Free knitting pattern for a pair of socks - lively fun texture for these city socks.
These socks were designed in Auckland City, looking into the reflections of the high rise building windows, where all the lines were distorted and cool.
City socks
You will need:– 4ply sock yarn – in 2 shades. One main colour and one supporting shade for the stripes.– 2 x 3mm circular needles (or a set of DPN’s. However you prefer to knit socks)– 1 stitch marker– Darning needle and scissors for…
I decided to make a pair of socks using this pattern for a cable panel going down the front of the sock. I've already done a small cable on the side with my last pair of socks so I was ready to do something a bit larger and more complicated. Pattern below the cut.
GAUGE
6 stitches x 8 rows = 1 inch in stockinette
TOOLS
- 2 US 5 circular needles
- 1 skein of Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Paints in Sapphire Seas (220 yards)
- crochet hook for weaving in ends
- stitch markers if desired (I used safety pins)
- cable needle if desired (I just used one of the points from the other circular needle)
STITCHES
Glossary
k = knit
p = purl
lc = slip 1 st to cable, hold in front, purl 1, knit 1 from cable
rc = skip 1 st, k1, knit skipped st, drop original 2 sts from left needle
Modified Ribbed Diamond [worked in the round so right side doesn't matter]
p1, k1, p4, rc 3x, p4, k1, p1
work as seen
p1, k1, p3, rc 3x, lc, p3, k1, p1
work as seen
p1, k1, p2, rc 3x, lc 2x, p2, k1, p1
work as seen
p1, k1, p1, rc 3x, lc 3x, p1, k1, p1
work as seen
p1, k1, p1, lc 3x, rc 3x, p1, k1, p1
work as seen
p1, k1, p2, lc 2x, rc 3x, p2, k1, p1
work as seen
p1, k1, p3, lc, rc 3x, p3, k1, p1
work as seen
**this is different from the cable pattern I linked in the beginning of the post. I didn't like the pattern much so I just followed my gut and this is what I got.
PATTERN
**this pattern is going to be much more general than the previous Cute Cable Socks pattern. However, because it's worked over the same number of stitches, a lot of the same instructions apply.**
Cast on 48 stitches on 2 circular needles and join in the round, making sure not to twist your stitches. Work in k1p1 ribbing for 2.5".
Work one side as stockinette (this will be your heel flap side) and work the ribbed diamond on the other. Knit 3 stitches, place a stitch marker, work ribbed diamond across the 18 stitches, place a stitch marker, and knit the last 3 stitches. Continue working like this until 6" from cast on.
Work the heel flap as follows:
row 1: slip 1, knit 1. Repeat these 2 to the end.
row 2: slip 1, purl 1. Repeat these 2 to the end.
This creates a thicker fabric than the usual stockinette. This is beneficial since the heel is typically the first place you'll find a hole in a sock.
Continue this 2 row repeat until the heel flap measures 2". Turn the heel.
If you don’t like memorizing the numbers, what you’re doing is reducing across the gap. Continue on like this until all stitches have been worked, ending with a purl row. Then slip 1 and knit across.
Pick up 11 gusset stitches on either side of the heel flap.
Work your decreases until there are 48 stitches. This will be ssk on the left side (first stitch) of your non-heel flap side, and k2tog on its right side (last stitch). Reduce every other round, interchanging with working evenly. Once there are 48 stitches left, work evenly until you've reached 2 inches less than your desired total heel to toe length.
Toe Decreases:
row 1: knit all evenly
row 2: knit 1, slip slip knit, knit across to the last 3 stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1 (and do the same on the next needle too!)
You’re going to work rows 1 and 2 until there are 12 stitches left on each needle, making for a total of 24. Then you’ll only work row 2 until 4 stitches are left on each needle, a total of 8. Graft these stitches together. I’ve written out the instructions as given in this video that shows you how to knit kitchener stitch. Position the top and bottom of your sock toe at the end of the needles as if you’re about to work them. The working yarn should be coming from the top needle.
Knit the first stitch on the bottom needle. Pull the yarn through. Leave the worked stitch on the needle.
Purl the first stitch on the top needle. Pull the yarn through. Leave the worked stitch on the needle.
Purl the first stitch on the bottom needle. Pull the yarn through. Slide the stitch off of the needle.
Knit the next stitch on the bottom needle. Pull the yarn through. Leave the worked stitch on the needle.
Knit the first stitch on the top needle. Pull the yarn through. Slide the stitch off of the needle.
Purl the next stitch on the top needle. Pull the yarn through. Leave the worked stitch on the needle.
Steps 1 and 2 are just for set up. Repeat steps 3 - 6 until all stitches have been worked. Weave in your ends, block and enjoy!
These socks were made for a friend who's transferring to another school. I didn't have time to finish them before winter break but I'm planning on sending them in a care package. Full pattern under the cut.
The cable is based loosely on one from New Stitch A Day but because I'm bad at remembering how many rows I've worked, I think I shortened it to a 3 row repeat.
