Quietish

Wendelin the Weird
(mediaeval; dates unknown) Chocolate Frog card
Witch in Middle Ages who enjoyed being burned at the stake
- hp-lexicon.org

Every time I make a pair of socks I seem to add at least one tweak to the formula a little bit, hopefully bringing me ever closer to the “perfect” sock for my foot. This sock is toe-up with a wider and shorter toe, a heel flap (worked the “wrong way”), and ribbing along the sides for a snug fit. Disclaimer: This isnt a true pattern and is intended for those that know a little about sock construction.

Read below for instructions.

Size:
To fit a women’s size medium. Or more accurately, to fit Rosemary’s foot. But perhaps you have a similarly shaped foot. Tweak these instruction for yourself by lengthening the foot or leg, or knitting the heel flap longer/shorter and changing the number of stitches picked up along the side appropriately.

Materials:

• Sweet Georgia Handpainted Sock Yarn [100% Merino Wool; 400 yds], one skein. Shown in “Firefly.” (Note: This appears to be discontinued, but she has superwash sock yarn available)
• 1 40″ US#1 (2.5mm) circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge.
• tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Gauge:
29 stitches / 40 rows = 4 inches

Note:
Follow these links for notes on these techniques. They’re what I use and I don’t really feel the need to rewrite something that works so well.
Judy’s Magic Cast-On
KnittingHelp video of Magic Loop
Sewn Bind-Off (scroll down to near the end of the page for instructions)

Toe:
Using Judy’s Magic Cast-On (or either turkish or figure-8 if you like those), cast on 36 stitches.
Knit the following two rounds until you have 64 stitches.

Round 1: Knit plain.
Round 2: [K1, M1, K to last stitch of that half of the needle, M1, K1] 2 times

Foot:
The beginning of your round starts on the left side of the foot. The first half of your stitches are called “instep” and the second half are called “sole.”

*Work instep stitches (k2, p2, k2, p2, k16, p2, k2, p2, k2), work sole stitches (k2, p2, k24, p2, k2)*

Repeat from * to * for 6.5 inches or desired length (about 2 inches shorter than the length of your foot from tip of toe to back of heel).

Heel Flap:
For those of you who have done cuff-down socks with a heel flap already, just pretend that you didn’t start at the toe and knit a heel flap like you normally knit a heel flap, minus the sl1, k1 texture. It works, I promise, and fits well too.

Work across instep half of stitches in pattern.
Leaving instep stitches on the cable part of your needle or on a stitch holder, work heel flap back and forth across the sole (32 st.)

Row 1: slip 1, knit to end
Row 2: slip 1, purl to end

Repeat those 2 rows 12 times.

Turn Heel:
Row 1: K21, k2tog, k1, turn work.
Row 2: Slip1, p11, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3: Sl 1, k to gap, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, p to gap, p2tog, p1, turn.

Work rows 3 and 4 until all you’ve worked across all stitches and 22 stitches remain on heel.

Begin Gusset:
Knit back across heel stitches.
Using the same needle, pick up 12 stitches in the slipped stitches along the edge of heel flap, plus one stitch in the corner between heel flap and instep.

Arrange your needle for working in the round once again and work across instep in pattern.

Pick up 1 stitch in corner between instep and heel flap, pick up 12 more stitches along the edge of heel flap.
Knit the remaining sole stitches plain, then work instep again in pattern.

Beginning of round is now on the right side of the foot. Your sole/back stitches (48) are are on one half of your loop and your instep/front stitches (32) are on the second half. You now begin with the back half.

Round 1: K1tbl, ssk, k10tbl, k22, k10tbl, k2tog, k1; Work instep/front stitches in pattern.
Round 2: Knit back stitches plain, work front half in pattern.
Round 3: K1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before front half, k2tog, k1; work front in pattern.

Work rounds 2 and 3 until there are 32 stitches on each half of loop, 64 stitches total.

Leg/Cuff:
Begin knitting both sides of loop in original instep pattern.
*(k2, p2, k2, p2, k16, p2, k2, p2, k2), two times*

Repeat from * to * for 5 inches.
Switch to k2, p2 ribbing and knit for 1/2 inch or desired length.

Bind off using the Sewn Bind-Off, or bind-off very, very loosely. Weave in ends. Make second sock. Dance around your living room in them.

I would not, however, suggest burning yourself alive if you’re a muggle.