Edited June 2018. I have noticed that the original pattern now has instructions for the heel. This translation has been updated to reflect this. Happy knitting!
Finnish Baby Socks (Train Socks)
You need 1 skein of fingering weight yarn and double point needles 2 1/2 mm ( US 1 1/2). (Directions written for 5 dpn's)
Cast on 40 stitches, divide evenly over 4 needles.
Rounds 1-12: * k2, p2 * ribbing
Rounds 13-16: purl
Rounds 17-20: knit
Rounds 21-24: purl
Rounds 25-36: * k2, p2 * ribbing
Repeat rounds 13-36 one more time.
Next row: Begin knitting the heel flap: S1, knit 19 st (combine 2 needles onto one), turn work.
Next row: S1, purl to end of row. Turn
Work ten more rows of stockinette stitch, slipping the first stitch of each row.
Now start heel shaping:
Row 1: K12, S1 K1 PSSO, turn
Row 2: S1, P4, P2tog, turn
Row 3: S1, K4, S1 K1 PSSO, turn
Row 4 : S1, P4, P2tog, turn
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until 6 stitches remain.
Next round: Knit these 6 sts, then pick up and knit 7 sts from the edge of the heel flap. Purl next 20 sts. Pick up and knit 7 sts from the other edge of the heel flap. Redistribute stitches so that there are 10 sts on each needle again.
Knit the foot as follows:
Rounds 1-4: purl on the two needles that are the top of your sock, and knit the two needles that are the sole.
Rounds 5-8: knit all stitches
Repeat rounds 1-8 two more times.
Next 4 rounds : purl on top of sock, knit on sole
Toe decrease: (see * at end)
On each left edge: knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1
On each right egde: k1, slip 1, k1, pass slipped stitch over
Continue until 4 stitches remain, cut yarn and thread it through the stitches twice. Work the yarn end into the sock, and lightly steam the sock.
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The story behind the socks:
The heart-warming and memorable story of the socks as told by Eila Turenius. The original, white socks are kept safe and treasured as a family heirloom by Terttu Latvala.
In early 1939, Terttu Latvala's mother Kerttu Latvala was evacuating ahead of World War II battles along with her 2-month-old baby daughter. Her train trip from Vaasa (coastal Finland) was delayed due to a section of the railroad tracks having been destroyed by bombings. A fellow passenger, a retired needlework teacher, took pity on the un-bootied little feet of the baby girl, and during the delay, unraveled yarn from her own white hand-knit sweater, and used it to make the baby a pair of socks.
Kerttu Latvala, the mother, knit several hundreds of pairs of these socks during her lifetime; a new pair each time a friend or aquaintance had a baby. Terttu Latvala continued the tradition, knitting over 200 pairs herself.
In addition to being easy on the eyes, the socks also stay put very well on little feet.
*Toe decrease explained in more detail (assumes your round begins at the back center of the sock)
On the first needle: knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1
Second needle: k1, s1, k1, psso, knit to end
Third needle: knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1
Fourth needle: k1, s1, k1, psso, knit to end
Translation by permission from Taito Etelä-Pohjanmaa
