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# Tidewater Stripes Crochet Socks
### A Toe-Up Waistcoat-Stitch Sock with Short-Row Heel

**Skill Level:** Advanced
**Inspired by:** Classic two-tone striped stockinette socks — translated into crochet using waistcoat (knit) stitch for a true knit-look fabric.

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## SIZES
**Sample shown:** Medium
- **Small:** 7–7.5" foot circumference (34 sts)
- **Medium:** 8–8.5" foot circumference (38 sts) ← *written pattern*
- **Large:** 9–9.5" foot circumference (42 sts)

*To size up/down: add or subtract 4 sts in multiples of 2 increase rounds at the toe.*

**Finished Measurements (Medium):**
- Foot circumference: 8.4" (relaxed; waistcoat stitch is stretchy)
- Leg height from top of heel: 6"
- Cuff: 1.25"

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## MATERIALS
- **Yarn:** Worsted weight (#4), wool/nylon blend recommended for durability
  - **Color A (CA) — Deep Teal:** ~150 yds
  - **Color B (CB) — Pale Aqua:** ~100 yds
- **Hook:** US E-4 / 3.5 mm (one size smaller than yarn label suggests, for dense fabric)
- 2 stitch markers (1 progress marker, 1 BOR marker — different colors)
- Yarn needle
- Scissors

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## GAUGE
**18 sc x 20 rounds = 4" (10 cm)** in waistcoat stitch, worked tightly in the round.
*Take time to check gauge — waistcoat stitch is unforgiving of loose tension. Swatch in the round.*

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## ABBREVIATIONS (US Terms)
- **ch** – chain
- **sc** – single crochet
- **sl st** – slip stitch
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **BOR** – beginning of round
- **BLO** – back loop only
- **FLO** – front loop only
- **ws** – waistcoat stitch (sc worked between the two vertical bars of the post of the st below; insert hook through the "V" instead of under top loops)
- **2 sc inc** – 2 sc worked in the same st
- **w&t** – wrap and turn (short-row): yarn over hook, pull through to wrap working yarn around base of next st, turn work
- **CA / CB** – Color A / Color B

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## SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

**Waistcoat Stitch (ws):**
After completing a sc foundation, insert hook into the center "V" of the sc below (splitting the post between the two vertical bars), yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through both loops. The result resembles a knit stitch.

**Invisible Color Change:**
When switching colors, work the final yarn-over of the last st of the previous round in the new color. Carry the unused color loosely up the inside.

**Short Rows with Wrap & Turn:**
At the turning point, bring yarn to front, slip next st as if to purl (insert hook under top loops without working), bring yarn to back, return slipped st to left, turn. When working back over wrapped sts, insert hook under the wrap AND through the st, completing the sc through both.

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## CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW
Worked seamlessly in a continuous spiral, toe-up:
**Toe (CA) → Striped Foot (CA/CB) → Short-Row Heel (CA only) → Striped Leg (CA/CB) → Ribbed Cuff (CA)**

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# PATTERN

## TOE (worked in CA)

Begin with a magic ring.

**Rnd 1:** 6 sc into magic ring. Pull ring tight. Place BOR marker. **(6 sts)**

**Rnd 2:** 2 sc in each st around. **(12 sts)**
*Math check: 6 × 2 = 12 ✓*

**Rnd 3:** *2 sc inc, sc in next st*; rep from * around. **(18 sts)**

**Rnd 4:** Sc in each st around. **(18 sts)**

**Rnd 5:** *2 sc inc, sc in next 2 sts*; rep from * around. **(24 sts)**

**Rnd 6:** Sc in each st around. **(24 sts)**

**Rnd 7:** *2 sc inc, sc in next 3 sts*; rep from * around. **(30 sts)**

**Rnd 8:** Sc in each st around. **(30 sts)**

**Rnd 9:** *2 sc inc, sc in next 4 sts*; rep from * around. **(36 sts)**

**Rnd 10:** Sc in each st around. **(36 sts)**

**Rnd 11:** 2 sc inc, sc in next 17 sts, 2 sc inc, sc in next 17 sts. **(38 sts)**
*Math check: 36 + 2 incs = 38 ✓*

Toe should measure approximately 2" / 5 cm long and 2.75" / 7 cm wide across the ball.

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## FOOT (Striped Waistcoat Stitch)

Transition to waistcoat stitch and begin stripes. From this point forward, work **ws** (waistcoat stitch) into each st.

**Stripe Sequence (repeats throughout foot and leg):**
- 2 rounds CA
- 2 rounds CB

**Rnd 12 (CA):** Ws in each st around. **(38 sts)** — *transitional round; tug stitches firmly.*

**Rnd 13 (CA):** Ws in each st around. On the final yo of the last st, drop CA and pull through with CB. **(38 sts)**

**Rnds 14–15 (CB):** Ws in each st around. Change to CA on final yo of Rnd 15.

**Rnds 16–17 (CA):** Ws in each st around. Change to CB.

**Continue alternating 2-round stripes** in pattern until foot (measured from tip of toe along sole) measures **2.5" / 6.5 cm less than desired total foot length.**

*Example: For a 9.5" foot, work foot section until it measures 7" / 18 cm.*

End having just completed a CB round, ready to begin the heel with CA. Note your current stripe position to resume cleanly after the heel.

