The invisible sock

... or, otherwise known as the NoShow Socks!
They aren't technically real "socks" though, more something like socklets, or short socks or even a liner sock (as Google just informed me): 
All words to describe this coveted tiny piece of well fitting fabric, which protects your foot from scuffs and keeps you warm - BUT still remains invisible when worn with shoes.

Allow me to describe my though-process and incentives about this pattern in this lengthy post:
I was searching for this perfect but elusive accessory for years!
It must have been right after I learned knitting socks, when I whipped up my first typical run-of-the-mill shorty. I was and remained disappointed while periodically continuing with experiments to knit a sock with a low top section, that not only would hide perfectly in my shoes, but also remain put and make for an elegant and flattering footwear, if I'd needed to take my shoes off while visiting friends. (I don't know about you, but I did find that all those other short socks with the horizontal "cut" across the ankle were not the best option for a long-leg-and-slim-ankle look).

Then I started to notice and love the look most "youngsters" were sporting around me: In midst of the coldest winter, they all seemed to wear sneakers without socks! But my not-so-young feet were revolting against the idea of being rubbed against the lining of my Adidas at sub-zero degrees.
Even at warmer temperatures, blisters had me quickly convinced that I needed to find a way to knit these NoShow Socks, so as to protect my wimpy but fashion-forward feet!

Only after many trial socks later, I finally had found a way to produce a low top sock with my favourite kind of heel (a gusseted short-row one). This sock was constructed with a new kind of decrease - especially developed for this pattern, because I didn't like the look of the gusset stitches after turning the heel. I therefore tried to produce sturdy and symmetrical decreases that still had some "plush" feel and style at the gusset-heel edges.

But all of these ideas and new systems, as also the extensive (ab)use of german short-rows in the pattern made me insecure and afraid that people would hate my construction and find it much too cumbersome for such a tiny sock! So I did hold off with publishing it for quite some time and only after getting wonderful feedback from my talented testers I felt brave enough to make this strange little sock pattern public. I was immediately blown away by the amazing response and my fears were completely quelled! I even noticed that many of the other knitters out there shared many of my own quirks and slightly neurotic "preferences" in relation to short socks.... who knew!

To make this pattern fun and easy to knit, I had gone through great lengths to showcase all techniques in a comprehensible way:
Many tutorials, some with pictures and others as direct links have been included and are explaining old and new techniques in detail, while there are many tips and tricks scattered throughout the pages.

No recommended yarn was used for this pattern either, although there were many options of beautiful sock yarn for me to choose from!
The reason was simply that I wanted to showcase that this pattern lends itself wonderfully to use up any of the accumulating bits and pieces, that seem to take up our yarn stash. Small lenghts of yarn, which we don't want to through away but still don't know how to use up!.
It's quite easy to use yarn rests of similar weight here: First find the colours you'd like to combine and then just weigh the yarn rests. Work half or less for one sock and you'll have enough for the second sock!

The stripes here are playfully showing off the construction by getting wider and opening up on the longer sole. Of course you don't need to follow the given stripe sequence at all, if you don't feel inclined to do so. There are immense possibilities in colouring and even the smallest amount of yarn can be used up in this super quick project.

This pattern is also a very good training pattern for German Short Rows, since they are used extensively here and even a special increase is included that was developed during my search for the perfect gusset heel: It rarely happens that you might need to work an increase in a double stitch, but here you have one (as a photo tutorial included in the pattern), so that you are equipped, even for very "rare knitter's problems"!

Finally the last technique that provides a good fit to this special little sock is the customisable cast off, which securely hugs the backside of the ankle while giving a looser fit at the instep section, which needs to be more elastic.

As you can see from the pictures, I have already knitted up quite a variety of those socks - and I have only worn this kind during all of last winter! Standing next to all the youngsters on snowy pavements, wearing sneakers and even short booties - I too, kept my ankles fashionably naked!

You can find the pattern either on ravelry or here on my site
(on ravelry you can even check out many of the wonderful socks that have been already knitted up by knitters all over the world)

I wanted to celebrate my finally posting this pattern here on the blog (and rewarding the readers that have come this far) - so I decided to give away 5 NoShow Sock Patterns: One for each of the first 5 people commenting below... to knit up and enjoy!
I really do think that everybody needs (at least) one pair of these!

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