Helix Socks on Circular Needles

These Helix socks are worked on circular needles using three colors of yarn. Both socks are knitted simultaneously using the Magic Loop method.

The main pattern is worked continuously without interruption for the heel and toe, as these elements are knitted in the round after the main body of the socks has been completed.

Designer Soraya García dedicated this design to cartoonist Quentin Blake, whose tall, whimsical characters are often depicted wearing hand-knitted striped clothing.

Materials, Tools, and Knitting Techniques

Sizes

Size	1	2	3
To Fit Foot Circumference	20.5 cm (8 in)	23 cm (9 in)	25.5 cm (10 in)
Actual Sock Circumference	18 cm (7 in)	20 cm (7¾ in)	22 cm (8¾ in)
Length (Cuff to Heel)	22 cm (8¾ in)	27 cm (10½ in)	29 cm (11½ in)
Length (Heel to Toe)	22 cm (8½ in)	24 cm (9½ in)	25 cm (10 in)

Yarn

John Arbon Textiles Yarnadelic Sport (Sport / Heavy 4-ply weight; 100% Falkland Corriedale wool; 333 m / 364 yds per 100 g skein)

1 × 100 g skein of each colour (all sizes):

• A – Indigo Dust
• B – Of My Hands
• C – Woman in Blue

Needles & Accessories

• 2.25 mm (UK 13 / US 1) double-pointed needles (DPNs), or 60–80 cm circular needles for the Magic Loop method
• 2.5 mm (UK 12–13 / US 1–2) double-pointed needles (DPNs), or 60–80 cm circular needles for the Magic Loop method
• Stitch markers
• Waste 4-ply yarn in a contrasting colour

Gauge

30 sts and 42 rnds = 10 cm (4 in) in Stockinette Stitch using 2.5 mm needles.

Pattern Notes

This simple striped pattern is worked in single-round stripes using the Helical Stripes technique. The method eliminates the need for seams and avoids carrying yarns along the inside of the fabric.

Both socks are knitted together as one long tube, beginning and ending at the cuffs. The heels and toes are worked later as afterthought sections. Waste yarn is used to mark the heel and toe openings, allowing the stitches to be picked up and worked at the end. Both the heels and toes are shaped with decreases and finished using grafting.

Special Techniques — Helical Stripes

Helical Stripes is a colourwork technique in which single-round stripes are worked in a continuous spiral. This avoids carrying yarns across the fabric and eliminates the jog that normally occurs when changing colours in circular knitting.

The basic principle is to divide the stitches around the circumference of the work among the colours being used. In this pattern, three colours are alternated. One segment is worked with each of the first two colours, while the remaining two segments are worked with the third colour.

Each colour “chases” the next around the round. As a result, the stripes flow smoothly without visible jogs or colour-change interruptions.

Read the detailed instructions: Helical Knitting.

How to Knit Helix Socks on Circular Needles

Main Helix Socks

(Both Helix socks are worked at the same time)

Left Cuff

Using 2.25 mm needles and Yarn A, cast on 54 (60:66) sts. Place a marker (pm) and join to work in the round, taking care not to twist the stitches.

Rib Round: K1, P1; repeat from * to end.

This round establishes the rib pattern.

Work in ribbing until the cuff measures 2 cm.

Change to 2.5 mm needles.

Set Leg Pattern

Important: Do not cross or carry the yarns inside the work. Simply drop each yarn after working the last stitch with that colour, leaving it at that point in the round.

Set-up Round:

K18 (20:22) using Yarn A, drop Yarn A and join Yarn B.

K18 (20:22) using Yarn B, drop Yarn B and join Yarn C.

K36 (40:44) using Yarn C, slipping the beginning-of-round marker as you pass it.

You will eventually reach the point where Yarn A is waiting, ready to be used again.

Work in Pattern

For each colour, knit until you reach the waiting yarn of the next colour, then switch to that yarn.

This technique is known as chasing the colour: you work with one yarn until you reach the next waiting yarn, then continue knitting with that colour.

Continue in this manner throughout the round, slipping the beginning-of-round marker as required.

Left Leg

Continue working the Helical Stripes pattern, chasing the colours as established, until the Left Leg measures 18 (20:22) cm from the set-up round, ending at the beginning-of-round marker.

