After sunset toe-up socks

It has been a long time, but I am back with a tutorial on toe-up socks. I have written tones of posts on socks and even one tutorial on toe-up socks before. But that was one of my first posts and, with more experience, I really do not recommend that particular heel recipe and I think I have a few more things I can add.

A note, before I begin: this post is a bit wordy with lots of details for the absolute beginner. If you only want to read the pattern, I have used coloured backgrounds to highlight the parts of the text that correspond to the pattern.

Socks are knitted in the round. If you have no experience knitting in the round, maybe you should start with an easier project than socks, such as a hat. There are 2 ways to knit in the round: double pointed needles (dpns) and circular needles. For the former, you can use either 4 or 5 dpns. For the latter, you will need to use either the magic-loop method or the two-needle method. Which method to use is up to you, different people prefer different methods. I prefer the magic-loop method. Whatever method you use, you must (whether physically or mentally) divide the stitches in two halves, because through out most of the knitting, these two halves will be worked differently. One half (the first in this pattern) will correspond to the instep, where a stitch pattern is used. The other half will correspond to the sole of the foot, knitted in plain stockinette, and, more importantly, this is the half where the heel is worked. The shaping of the toes is also worked in these two halves, as we will see.

Yarn, needles, and gauge

How many stitches to cast-on? As usual, that depends on 4 factors: size, yarn, needles and tension.

For standard socks, you will want to use sock yarn, which means, yarn with both the weight and fibre content (around 80% wool and 20% of nylon) which are appropriate for knitting socks. I am using Scheepjes Invicta Colour (colourway 974), which I do not recommend, because, even though I love the vibrant colours, the quality of this yarn is the worst I have found as it keeps breaking (if you are so unlucky as to own several skeins of this yarn like me, I recommend you weave in the many ends as you go along).

The needle size appropriate for this yarn will be between 2 and 2.5mm (UK 13-14, US 0-1). Which one to use is a personal choice and also depends on your knitting tension. If you knit tightly, use thicker needles. I am using 2.5mm circular needles.

Depending on all the above mentioned factors, people usually use between 56 and 64 stitches for the main part of the sock, which corresponds to the circumference of both the foot and the leg (which, for most people, are approximately the same). I will knit 60 stitches total.

Cast-on

Cast-on using your favourite provisional method. I like using Judy's magic cast-on, but I can also recommend the Turkish cast-on as the two easy methods to start the toe.

Using a provisional method, cast on 2x12 stitches. If you are using dpns distribute the stitches on the dpns in the way you prefer.

Toe

As I explained above, the stitches are divide in two halves. Each half is worked identically, which is what 'times 2' below refers to.

Increase round: (k1, I1, knit to last stitch of this half, I1, k1) times 2.

Abbreviations: k1 = knit 1 stitch, I1 = increase 1 stitch.
I recommend the yarn-over knitted through the back loop increase, but use your favourite method.

Round 1: knit straight.
Round 2-4: increase rounds (2x18 stitches).
Next rounds, until the desired numbers of stitches are obtained: alternate straight and increase rounds.
End with a straight round.

The toe ends on round 11/13/15 and 56/60/64 stitches total.

Note: if, for some reason, you prefer 58 or 62 stitches, it is best to change the number of cast-on stitches to 2x11, but if you have arrived this far before reading this, you can simply work the increases only on one of the halves on the last increase round.

Foot and pattern

The foot is just a long tube, knit in the round until you are ready to start the heel. As I mentioned before I even began, you can knit a nice pattern on the instep, but you should knit plain stockinette in the sole because that is more comfortable. I prefer very simple knit-purl patterns that have as little volume as possible. The reason is again comfort. But if you want to have fun, go ahead and pick some pretty lace or amazing cable patterns. There are an infinite number of possibilities, that is what makes sock knitting so much fun.

For this particular sock, I chose a simple garter-stitch rib. Here is the pattern:

Even rounds: p2, (k4, p2) times 5; knit to end of round
Odd rounds: knit straight

Abbreviations: k4 = knit 4 stitches, p2 = purl 2 stitches.

