Ailbhe Dunne's 2 Needle Diamond Socks inspired by Malin Head rain data

Diamonds in Aran knitting are said to represent the shape of the fishing mesh, and wealth and success! The moss stitch in the middle is said to represent sea weed used as fertiliser on the land – the diamonds are said to be walls surrounding farm land. Fishing and farming used to be a huge part of our GDP!

The diamonds on these socks represent the rise in rainfall at Malin head – over the last 100 years the rainfall at Malin head has risen by 50%. This rise correlates with the rise in GDP. 100 years ago ‘gdp’ and industry in Malin head was fishing and farming – both represented traditionally in Aran Knitting by the diamond and moss stitch!

One of our socks has one diamond and the other has a diamond and a half – the half diamond is at the cuff of the sock to represent infinity. Are we going to stop with a 50% rise?

For the first sock

Cast on 41 sts,

• Row 1: Knit 10, Purl 2, K2, (P1,K1) X 6, P1, K2, P2, K10
• Row 2 and all even rows knit the knits stitches, purl the purls!
• Row 3: K10 p2, (Slip the next two stitches onto a cable needle and leave at the front of your knitting, purl the next stitch, knit two from the cable needle) C2L, (p1,k1) x5, p1, (Slip the next stitch onto cable needle and leave at back of work knit 2, p1 from cable needle) C2R, p2, k10
• Row 5; K10 p3,C2L, (p1,k1) x4, p1, C2R, p3, k10
• Row 7; K10 p4, C2L, (p1,k1) x3, p1,C2R, p4, k10
• Row 9; K10 p5, C2L, (p1,k1) x2, p1, C2R, p5, k10
• Row 11; K10 p6, C2L, p1,k1,p1, C2R, p6, k10
• Row 13 K10 p7, C2L, p1, C2R, p7, k10
• Row 15 K10, p8, slip next two stitches onto cable needle, Knit next three stitches, knit two from cable needle, p8, knit 10
• Row 17 K10 p8, C2R, p1, C2L, p8, k10
• Row 19 K10 p7, C2R, (p1,k1), p1, C2L, p7, k10
• Row 21 K10 p6, C2R, (p1,k1) x 2, p1, C2L, p6, k10
• Row 23 K10 p5, C2R, (p1,k1) x 3, p1, C2L, p5, k10
• Row 25 K10 p4, C2R, (p1,k1) x 4, p1, C2L, p4, k10
• Row 27 K10 p3, C2R, (p1,k1) x 5, p1, C2L, p3, k10
• Row 29 K10 p2, C2R, (p1,k1) x 6, p1, C2L, p2, k10
• Row 31: K10, p2 C2L, (p1,k1) x5, p1, C2R, p2, k10
• Row 33; K10 p3,C2L, (p1,k1) x4, p1, C2R, p3, k10
• Row 35; K10 p4, C2L, (p1,k1) x3, p1,C2R, p4, k10
• Row 37; K10 p5, C2L, (p1,k1) x2, p1, C2R, p5, k10
• Row 39; K10 p6, C2L, p1,k1,p1, C2R, p6, k10
• Row 41; K10 p7, C2L, p1,C2R, p7, K10
• Row 43 K10 p5 slip next two stitches onto cable needle, Knit next three stitches, knit two from cable needle, p5, k10

HEEL:

• Knit 11 sts, work on these 11 sts in stockinette for 16 rows, ending with a purl row. Turn this half of the heel as follows:
• Row 1:-K2, k2tog, k1, turn, slip1, P3, turn.
• Row 3:-K3, K2tog, K1, turn, slip1, P4, turn.
• Row 5:-K4, K2tog, K1, turn, slip1, P5, turn.
• Row 7:-K5, k2tog, K1. (7 sts on needle.)
• Using left needle pick up 10 sts on the side of the heel, and knit them. Knit across the 19 instep sts. (36 sts on needle). Work in stockinette on the remaining 11 sts for 17 rows ending with a knit row. Now turn the other half heel as follows:
• Row1:- P2, P2tog, P1, turn, slip1, K3, turn.
• Row3:- P3, P2tog, P1, turn, slip1, K4, turn.
• Row5:- P4, P2tog, P1, turn, slip1, K5, turn.
• Row7:- P5, P2tog, P1, (7 sts on needle).
• Pick up 10 sts on side of heel, and purl them. Continue purling across the whole sock.(53 sts on needle).

INSTEP SHAPING

• Row1:- K15, K2tog, K19, slip1, K1, PSSO (pass slipped stitch over), K15.
• Row2:- and all even rows, purl.
• Row3:- K14, K2tog, K19, slip1, K1, PSSO, K14.
• Row5:- K13, K2tog, K19, slip1, K1, PSSO, K13.
• Row7:- K12, K2tog, K19, slip1, K1, PSSO, K12.
• Row9:- K11, K2tog, K19, slip1, K1, PSSO, K11.
• Row11:-K10, K2tog, K19, slip1, K1, PSSO, K10.

You should have 41 sts remaining.

Now work in stockinette for 30 rows for a size 5 foot. For a longer or shorter foot, go until this section measures about 1"3/4 shorter than the full length of your foot. Measure from the back of the heel, and end with a purl row.

TOE DECREASE

• Row1:-K8, K2tog, K2, slip1, K1, PSSO, K13, K2tog, K2,
• slip1, k1, PSSO, K8.
• Row 2 and all even rows:- purl.
• Row 3:- K7, K2tog, K2, slip1, K1, PSSO, K11, K2tog, K2,
• slip1, K1, PSSO, K7.
• Row5:- K6, K2tog, K2, slip1, K1, PSSO, K9, K2tog, K2,
• slip1, K1, PSSO, K6.
• Continue decreasing as above until 17 sts remain on the needle. Put these sts on a holder, I use a coloured piece of wool.

FINISHING

Using a flat seam technique,(very important!), sew the back and underside of the sock. If you are planning to turn down the cuff, don't forget to reverse the seam at the turn down point so it is inside the cuff. Graft, or weave the toe, and weave in loose ends.

For second sock

• Cast on 41 sts
• Row 1 (and all odd rows) K10, P21, K10
• Row 2 (and all even rows) p10, k21,p10
• Row 15 K10, p8, slip next two stitches onto cable needle, Knit next three stitches, knit two from cable needle, p8, knit 10
• Continue as for first sock