We can learn a lot from trees:
they’re always grounded but never stop reaching heavenward.
[Everett Mámor]

Pint Tree SockBefore I moved into this house that has been my home for twenty years, someone fixed a planting bed around the front to give the facade curb appeal. On the west corner, they planted a small blue spruce. It was about 5 feet tall and very pretty. It grew. It is still very pretty but now stands considerably taller than my two-story house, fills the 15 feet between the house and the sidewalk, and hugs one corner. It is the right tree planted in the wrong place. I know that I should have a tree service come remove it, but I don’t have the heart to do that. It shelters my office from the northwest wind in the winter and is a privacy shield in front of my windows when I work at night. I’ll wait until the city or one of the utilities demand that I remove it. Meanwhile, it inspired me to include it in my knitting patterns.

This sock was knit using a DK weight or light worsted weight microfiber. I did that out of curiosity. It turned out soft, can be machine washed and dried, is really inexpensive, and wears like iron. I prefer woolen socks, but wear these a lot. Some day, I’ll knit it in wool.

Because of the yarn weight, it is knit on only 52 stitches. A little cable decorates the cuff ribbing and the sides of the socks. The trees are worked in knit and purl stitches. The gusset for the heel is created by working increases before the heel is turned. The heel turn is worked using short rows back and forth. I use variations of this style of heel on most of the socks that I knit.

You are welcome to download a printable PDF file of the pattern at this LINK at no charge.