Note that the pattern is knit on 32, not 30 stitches. Because I have 60 stitches total, I added one stitch to each end of my top half (leaving 28 stitches on the bottom half). But I must remember to move the same two stitches back to their right place when working the heel.

Work this pattern in the instep and stockinette in the sole until you are ready to start the heel. When is that? That is the trickiest part of knitting a toe-up sock. The answer depends on two factors: the size of your foot and the type of heel. For this sock I am going to go with a standard short-row heel, for a change. A good rule of thumb for this heel is that it should be about 2 inches long. Which means you should start the heel when the sock is the desired size minus 2 inches.

Note: it is important to choose a pattern which corresponds to the number of stitches on the needles. To be precise, the number of stitches must be a multiple of the pattern repeat. The above pattern has a 6 stitch repetition, which means it repeats 10 times over 60 total stitches. If you have a different number of stitches, you must choose a different pattern accordingly.

Short-row heel

Before I start with the heel, let us discuss short-row methods. I really do not recommend the "standard" wrap-and-turn method for socks. It is annoying to work and I can never memorize all the instructions. There are plenty of no-wrap methods available (here is a nice one and here is a different one). I prefer the German short-row method, here is a video tutorial (check the end of the video for the heel):

If you are not using self-striping yarn, I think the German yoyo heel yields better looking results than the one shown in the video, because it knits one straight round between the two halves of the heel. I will use a similar method, but only knit one half round in between.

Short-row heel
Working only the sole stitches (assumes 30 stitches, adapt if you have a different number):

• Row 1: knit to end of round and turn.
• Row 2: work gsrs, purl 29 stitches (to end of sole stitches) and turn.
• Odd rows: work gsrs, knit all normal stitches and turn (just before first gsrs).
• Even rows: work gsrs, purl all normal stitches and turn.
• End on an even row when the heel stitches are divided in three equal parts (a third of normal stitches in between the two thirds of gsrs): 10 gsrs, 10 normal stitches and 10 gsrs.
• Knit to end of round, including all gsrs and turn.
• Purl to end of round, including all gsrs and turn.
• Row 1: Knit 20 stitches (2/3 of the sole stitches) and turn.
• Row 2: Work gsrs, purl 9 stitches (1/3 minus 1 of the sole stitches) and turn.
• Odd rows: Work gsrs, knit to gsrs, knit gsrs, knit one more stitch and turn.
• Even rows: Work gsrs, purl to gsrs, purl gsrs, purl one more stitch and turn.
• End on an even row just before knitting the last stitch of the round (do not knit this stitch). Slip stitch as if to purl (with yarn in the back), lift a stitch and knit the two stitches together through the back loop (the slipped stitch and the lifted one). Turn.
• Work gsrs, purl to gsrs, purl gsrs, slip next stitch as if to purl (with yarn in the front), lift a stitch and purl the two stitches together. Turn.
• Work gsrs, knit to end of round (incluing the gsrs). The heel is finished. Start working the leg. When you find the only gsrs still left, knit it as usual.

Abbreviations: gsrs = German short-row stitch. Work gsrs: with yarn in front, slip stitch as if to purl, bring yarn to the back over the needle, thus creating a double stitch. If next stitch is a purl, bring yarn to the front under the needle.
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Leg

The leg is just a straight tube worked in the round. The stitch pattern is now worked all around. Start the cuff when you have the desired length of the sock minus one inch. Then work the cuff for that length (about 12 rounds). My favourite cuff is a k2p2 ribbing pattern. If the stitch pattern you have chosen does not curl, the cuff is optional, but I like to knit it in any case.

Note: this recipe involves no shaping in the leg region. Thus it is only suitable for ankle high or mid-calf socks. For knee high socks or higher, you need to find an appropriate pattern that includes shaping the leg region.

Bind-off

You need a very elastic bind-off. There are many options, but Jenny's surprising stretchy bind-off (JSSBO) is my favourite.