Fall Colours socks III: Spiral ribbing

Spiral ribbing is a very simple technique used mostly for its decorative effect, for example it looks great in hats. However, another traditional use of this technique is to knit socks without heels. The idea behind it is that if you twist the spiral in such a way as to straighten it, you will obtain a strange shape that naturally forms a heel. This is a neat trick and is particularly useful when knitting socks for someone else if you are not very sure of feet size. The rib is elastic, which covers for small differences in width, and as for length, you do not have to worry at all: these socks are just a long tube and will fit lengthwise as long as they do not reach calf height.

The idea behind spiral ribbing is quite simple. You knit a few rows of normal ribbing and then move one stitch over (either starting the rib one stitch before or after) and keep on doing it periodically. There is a bit of freedom in which rib stitch and how often you move over. Citing Montse Stanley "Knitter's Handbook" (a great reference book I highly recommend): "Work a regular rib, say, 3 to 6 sts k and the same p. At regular intervals, say, every 4 to 10 rows, move rib 1 st over. Move either to the right or the left, but always in the same direction. Move often for greater twist." There you go, much clearer than I could have said it.

My recipe for these particular socks is: a 2x2 rib than moves every fifth round. To be precise, for a multiple of 4 stitches in the round:
rounds 1-4: k2, p2, repeat
rounds 5-8: p1, k2, p1, repeat
rounds 9-12: p2, k2, repeat
rounds 13-16: k1, p2, k1, repeat
Repeat rounds 1-16 until you reach the desired length for the sock. You can end on any round, but ending on a multiple of 4 round will probably look better. Or, alternative, this sock will look great with a k2p2 cuff. This is what I intend to do. When I reach the length I am happy with, I will continue to knit in rib, without moving over, for an additional 6 rounds (10 rounds total).

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