One fine morning in the Shire, Bilbo Baggins took up his long pipe and blew some handsome smoke rings up into the fresh air outside of his beloved hobbit-hole, Bag End. He was quite proud of their regularity and how well they held together as they floated away over the hill…

Of course, as we know, events progressed rapidly after that still, idyllic moment and a lot of stuff happened.

Share in that mood and knit your own socks with Bilbo’s iconic smoke rings and get ready for your own epic adventures, knowing that no matter what you encounter (deep dark caverns, high mountain passes or even a predawn battle of wits with hungry trolls) your feet will be all snuggly warm and comfy.

These socks are knit top down with a standard heel flap and wide toe. Only one size is given and is suitable for women’s sizes M-XL. This sizing is possible due to the expandability and negative ease of the all-over cable pattern used on the leg and instep—do not be tempted to size down in needle size or ST count. The stitch pattern is given as a chart and as written instructions.

This pattern is suitable for intermediate knitters who have worked a cable pattern before and have made socks.

Yarn recommendations: a solid or lightly tonal yarn is the best choice here. Lighter colors will show the stitch pattern better. Yarns with heavy variegations will obscure the stitch patterns.

Materials:
Note that the pictured socks were knit to fit a US women’s size 11 foot. Less yarn would obviously be used for smaller sized feet.

-Yarn: Malabrigo Ultimate Sock, 75% merino super wash, 25% nylon in color way 334, Peggy. 100 g.or 420 yards.

-Needles in size US 1 and 2 OR sizes needed to obtain the gauge

-Small cable needle

-Stitch markers

-Tapestry needle

Gauge:
36 ST = 4 inches, 51 rows = 4 inches in unblocked stockinette using US 2 OR size needed to obtain the gauge.

Finished size: Ladies M/L/XL. Measurements (on unblocked, un-stretched sock): Leg: 6.75” from cuff to top of heel flap. Length of foot: 9.5” (knit to accommodate a US size 10 in women’s sizes).