.5mm needles and yarn A, cast on 60 ( 64: 68) sts. Pm and join to work in the round, taking care not to twist sts.

Knit 1 rnd.

Next rnd: (K2, P2) to end. Last rnd sets rib. Cont to work in rib until work meas 4cm, dec 4 ( 8: 4) sts evenly on final rnd. 56 ( 56: 64) sts.

Next rnd: Work Chart to end, repeating the 8-st pattern 7 ( 7: 8) times around. Cont until all chart rnds are complete.

Knit one rnd in yarn B, dec ( inc: dec) 2 sts evenly across the rnd. 54 ( 58: 62) sts.

The sock will now be completed in yarn B.

HEEL

Next row: K26 ( 28: 30) for heel, turn. The heel will be worked over these 26 ( 28: 30) sts only.

Work in st st back and forth until heel flap meas 5 ( 5 :6)cm.

Row 1 (RS): K to last 7 ( 8: 8) sts, skpo, turn. Row 2 (WS): P to last 7 ( 8: 8) sts, sppo, turn. Row 3: K to last 6 ( 7: 7) sts, skpo, turn. Row 4: Purl to last 6 ( 7: 7) sts, sppo, turn. Cont decreasing in this manner with 1 stitch less before each decrease until there are 14 ( 14: 16) sts on the needle.

HEEL TURN

Next rnd: K14 ( 14: 16), pick up and knit 13 ( 14: 16) along side of heel flap, pm, knit across 28 ( 30: 32) instep sts, pm, pick up and knit 13 ( 14: 16) sts along side of heel flap. 68 ( 72: 80) sts.

GUSSET

Next rnd: K to 2 sts before mrk, K2tog tbl, slm, K to mrk, slm, K2tog, K to end. Next rnd: Knit. Rep last 2 rnds until 52 ( 56: 60) sts remain.

FOOT

Cont to work without shaping until foot meas 4 ( 5: 6) cm less than desired foot length. Next rnd: K to mrk, remove mrk, K1, replace mrk; rep from * once more, knit to end. 26 ( 28: 30) sts for each instep and sole of foot.

TOE

Next rnd: * K2tog tbl, K to 2 sts before mrk, K2tog, K to mrk, slm; rep from * once more. Next rnd: Knit. Repeat last 2 rnds until 12 ( 16: 16) sts remain. Next rnd: (K2tog to end). 6 ( 8: 8) sts. Cut yarn and pull through remaining sts, tighten together and weave in ends. Block, following any yarn care instructions on the ball band.

Make second sock the same.