Shur'tagal: Dragon Rider Socks
By
Alice Yu
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These socks were designed for my father-in-law Frank for his birthday back in…. well, I’m too embarrassed to admit how late I am with them. Suffice to say, it has taken a few iterations to finally come up with a guy sock that is both manly enough for Frank and interesting enough to want to knit, whilst also being easy to remember for TV or pub knitting.
I despair over some of the masculine, but boring, colours for men's socks. The thought of knitting up black stocking stitch socks makes me want to run wild on a slippery surface whilst holding sharp scissors. So instead I chose a subtly variegated yarn from Fleece Artist, which worked perfectly with the simple and straightforward wickerwork pattern.
The resulting socks are something a Shur’tagal would wear to keep his feet protected and toasty warm on a long flight with his dragon. Or, as in the case of my FIL, a retired Shur’tagal working in his garden.
Size
Medium (Large)
Finished foot circumference: 22.5(25)cm/9(10)inches
Materials
1 x 112g skein of Fleece Artist Seawool (70% merino/30% Seacell, 350m/112g) in colour: Polar Sea
Needles: set of 2.5mm/US 1.5 dpns, or size needed to obtain correct tension
Notions: stitch markers 
Tension
32sts = 10cm/4inches in stocking stitch
Pattern Notes
Doubled tail long tail cast-on: double the length of the tail, fold it in half, and treat the doubled strand as the tail and cast on using long tail method as usual. This gives you greater elasticity and also a nice rolled edge.
Directions are given for the medium size, with the large size in brackets. Where no brackets are given, directions apply to both sizes.
Abbreviations
RT (right twist): k2tog, leaving sts on left hand needle, take right needle and k into first st again (the st closest to the tip of the left needle), and drop from left needle.
LT (Left twist): slip 2sts knitwise one at a time, and put both back onto left needle. Taking right needle, k into the back of the second st, leaving the st on the left needle, then k into the back of both the first and second sts and drop both from the left needle.
The Inside Loop list of standard abbreviations can be found here.
Instructions
Cuff
Cast on 64(72)sts using doubled tail long tail cast-on. Arrange sts evenly over needles and join in the round, being careful not to twist the cast on edge. Take the tail from the cast on and use that to mark the beginning of the round.
Commence 2x2 ribbing as follows:
Round 1: k1, [p2, k2]15(17) times , p2, k1.
Repeat this round until work measures 2.5cm/1inch from cast on edge (not including the sts on the needle).
Now commence working leg pattern from chart:
Work from chart, repeating rounds 1 to 12 until the leg measures approximate 12.5cm/5inches from cast on edge. For a longer cuff, work until leg is approximately 17.5cm/7inches from cast on edge. For both sizes, end with row 12 of the leg chart.
Heel
Set up: the first 32sts of the round are the sole sts, the remaining 32(40)sts are for the instep. Work rows 1 to 6 of the Heel Chart on the sole sts and continue working the instep stitches as per the Cuff Chart. Finish with the instep stitches and row 6 of the Cuff Chart.
The sole sts are now worked back and forth in rows. Leave remaining 32(40)sts on spare needles for the instep.
Row 1(rs): m1, work row 7 of the Heel Chart, m1. (34 sole sts)
The first 2sts of every row are now slipped rather than working them as per the Heel Chart, and the last 2 sts of every row are now knit on the rs and purled on the ws, rather than working them as per the Heel Chart.
Row 2(ws): work first and last 2sts as set above and the rest of the stis as per row 8 of the heel chart. Note that the slipped sts in this row should be slipped with the yarn in front.
Row 3(rs): sl2, k to end.
Turn heel
Row 1 (ws): sl1, p17, ssk, p1, turn.
Row 2 (rs): sl1, k3, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 3: sl1, p to 1st before gap formed on previous row, p2tog (1st from each side the gap), p1, turn.
Row 4: sl1, k to 1st before gap formed on previous row, ssk (1st from each side the gap),
k1, turn.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until 3sts remain at either end on the outside edge of the gap. (22sts in total)
Next row: sl1, p to 1st before gap formed on previous row, p2tog (1st from each side the gap), p2tog, turn. (20 sts remain)
Next row: sl1, k to 1st before gap formed on previous row, ssk (1st from each side the gap), ssk. Do not turn. (18sts remain)
Gusset
Knit across remaining 18sts of heel flap. Pick up 15sts up right side of the heel flap, pm.
Note: when you reach the instep sts, you might want to pick up an extra st in the gap between the selvedge and the start of the instep stitches. Work this together with the first instep stitch as a k2tog to close the gap.
Knit across the 32(40) instep sts in pattern as set. Again, you may wish to pick up an extra stitch between the last instep st and the first selvedge slip st and work it with the last instep st as a ssk. pm.
Pick up 15sts down left side of the heel flap, k. to marker.
Next round: continue knitting in pattern to marker.
Now commence decreasing the instep as follows:
Round 1: slip marker, continue knitting sole sts in st st until 2sts before marker, k2tog. Slip marker, work instep in pattern as set to until second maker, slip marker, ssk.
Round 2: continue knitting sole sts in st st to marker. Slip marker, work instep sts in pattern as set to marker.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until a total of 64(72) sts remain.
Continue knitting round 2 as set until foot measured from back of heel is about 7cm/2¾inches less than desired length, ending with the instep sts and row 5 of the leg chart (both sizes).
Toe
Round 1: slip marker, k sole sts in st st to marker, slip marker, work instep sts to marker following round 1 of Toe Chart.
Round 2: slip marker, k sole sts in st st to marker, slip marker, work instep sts to marker following round 2 of Toe Chart.
Continue as set until all of the Toe Chart has been worked.
Now commence decrease rounds. NOTE: on large size only, move 2 sts at either end of instep sts to sole sts, so that there are 36sts each for the sole and instep. Markers should be placed between sole sts and instep sts.
Round 1: k to 2sts before marker, ssk, slip marker, k2tog, k in st st to 2sts before next marker, ssk, slip marker, k.2tog.
Round 2. k to marker, slip marker, k to marker, slip marker.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2, decreasing 4sts every other round, until you have 28sts left, then repeat round 1 only until you have 16sts left.
Finishing
Cut yarn, leaving about 30cm/12inches for a tail. Graft remaining stitches together using Kitchener stitch. Weave in loose ends and block lightly if desired.
Repeat whole process once more for a matching pair. Put them on and find yourself a dragon!
About the Yarn
Sea Wool is just one of a range of yarns from Fleece Artist. It is available in a selection of gorgeous colourways from Socktopus.
About the Designer
Read all about Alice in the Featured Business article in this issue.
This pattern is copyright © 2008 to Alice Yu. All rights reserved.