Astrid knits her way out : minestrone

Minestrone is a traditional italian soup made from leftovers. This a pattern for using up all your yarn leftovers. So I call these socks Minestrone.
In 2006 I have knitted socks with leftovers: the herringbone. Also I admire the socks of Socklady

These socks are a combination of the herringsocks and the socklady-socks (with her blessing!)

Materials:
About 60 gr. of blue (Opal sock yarn 4 ply)
About 50 gr. of leftovers
5 sockneedles 2 ½ mm – US #1
tapestry needle

Pattern:
Cuff:
Cast on 72 stitches with blue yarn.
Divide sts between 4 needles as follows: 18 stitches on each needle. Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist. Place marker at begin of needle 1.
Work 20 rows in 2x2 Rib.
Leg:
Knit the leg according chart 1 (blue= blue yarn, white = leftover).
Hold one color in each hand, using the Continental method for the left-hand yarn, and the English or American method with the right-hand yarn. (this video can be very usefull)
Heel:
Knit a short row heel in the colour blue:
Decreasing:
Knit needles 1, 2 and 3.
Slip the stitches of needle 4 on needle 1) remove marker
Right side: * Knit 1, knit two stitches together (k2to) knit the remaining stitches until the last three stitches : k2 to, knit 1. (after 1 row there are 34 stitches left)
Turn work
Wrong side: purl first and last stitch, knit the stitches in between.
Turn work
Repeat from * until there are 12 stitches left. End with wrong side. Turn. (the right side is now facing you)
Increasing:
Pick along both sides 12 stitches (you can easily use the loops of the first stitches and last stitches form the wrong side)

001_kopie the following rows are used to increase until the original stitches are on the knitting needle again:
* slip first stitch, knit the remaining stitches (11 in this row) AND knit one stich of the needle on the side. (knit this stitch by knitting through back of the loop)
Turn work.
Repeat from * until there are 34 stitches on the knitting needle.

003_kopie Last two rows:
Slip first stitch, knit the remaining stitches. Pick up the yarn with left needle which runs between last stitch on the needle and the first stich of the back of the heel. Knit this new stitch together with the last stitch through back of loop.
Turn
Right side is facing.
Devide work on 4 needles (18 each)
Knit 18 stitches: you have reached the original needle 1. place marker
Foot:
Knit according chart 2.
Toe:
Knit the toe in blue.
Round 1: knit
Round 2:
Last 3 stitches of needle 1 and 3: ssk (slip 2 stitches, then knit them together), knit one.
First 3 stitches of needle 2 and 4: knit one, knit 2tog.
Repeat round 1 and 2, 3 times.
Knit next round.
Knit the next rounds like round 2 until there are 16 stitches remaining. (4 on each needle)
Put stitches of needles 1 and 4 on one needle
Put stitches of needles 2 and 3 on one needle.
Remove marker.
Finishing:
Put the needles parallel to eachother:
001_3
Knit 2 stitches at the same time: 1 from the front needle and one from the back needle:
002
repeat.
Now you have 2 stitches on the right needle. Pull the first stitch over the second:
005
007
Repeat this until there is one stitch left. Pull thread through this remaning stitch.
Weave in ends. Block socks if desired.