The Carta Socks are directly inspired by the architecture of the Doge’s Palace, the seat of political power and center of civic life in Venice, Italy. The design features a pattern of twisted and slipped stitches that mimic the colonnade on the building’s facade and the Gothic architecture surrounding the Porta della Carta--the grand entrance to the palace that is just adjacent St. Mark’s Basilica.

The Carta Socks are knit cuff-down in the round with a heel flap and gusset. The pattern includes charted and written instructions. The Barn colorway on Life in the Long Grass’s Earth base reminded me of the sumptuous red featured on the Republic of Venice’s historic flag. LITLG was kind of enough to provide with yarn support for this design.

Yarn
One 100-gram skein of fingering weight sock yarn.
Suggested yarn: Life in the Long Grass’s Earth base. Sample is knit in the colorway Barn.

Suggested Needle Size
US 1 (2.25 mm) needle
Pattern is written using the Magic Loop method, but can easily be adapted for DPNs or 9” circular needles.

Gauge
34 sts x 48 rows = 4 in. in stockinette after blocking.

Sizing
1 (56 stitches) // approx. 7” foot circumference
2 (64 stitches) // approx. 8” foot circumference
3 (72 stitches) // approx. 9” foot circumference

Notions
removable stitch markers
tapestry needle
measuring tape

Techniques
knitting
purling
knitting in the round
1x1 ribbing
twisted stitches
knitting through the back loop
slipping stitches
eyelets
heel flap and gusset
decreasing (k2tog, ssk)
Magic Loop