Sock pattern

SIMPLE TOP-DOWN SOCK PATTERN

Materials 
100g 4 ply sock yarn, 2.5mm circular needle (at least 80cm) stitch marker, tapestry needle .

Tension
36 sts / 44 rows to 10cm/4in

Abbreviations
st(s)                Stitch(es)
K                     Knit
P                      Purl
yon                 Yarn over needle (from back to front)

K2tog             Knit 2 stitches together
P2tog              Purl 2 stitches together
ssK2tog          Slip next 2 stitches knitwise, insert the left needle into the front of both

stitches and knit together.

A note about method

Traditionally socks have been knitted using a number of double-pointed needles, but I always use the Magic Loop method which uses just one long circular needle. There is an excellent tutorial video on how to knit using the Magic Loop method here: 

A note about sizes

This is a basic sock based around multiples of 4. The numbers in bold are the original number of stitches cast on or fractions (half or quarter) of this number. The sock size can be increased or decreased by adding or subtracting multiples of 4. 

60 stitches make a sock to fit an average woman’s foot, so this is the example used in the pattern.

To know how many stitches to cast on, measure around the ball of your foot in cm and multiply by 2.8, then pick the multiple of 4 closest to your foot size. 

i.e.  if your foot measures 19cm, then 19 x 2.8 = 53.2.

The closest multiple of 4 to 53.2 is 52, so take 52 as your number of stitches.

To knit the sock to this size, cast on 52 sts, knit a heel flap using 26 sts (half of 52) and pick up 13 sts (one quarter of 52) for the instep, etc.

Instructions

I always use this invisible or tubular cast-on for socks, as it gives a nice elastic finish.

Using contrast/waste yarn and any cast-on method, cast on half the number of stitches required.

Change to the proper yarn

1^st row            K1.   Then (yon, K1)  - repeat to end

2^nd row          K1.   Then (yarn forward; slip 1 purlwise; yarn back; K1) - repeat to end.

                                                           

Knit into the front and back of the last stitch.

Divide the stitches equally between the two needles, making sure the yarn is coming from the back needle.

Join the round, being very careful

(a) not to twist the stitches and

(b) to pull the first few stitches very tightly indeed.

Remove the waste yarn after you have about a couple of cms of knitting.

Ribbing

Work in the round to your desired length of rib.

 I usually use K1,P1 rib for 24 rounds, but others prefer K2, P2 rib.

Cuff

Knit in rounds until the cuff reaches your preferred length.

I usually do 50 rounds of plain knitting.

Heel flap

Make the heel flap using the stitches on one half of your needles.

1^st row         (Slip 1 purlwise, K1) – repeat to the end.

2^nd row        Slip 1 purlwise, purl to the end

Working back and forth on these 30 stitches, repeat these two rows 14 more times (30 rows in total)

If you are using a different number of stitches for the heel flap, make sure the number of rows you work is the same as the number of stitches.

Heel shaping  (short rows)

1^st row            Knit to the centre of the heel flap (15 sts)  ssK2tog, K1; turn.

2^nd row          Slip 1; P1; P2tog; P1; turn.

3^rd row           Slip 1; knit to 1 stitch before the gap formed by the first short row; ssK2tog, K1; turn.

4^th row           Slip 1; purl to 1 stitch before the gap; P2tog; P1; turn.

Continue in this way, taking in one more stitch each row, until all the heel flap stitches have been included, ending on a purl row.

Pick up for instep
Knit one row, then pick up knitwise 15 stitches down the side of the heel flap.

Pull through the cord loop ready for the second half of the round.

Knit the 30 stitches left behind when making the heel flap.

Place a stitch marker on the needle (a knotted loop of contrasting yarn is fine).

Pick up knitwise 15 stitches up the side of the heel flap.

On the next round make sure to knit into the back of the stitches you’ve picked up, to prevent too much looseness in these stitches.

Shape Instep
1^st round        Knit to the last 3 stitches on the needle; K2tog; K1. 

            

In the second half of the round:

Knit to the stitch marker; K1; ssK2tog; knit to the end.

2^nd round     Knit.

Repeat these two rounds until 60 stitches remain.

Divide the stitches evenly between the two needles, keeping the 30 stitches between the cord loop and the stitch marker on one needle and sliding the rest onto the other.

Knit until the foot measures  just under  5cm/2ins less than the foot length needed.

Decrease for toe
1^st round        K1; ssK2tog; knit to last 3 stitches on needle; K2tog; K1. 

                       

Repeat for the second half of the stitches.

2^nd round      Knit.

Repeat these two rounds until 24 stitches remain. 

Toe graft using Kitchener stitch

NB   Make sure you do this when you can be completely undisturbed.  It is very easy to make a mistake until you’ve had a fair bit of practice.

Cut the yarn, leaving a 10in/25cm tail and thread through a tapestry needle.

Hold the two needles together, parallel to one another, with the one the tail comes from at the back.

Insert the tapestry needle purlwise into the first stitch on the front needle.

Pull the yarn through, leaving the stitch on the needle.

Insert the tapestry needle knitwise into the first stitch on the back needle.

Pull the yarn through, leaving the stitch on the needle.

***

1.         Insert the tapestry needle knitwise into the first stitch on the front needle.

Slip the stitch off the needle.

2.         Insert the tapestry needle purlwise into the next stitch on the front needle.

Pull the yarn through, leaving the stitch on the needle.

3.         Insert the tapestry needle purlwise into the first stitch on the back needle.

Slip the stitch off the needle

4.         Insert the tapestry needle knitwise into next stitch on the back needle.

Pull the yarn through, leaving the stitch on the needle.

Repeat from *** until all the stitches have been grafted.

Secure the end on the inside of the sock and also weave in the loose end at the top of the rib. 

Then start all over again for the second sock. J