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.
**************
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
Thank you so much for this translation and to the author for sharing her pattern.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blog Finnish translation
ReplyDeleteThank you for the pattern as well as the story. I was raised by my grandmother whose story is very much the same (minus the baby). She escaped with her mother and 2 sisters. I now have 2 grandchildren of my own and am happy to be able to pass these down as a bit of our family's history. ♡
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely how these socks are connecting women all over the world, tragic though the original circumstances were. So many of us can relate. Happy to hear your grandchildren have warm feet!
DeleteThank you for the pattern as well as the story. I was raised by my grandmother whose story is very much the same (minus the baby). She escaped with her mother and 2 sisters. I now have 2 grandchildren of my own and am happy to be able to pass these down as a bit of our family's history. ♡
ReplyDeleteMy family comes from Oravais, near Vaasa. Can you tell me the name of the heel that is shown in the photos? I cannot locate the name or pattern.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your help.
DeleteThe original pattern has been modified to add directions for the heel. The new translation has it now. Sorry to have made you wait so long for a reply - I hardly ever check this page.
Delete