Get your Drunken Bees here

Monday, July 30, 2007

Here at last is the pattern for the Drunken Bees Socks. Fair warning, the pattern is not laid out to a T. I've left out specifics like how to do a cable, how to knit a heel turn and the toe, and all those very macro details like how many stitches to knit across first before you start the heel, how to distribute stitches, etc. If you're an experienced sock knitter - as in you've knit at least one or two socks - you don't need to know exactly how, so I don't want to fluster myself trying to spell it all out!

All you need is the chart and you can work out the rest to your liking.

But feel free to contact me if something makes no sense or looks wrong.

For more photos, see here.

DRUNKEN BEES SOCKS

I call these Drunken Bees

Yarn: Fingering weight sock yarn. To really show the pattern, use semi-solid to solid colors.
Needles: 5 size 1 dpns (or whichever method you prefer for circular knitting) for S/M foot, Size 2 for L foot.

Pattern is deliciously squishy and should stretch comfortably to fit.

For socks that pull in a little more, you can knit through the back loop of every yarn over that was done in the previous row.

CAST ON:
CO 69 sts. Distribute 17 sts on 3 needles, 18 sts on one needle

CUFF:
Repeat (k2, p1) ribbing until cuff is 1 inch long or desired length.
Begin last row of ribbing with a k2tog.

Now you have 68 sts to work leg pattern.

Drunken Bees chart

Slip stitches =
RS: repeat (sl1,k1) to end
WS: sl1, then p to end

LEG:
Work leg pattern chart 3 times, or to desired length (make note of where you left off).

HEEL FLAP & HEEL TURN:
Divide sts so that there are 33 sts for the heel flap, and 35 sts for the instep. Make sure you split in such a way as to allow two "honeycomb" patterns to continue down the side of the heel. I started the divide in the middle of a bee flight pattern. You might have to knit across some stitches to get to the start of heel.

Slip first stitch of every row. Except for the honeycomb patterns and the purl gutters, knit the heel in slip-stitch pattern, until you've worked 26-30 rows.

See chart above.

Follow flap with your preferred heel turn. I used a square heel.

GUSSETT:
Pick up the slipped stitches on side of heel flap, and continue chart pattern for instep.

INSTEP:
The instep is symmetrical. For the first and last 6 stitches of the instep, follow the first 6 stitches of the "bee flight" leg pattern chart (stitches 6-11). Or, just knit them in Stockinette. Or ribbed. Whatever you want.

Continue until desired length, then knit your preferred toe method.

Bzzzz!

Comments [25]
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Monday, July 30, 2007 6:47:19 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Thank you for sharing this awesome pattern. Could you comment on the circumference of the socks that you knit? I'm wondering how the cables might impact the size.
Monday, July 30, 2007 7:18:31 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Thank you for sharing your great pattern. They are beautiful.
Monday, July 30, 2007 7:53:32 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
What a fantastic pattern, these are going in my queue for sure.
Monday, July 30, 2007 8:20:20 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
The socks look great! Thanks for the pattern. (Which, admittedly, I'll probably never make because I almost ALWAYS do plain, toe-up socks, but still, you never know!
Monday, July 30, 2007 8:26:52 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this pattern! I loved it when you first posted it, and so I'm so happy to see it up to try out for myself.

Congrats on the move as well! :)
Monday, July 30, 2007 11:02:11 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Thanks for sharing the pattern, maybe I'll try them out! They look great!
Monday, July 30, 2007 11:31:16 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Wow, thanks! I'll be sure to try these sometime (hopefully soon)!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 5:03:31 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I love these socks! Thanks so much for sharing the pattern.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 6:33:32 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Thanks for the pattern! And I found your Zephyr sock pattern too - both very nice and appreciated. Having fun reading your blog, was supposed to read only a little and try to get back to sleep but....I think you and I have the same kind of sock karma - 'tho I am relatively a new sock knitter, it seems like I don't need as much sock yarn as patterns call for - I like 'em a bit shorter.
Terry
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:07:46 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I am pretty excited about this one. Thanks for sharing!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:17:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
They're gorgeous -- thanks so much for sharing the pattern!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:20:00 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
These are fabulous. I have to make some. Do you think they would get upset if I left work now to go cast on?
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:28:43 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
These are so awesome! Thank you for sharing!!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:21:33 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
The pattern as you wrote it is PERFECT!!!! You know that every time you see a pair of socks on someone's blog they always list a huge set of mods to the finished pair anyway - the details that make this sock unique are *only* what we really & truly need to know the specifics on...



(Oh, and that heel flap?)

S.W.O.O.N.

;>
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 4:54:53 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Woohoo! Another great pattern to knit!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 11:27:46 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Love! These are definitely going on the to-knit list. Thanks for the pattern!
Wednesday, August 01, 2007 9:20:54 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Oooh--I am going to try these soon. I have a STR semi-solid that would work just perfectly. Thanks so much for the pattern! Hope you're all settled into your new nest!
Wednesday, August 01, 2007 3:39:55 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Thanks for a VERY cool pattern.
I not only plan to knit these, but I am bumping them up to the top of my to knit list!

Congrats on your move.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007 8:26:45 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Dude. These RULE. And so do you for writing up the pattern--thank you thank you.
Friday, August 03, 2007 2:43:37 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Hi DomeistiCat!

How are you doing? I can not find your email address on your blog..So iam writing here in comment box!

I just what to say Thank you so much for great socks pattern!
I am writing this to you because I just started my "KNITTING VIDEO CAST" (Come and see what do you think!) Planning to subject on "All about Sock Kntting" my next episode!
Iam just wondering if I can use your "Zephyr" socks pic to show on my video Cast! Let the people know your NEW sock pattern came out and let the kniter to know your pattern!

Please email be back to me at "Artistwon662002@yahoo.com" Soon as Possible!

Thank you so much!

Charles
Friday, August 03, 2007 3:11:49 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Hi Domesticraft, I came across your sock photo in Handknit Street Style and fell in love with them - the pattern, the name, the yarn. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing such a lovely pattern for free! I'm adding it to my summer sock knitting list.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007 11:44:39 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I love these socks! Thank you for sharing your pattern. :-D
Friday, August 17, 2007 6:58:49 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I've started a Drunken Bees-a-long in Ravelry for anyone that is interested.
Monday, August 20, 2007 1:06:37 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I found this pattern via Needle Exchange's weekly pattern roundup. They look fantastic and are definitely going on my (long, long) to-do-list, thanks a lot for sharing the pattern.
Thursday, September 06, 2007 9:35:02 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Thanks for this inspiring pattern - I've loved Japanese knitting for awhile and trying out the stitch pattern will be fun!
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