Set Left Heel Position

Next Round: Working in pattern as established using the Helical Stripes technique, knit to the last 27 (30:33) sts of the round. Knit the next 27 (30:33) sts using waste yarn, then slip these 27 (30:33) sts back onto the left-hand needle. Rejoin the working yarn and knit across these stitches again in pattern using the Helical Stripes technique.

Left Foot

Continue working the Helical Stripes pattern as established until the Left Foot measures 13½ (17½:19) cm from the waste-yarn heel marker, or until it is 8½ (9½:10) cm shorter than the desired foot length.

This allows approximately 4½ (5:5) cm for the afterthought heel and 4 (4½:5) cm for the toe.

End at the beginning-of-round marker.

Set Both Toe Positions

Next round: K54 (60:66) using waste yarn.
Repeat this round once more using waste yarn.

Right Helix Socks

Continue working the Helical Stripes pattern, chasing each colour as established, until the Right Foot measures 13½ (17½:19) cm from the waste yarn, or 8½ (9½:10) cm less than the desired foot length, ending at the beginning-of-round marker.

Set Right Heel Position

Next round: Working in pattern as established using the Helical Stripes technique, knit to the last 27 (30:33) sts of the round. Knit the next 27 (30:33) sts using waste yarn, then slip these 27 (30:33) sts back onto the left-hand needle. Rejoin the working yarn and continue in pattern using the Helical Stripes technique.

Right Leg

Continue working the Helical Stripes pattern as established until the Right Leg measures 18 (20:22) cm from the heel position, ending at the beginning-of-round marker.

Right Cuff

Change to 2.25 mm needles. Break Yarn B and Yarn C.

Next round: K54 (60:66) using Yarn A.

Rib Round: *K1, P1; repeat from * to end.
This round establishes the rib.

Work in ribbing until the cuff measures 2 cm.

Cast off loosely in rib pattern using a stretchy bind-off method.

Afterthought Heels for Helix Socks

Carefully remove the waste yarn at the heel opening and place the 27 (30:33) sts from the upper set of stitches onto one needle and the 27 (30:33) sts from the lower set of stitches onto another needle.

Note that there will be one fewer stitch on the upper set due to the way the stitches are positioned. Pick up and knit 1 stitch in the centre of the row to compensate.

54 (60:66) sts.

Join Yarn A.

Next Round: Place a marker at one side of the heel to indicate the beginning of the round. Pick up and knit 1 st in the gap between the upper and lower sets of stitches, K27 (30:33), pick up and knit 1 st in the next gap, place a marker for the opposite side of the heel, pick up and knit 1 st in the next gap, K27 (30:33), pick up and knit 1 st in the final gap.

Join to work in the round.

58 (64:70) sts.

Decrease Round: (K1, SSK, knit to 3 sts before marker, K2tog, K1, slip marker) twice. 4 sts decreased.

Next Round: Knit.

Repeat the last 2 rounds until 22 (24:30) sts remain.

Divide the remaining stitches evenly onto two DPNs.

Break the yarn, leaving a long tail (approximately three times the width of the opening).

Graft the stitches together using Kitchener Stitch.

Work the second heel in the same manner.

Afterthought Toes for Helix Socks

Carefully remove the waste yarn from one toe opening and place the 54 (60:66) sts onto the needles, picking up and knitting 1 stitch from the row above the waste yarn, as for the heels.

Join Yarn A.

Decrease Round: (K1, SSK, knit to 3 sts before marker, K2tog, K1, slip marker) twice. 4 sts decreased.

Next Round: Knit.

Repeat the last 2 rounds until 22 (24:26) sts remain.

Divide the remaining stitches evenly onto two DPNs.

Break the yarn, leaving a long tail (approximately three times the width of the toe opening).

Graft the stitches together using Kitchener Stitch.

Remove the waste yarn from the other toe opening and work in the same manner.

Finishing

Weave in all ends and gently block the socks to the finished measurements, following the yarn care instructions provided on the ball band.

The Helix socks are worked as a single continuous tube. The heels and toes are added afterwards using a contrasting yarn and are worked after the main sock has been completed.

You may like:

1. 10 Popular Ways to Knit Socks with an Afterthought Heel.
2. Beautiful Men’s socks with a boomerang heel and toe.