Standard Socks VI

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This is the last post of this series. Whoopee yay yay!

In the last post, we're knitting a straight tube that corresponds to the centre part of the foot. At some point we'll have knitted enough as to reach the toe region. How do you know you've reached this region? Put your sock on and check that it reaches the beginning of the big toe. If you're knitting for someone else, you're in trouble... Just kidding. You have two options, if you've the measure of this persons foot, go ahead and use it, if you don't you should get a standard medium sized sock by knitting about 48 rounds (approximately 13cm or 5in) after the end of the gusset, which is about 60% of the total length of the foot.

Now we'll start working the toe decreases:
  • Odd rounds: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches of the first half, k2tog, k1, repeat. Note: the first half corresponds to the sole stitches, the second to the top of the foot stitches.
  • Even rounds: knit straight.
This section is knit in plain stockinette all over except for the decreases stitches. Work these two rounds until there are 24 stitches left in total. Then work only the decrease (odd) round twice. There are 16 stitches on the needles in total (8+8). Join the two halves by grafting them using Kitchener stitch (see video below).



Note: If you have a different number of stitches (here we've assumed you've cast-on 64 stitches), work in the same way but adapt the numbers given accordingly: 16 is 25% of 64, 24 is 16+8. Therefore, divide the number of cast-on stitches by 4, and work decrease rows until you have that number plus 8 stitches, then work two decrease rows straight and graft.

Congratulations! We've finished the first sock. Now we have to repeat the whole process for the second sock. Make sure to follow exactly the same procedure, you don't want to have two differently shaped socks. As you can see from the photo, I've already accomplished that, and I love the result. My socks are exactly identical (I know they look slightly different in the picture, but that is only because of the way I'm wearing them). I've accomplished that by being very careful at what point of the colour changes in the yarn I started each section. This is possible because I've used a yarn that has exact repetitions.

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