Basic Sock Pattern on 12" Circular Needle

Sized to fit Women's Medium (size 8 feet) Men's Medium or Women's Large in ( )

Gauge: 8.5 sts and 9 rows to the inch in stockinette.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Size 2.5 MM Addi Turbo(r) Circular needle (U.S. size 1.5)

Size 2.5 mm or 2.25 mm (1 U.S.) double point needles, which you will need for the heel and the toes, set of 5.

I prefer using a 12" ADDI turbo circular to knit my sock, so that's how this pattern is written. It can certainly be knit using any method you prefer. See my post about using markers instead of needles to avoid ladders and convert any pattern to your preferred method of knitting.

100 grams of Regia Ringel or Mini Ringel or other fingering weight (sock) yarn such as Opal, Meilenweit, Lang Jawoll or Austermann Step.

Add one 50 gram skein for larger size or a longer length. This can be a contrast solid color, used for heels and toes. The stripe pattern will get wider on the heel and some people prefer the solid color heel and toe for this reason.

NOTE: I've recently rediscovered a great band heel which eliminates the long stripes at this great site. I knit my last two pair using this heel and it is very nice. I still use the EOP slip stitch, which means I have to add a few rows to the heel flap before decreasing. Then I have a few decrease rounds after picking up the gusset stitches. Thanks to Nan for this great pattern and tutorial, and to Nancy Bush for the band heel.

2 small circular markers, in different colors. I like red and green: red for stop decreasing; green for start decreasing.

CO 64 (72) sts. Join, being careful not to twist, and K2, P2 for 2"

Place a marker at join. The striping pattern of the yarn should look nice for both sizes at this gauge. Knit around until sock tube measures 7 (8) inches long.

Remove marker until heel is finished. Change to double pointed needles, keeping the instep stitches on the circular needle. Change to solid color yarn if you are using it. Knit the heel on double points over the first 32 (36) sts.

Heel: Eye of Partridge with slipped st edge

Row 1: *slip 1 KW*, k1,* repeat between *'s to end

Row 2: slip 1, p to end

Row 3: slip 1 KW, *k2, slip 1,* repeat between *'s to last 2 sts, end k2 (Don’t end with a slipped stitch.)

Row 4: repeat Row 2.

Knit this pattern until heel flap is 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 (2 3/4 - 3) inches long. This is a matter of personal preference. Measure the bare foot of the intended recipient from floor to top of ankle bone to determine the correct measurement.

Heel turn: (round heel) Thanks to David Mackay's "heels by number" which was the inspiration for these.

(Note: SSK = slip a st PW* to right needle, slip a second st KW to right needle, then knit those two together)

Row 1: slip 1, knit 16 (18), ssk, k 1, turn

Row 2: slip 1, purl 5, p2tog, p1, turn

Row 3: slip 1, knit 6, ssk, k1, turn

Row 4: slip 1, purl 7, p2tog, p 1, turn.

Continue on, adding one st knitted or purled at the center of the row until all sts have been worked. You should be ending with a knit row. If not, knit across the heel in Eye of Partridge pattern until you reach the pick up edge.

Change back to variegated yarn at this point, if you are using it. Using a new double point needle, pick up & knit one st from each slipped st along the edge of the heel flap (about 20). Place first marker here. Knit across the instep stitches which were not part of the heel, place second marker. Pick up & knit stitches on opposite side of heel flap, knit across heel flap to three stitches from first marker. You should have about 96-104 stitches on the needle at this point.

Decrease Round:

Three stitches from first marker, k 2 tog, k 1. Knit across instep to second marker, slip it, k 1, SSK, knit around to the first marker. Around this point you will want to change back to using the circular needle. Knit one round without decreasing (or two, if you like a slower rate of decrease for a higher instep), and repeat decrease round. Repeat decrease and plain knit rounds until 64 (72) sts remain on the needle. Knit plain until the foot is about 7.25" (8") long (2 to 2 1/2 inches less than desired length). Change to double pointed needles again, and solid color yarn if you are using it.

Wedge toe:

Round 1: Knit to last 3 sts before first marker, k2 tog, k1, slip marker, K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts before second marker, K2 TOG, K1, slip marker, K1, SSK.

Round 2: Knit around in stockinette stitch.

Repeat these two rounds until 16 (18) sts rem. Divide the 16 (18) sts between 2 needles at markers and Kitchener stitch (graft) them tog or do a 3-needle bind off.

Now knit the second sock!

*KW=knit wise

Copyright 2001 Margie Dougherty

All rights reserved.