GAUGE
6 stitches x 8 rows = 1 inch in stockinette stitch
TOOLS
- 2 US 5 circular needles
- 2 skeins of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Fjord Heather (220 yards)
- crochet hook for weaving in ends
- stitch markers if desired (I used safety pins)
- cable needle if desired (I just used one of the points from the other circular needle)
STITCHES
Glossary
k = knit
p = purl
c2b = slip 2 stitches onto cable needle, hold them in the back
c2f = slip 2 stitches onto cable needle, hold them in front
kfc = knit the stitches from cable needle
Cute Cable [it doesn't matter which is the right side since it's worked in the round]
p2, c2b, k2, kfc 2, c2f, k2, kfc 2, p2
work as seen
work as seen
PATTERN
Cast on 48 stitches on your 2 circular needles. For help with that, watch this video. I found it very helpful. Put 24 of the stitches on one needle and 24 on the other. Join and start working the cuff.
The Cuff & Leg
Work in k1 p1 ribbing for 2". Then, one needle will be worked in plain stockinette while the other will have the cable centered in it. The cable is worked over 12 stitches. Knit 6 stitches, place a stitch marker, work your first row of cable over the following 12 stitches, place a stitch marker, and knit the following 6 stitches. Continue working the leg like this until it measures 5.5" from the cast on (or longer if you want).
The Heel Flap
Before you can start working the heel flap, rearrange your stitches so that the cable is split by the two. You're just going to have to shift 12 stitches from each needle to the next. To work the heel flap, use the following stitch pattern:
row 1: slip 1st stitch, knit all [right side]
row 2: slip 1st stitch, purl all [wrong side]
Do this for all the 24 stitches on one needle until the heel flap measures 2" from when you split the sock. End ready to do a right side (knit) row.
Turning the Heel
This is the part where I found it helpful to look up some video tutorials on Youtube just to see how it was done. For this pattern, this page was helpful for figuring out how to turn the heel. I used the Rounder heel pattern but I'll post it below.
If you don't like memorizing the numbers, what you're doing is reducing across the gap. Continue on like this until all stitches have been worked, ending with a purl row. Then slip 1 and knit across.
The Gusset
Again, Youtube is your friend here! Pick up 10 stitches along the heel flap edges, looking for the slipped stitch edge. Once you've picked up the stitches along one side of the heel flap, work across the sock to get to the other side and pick up 10 stitches on that side of the heel flap. Now all your stitches are on the needles again.
You're going to start reducing the stitches back to your original cast on number of 48 with 24 on each needle. Count your total stitches to see how many reductions you'll have to make. What I usually do is count the heel flap stitches from the middle and see how many of the instep stitches I need to make 24. I place stitch markers on the outside of those stitches. Then I count out from the center of the non-heel flap needle and place stitch markers between the 11th and 12th stitches from the center. You're going to use the 12th stitch for your reductions so you don't want to separate it from the extras. Knit all the stitches around your sock once before we get to the reductions. With your reductions, you want the top part of your sock (the non-heel flap needle) to go over the instep stitches. If you're looking at your sock's top with the cuff towards you, you want a right slanting decrease on the right side and a left slanting decrease on the left side (see here).
I did a slip slip knit decrease on the left side and knit 2 together on the right side. You're going to do your decreases on one round and then knit all your stitches on the next. Continue on like this until there are 48 stitches.
The Foot
Now, knit all stitches evenly until your foot is 2" shy of the total length. Here is a chart that has total foot length corresponding to US shoe sizes. Once you're 2" short from total length, it's time for toe decreases!
The Toe
row 1: knit all evenly
row 2: knit 1, slip slip knit, knit across to the last 3 stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1 (and do the same on the next needle too!)
You're going to work rows 1 and 2 until there are 12 stitches left on each needle, making for a total of 24. Then you'll only work row 2 until 4 stitches are left on each needle, a total of 8. Graft these stitches together. I’ve written out the instructions as given in this video that shows you how to knit kitchener stitch. Position the top and bottom of your sock toe at the end of the needles as if you’re about to work them. The working yarn should be coming from the top needle.
Knit the first stitch on the bottom needle. Pull the yarn through. Leave the worked stitch on the needle.
Purl the first stitch on the top needle. Pull the yarn through. Leave the worked stitch on the needle.
Purl the first stitch on the bottom needle. Pull the yarn through. Slide the stitch off of the needle.
Knit the next stitch on the bottom needle. Pull the yarn through. Leave the worked stitch on the needle.
Knit the first stitch on the top needle. Pull the yarn through. Slide the stitch off of the needle.
Purl the next stitch on the top needle. Pull the yarn through. Leave the worked stitch on the needle.
Steps 1 and 2 are just for set up. Repeat steps 3 - 6 until all stitches have been worked. Weave in your ends, block and enjoy! I hope the pattern was clear.
