Basic Sock Pattern

Scroll to the bottom for the comprehensive, step by step video tutorial.

Required materials:

Yarn – 100g/462 yd of fingering weight yarn

• 75/25 Fine Superwash Merino/Nylon blend

I highly recommend using a yarn that is a blend of wool + nylon. The nylon helps with the sturdiness of the fiber so that they last you a long time.

Needles – Size US 1 (2.25mm) circular needles on a 32-inch cable for the magic loop method

Notions – Scissors

• Tapestry needle for the Kitchener stitch and weaving in ends
• Stitch markers to help count rounds (optional)

Gauge – Approximately 9 stitches per inch in stockinette

Abbreviations and Stitch Information –

Rd – Round

CO – Cast on

St – Stitch

K – Knit

P – Purl

Sl – Slip (purlwise with yarn in the back unless otherwise noted)

Wyif – with yarn in the front

Wyib – with yarn in the back

SSK – Slip, slip, knit (slip 2 stitches knit wise, then knit them both together through the back loops)

K2tog – Knit 2 stitches together

P2tog – Purl 2 stitches together

Instep – Front and/or top of sock

Sole – Back and/or bottom of sock

N1 – Needle 1 – the needle that holds the front/top of your sock

N2 – Needle 2 – the needle that hold the back/heel/bottom portion of your sock

Size Information – Small(Medium, Large) with a foot circumference of 8-9” (9-10”, 10-11”). Please note that these numbers are for the *circumference* of the foot – not the foot length. I recommend allowing for about 1-2 inches of negative ease so that the socks fit well and hug your feet.

Pattern

CUFF

CO 56(64, 72) sts using the long tail cast on method. Separate your stitches evenly across your needles. For this pattern, I’m using the magic loop method, so I divide my stitches across 2 needles (N1 is the front and N2 is the back).

Join for working in the round.

Rounds 1-20: (K2, P2) Repeat all the way around.

LEG

K every round until you get to your desired length. I typically knit 60-70 rounds for the leg section.

K across N1 one last time and stop.

You are now ready to begin working along N2 (the back of the sock) to complete the heel portion.

SLIP STITCH HEEL FLAP

The heel is worked back and forth along N2.

Row 1 (RS): (Sl1 with yarn in the back, K1) Repeat to the end of row.

Row 2 (WS): Sl1 with yarn in the front, P to the end of row.

Repeat these 2 rows 14(16, 18) times, until you end up with a total of 28(32, 36) rows on your heel flap.

*TIP* – I find it helpful to keep a pad of post-it notes handy to cross off my rows as I go.

HEEL TURN

Row 1 (RS): Sl1 wyib, K 14(16, 18), SSK, K1, turn your work.

Row 2 (WS): Sl1 wyif, P5, P2tog, P1, turn your work.

Row 3 (RS): Sl1 wyib, K to 1 st before space, SSK, K1, turn your work.

Row 4 (WS): Sl1 wyif, P to 1 st before space, P2tog, P1, turn your work.

Continue repeating rows 3 and 4 until you have worked all stitches on N2. You should end on a RS row.

GUSSET

Pick up 14(16, 18) stitches along the side edge of the heel flap.

Once you have picked up these, pick up 1 more in the ladder below.

K across the instep of your sock.

You are now on the other side of your gusset.

Pick up 1 stitch from the ladder below again.

Pick up 14(16, 18) stitches along the side of the heel flap.

Knit across to complete the round.

It’s time to start decreasing!

Round 1: N1: K

                   N2: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.

Round 2: N1: K all sts

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until you are back to your original stitch count of 56(64, 72), or a total of 28(32, 36) sts on each needle.

FOOT

Knit every round until you have reached your desired foot length.

When trying to figure out when you should stop before knitting the toe decreases, subtract about 1.25(1.5, 1.75) inches from the total length that you’re aiming for and stop there.

*Tip* – if you know the shoe size of the person you are knitting for, a quick google search of the shoe size in inches will be a huge help in figuring out when to start the toe.

TOE

Round 1: K1, SSK, K to last 3 stitches before sole begins, K2tog, K1

                   K1, SSK, K to last 3 stitches before instep begins, K2tog, K1

Round 2: K all stitches.

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until you have 14(16, 18) stitches left on each needle.

Repeat round 1 over and over until you have 8 stitches left on each needle.

*Tip* – Some knitters choose to knit an extra round before using the Kitchener stitch to close their toe. I do not do this – as soon as I am down to 8 stitches on each needles, I go straight into closing up the toe. I find that this gives it a slightly rounder shape.

Use the Kitchener stitch to close the toe. Unsure about this stitch? Need a refresher? I have you covered! Visit the video link here!

Once you finish the Kitchener stitch, you can weave in your ends.

I believe blocking is optional for socks unless they’re a gift or you’re planning to take nice looking pictures of them before wearing them.

You did it! Enjoy your new handmade socks!