Furoshiki Bedsocks

Furoshiki (風呂敷) are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth traditionally used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. The artist Masaya Hashimoto was inspired by this folding technique to create a new style of shoes. Now you can knit similar bedsocks for your cold feet at home.

Equipment:

I used 6 coloured wool especially for socks (80% VirginWool/ 20% Polyamide, 150grams, 390 meters for 4 bedsocks) and size 4 knitting needles. Also needed is a crochet hook, a needle with a thread and 2 buttons.

Instructions:

You start with 6 stitches + selvedge. Then you add 60 rows of right-plaited stitches.

Increasing

Now you increase the number of stitches per row by one on each side 13 times. At the end you should have 32 stitches in that row (13 + 6 + 13).

Ribbing

Double the stitches to 64 and create a 2x2 ribbing. Continue for 15cm to 20cm. I have European shoe size 41 and knitted 16cm.

Decreasing

Then you decrease the number of stitches back to 32 by knitting 2 stitches together. After that you take away 1 stitch on each side for the next 13 rows until you are back at 6 + selvedge and start a ribbon on the other side.

Buttonhole

After 50 rows you have to decide about the placement and size of a buttonhole. The ribbon will go crosswise over your feet and button together at your ankle. You create a buttonhole by splitting the stitches around the hole by turning your needle around and knitting half of the ribbon for 6 rows until the end of the buttonhole. Then you add a secound working yarn at the side of the ribbon you haven't yet made and do the same until you close the button hole and finish the ribbon.

Button

Sew the button into a customized position for your perfect fitting on the ribbon without the buttonhole.

Crocheting

Now you fold your work in progress in the middle and close the sides of the middle part with a crochet hook and another working yarn. Weave in all the ends.

Fitting

Finished! Well, one of them. The secound one is done the same way, there is no difference between left and right bedsock. If you want to learn knitting, try out the class right here at instructables:

https://www.instructables.com/class/Knitting-Class/

Have fun!