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## HEEL (Short-Row, worked in CA only)

Cut CB, leaving a 6" tail to weave in. Attach/continue with CA only for the entire heel.

The heel is worked flat over the **back 19 sts** (heel sts). The front **19 sts** (instep) remain unworked and will be picked up after.

*Math check: 38 ÷ 2 = 19 heel sts ✓*

**Setup:** From BOR marker, ws across 19 sts. Turn work. The remaining 19 sts are the instep — place a marker in the first instep st to hold your place.

### Heel Part 1 — Decreasing Short Rows
*Switch to regular sc (not ws) for the heel for cleaner short-row shaping.*

**Row 1 (WS):** Ch 1 does NOT count as a st. Sc in each of the next 18 sts, w&t. **(18 sts worked, 1 wrapped)**

**Row 2 (RS):** Sc in next 17 sts, w&t. **(17 sts worked, 1 wrapped each side)**

**Row 3:** Sc in next 16 sts, w&t.

**Row 4:** Sc in next 15 sts, w&t.

**Continue in this manner**, working one fewer st each row, until you have worked **Row 12: Sc in next 7 sts, w&t.**

*Math check: started 18, decreased to 7 = 12 rows; 7 unwrapped sts remain in the center ✓*

### Heel Part 2 — Increasing Short Rows (pick up wraps)

**Row 13:** Sc in next 7 sts to first wrapped st. Pick up wrap with next st (insert hook under wrap AND into wrapped st, complete sc). W&t the NEXT st (which now has 2 wraps). **(8 sts worked)**

**Row 14:** Sc in next 8 sts to next wrapped st on opposite side. Pick up wrap with st, w&t next st. **(9 sts worked)**

**Row 15:** Sc across to next wrapped st, pick up wrap, w&t next st. **(10 sts worked)**

**Continue in this manner**, picking up one wrap each row and working w&t on the next double-wrapped st, until **Row 22: Sc in next 17 sts, picking up final wrap; w&t the last edge st.** **(17 sts worked)**

**Row 23:** Sc in next 18 sts, picking up final wrap on edge st. **(18 sts worked; 19 heel sts total complete)**

*Math check: Heel ends with all 19 heel sts worked across, on RS, ready to rejoin in the round ✓*

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## REJOIN IN THE ROUND — LEG

You are now at the junction between heel and instep. Reset BOR marker here.

**Rnd 1 (CA):** Ws in each of the 19 instep sts (working into the ws sts from foot Rnd before heel — insert into the "V" as before; if needed, treat the first 1–2 sts as regular sc to ease the transition), then ws across the 19 heel sts. **(38 sts)**

*Tip: To close any small holes at the heel-instep junction, work the first and last instep sts through the back loop and into the adjacent heel-edge bar.*

**Rnd 2 (CA):** Ws in each st around. Change to CB on final yo.

**Resume 2-round stripe sequence (CB, CB, CA, CA, CB, CB, …)** matching where you left off before the heel for visual continuity.

Continue striped ws in the round until leg measures **4.75" / 12 cm** from top of heel, ending after a complete CA stripe.

*Total leg = approx. 24 rounds of waistcoat = 4.75" at 20 rds/4" gauge ✓*

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## CUFF (CA only)

Cut CB; weave end on inside. Continue with CA.

**Rnd 1:** Sc in each st around, working into top loops as normal. **(38 sts)** — *transition round.*

**Rnds 2–8 (Ribbed Cuff, BLO):** Sc in BLO of each st around. **(38 sts each round)**

Cuff measures approximately 1.25" / 3 cm and has stretchy vertical ribbing.

**Bind Off:** Sl st in next st, cut yarn leaving 6" tail. Pull tail through final loop. With yarn needle, weave tail through the front loops of the first sc of the round and back down through the last st to create an invisible join.

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## FINISHING

1. **Weave in all ends** securely on the inside, working ends in opposite directions for ½" each to prevent unraveling. Pay special attention to color-change points.
2. **Block lightly:** Soak in cool water with wool wash for 15 min. Squeeze (don't wring) out water. Lay flat on towel, smooth into shape — DO NOT stretch aggressively. Air dry.
3. **Make a second sock** — match the stripe sequence exactly!

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## NOTES FOR FIT & DURABILITY
- Crochet socks are denser than knit; allow ¼"–½" extra room in shoes, or wear as slipper/house socks.
- For extra durability at the heel and toe, hold a strand of nylon reinforcement thread (or matching sewing thread) together with CA in those sections.
- If your foot is between sizes, size DOWN — waistcoat stitch has excellent horizontal stretch.
- The reference image shows visible decrease lines at the heel — this is characteristic of short-row construction. Picking up wraps cleanly minimizes any holes.

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### Stitch Count Quick Reference
| Section | Stitch Count |
|---|---|
| Toe start | 6 |
| Toe end | 38 |
| Foot (each rnd) | 38 |
| Heel (worked flat over) | 19 |
| Leg (each rnd) | 38 |
| Cuff (each rnd) | 38 |

**Enjoy your Tidewater Stripes!** Tag your makes and share with confidence — you've just conquered waistcoat stitch AND short-row heels in one project. 🧦💙