Spiralling Square Socks Jenny Blackburn
I've always found it difficult to find patterns for men's socks that aren't too fancy for the wearer and tedious for the knitter. This pattern makes a pair of average sized mens' socks using fingering weight yarn (4 ply). A series of garter stitch squares spiral around the cuff and across the top of the foot in opposite directions for each sock. The instructions are both written out line by line and charted (charts are found on pages 8-11). The pattern is easy to memorise, so once you've done a few lines you should be fine. If you've knitted socks before you should find these pretty easy. To adjust the size of these, add or remove knit stitches from between the garter stitch squares. Please let me know if you find any errors in the pattern or need anything explaining.
Gauge
9 stitches and 13 rows per inch squared. I used a set of five $2.5\mathsf{m m}$ double-pointed needles and lorna's laces shepherd sock to get this gauge, but use whatever needle size you need to get this gauge. The pattern is easily converted for magic loop or two-circular needle knitting. Glossary ${\mathrm{CO}}=$ Cast on $\mathsf{K}=\mathsf{K}\mathsf{n i t}$ $\mathsf{K}2\mathsf{t}0\mathsf{g}=\mathsf{K}\mathsf{n}\mathsf{i}\mathsf{t}\,2$ together (decrease) $\sf{W}=$ Knitwise $\mathsf{P}=\mathsf{P}\mathsf{u}\mathsf{r}|$ $P2{\mathsf{t o g}}=\mathsf{P u r l}\;2$ together (decrease) $\mathsf{p w}=$ Purlwise $S|=S||p$ ssk $=$ Slip slip knit (decrease) sts $=$ Stitches
Pattern for the First Sock
Cuff Using a fingering weight sock yarn (example shown in Lorna's Laces sock, colourway \*Montrose') and 2.5mm needles (or whatever you need to get gauge): CO 68sts using a long-tail or other stretchy cast on method and join in the round being careful not to twist. Knit 12 rounds of $_{2\times2}$ ribbing ${}^{\star}\mathsf{K}2\mathsf{P}2^{\star}$ repeat to end of round) Knit 4 rounds in stockinette (knit every stitch) Begin cuff pattern for sock one starting from round one. First Sock Cuff Pattern (A chart is also available on page 8)
Heel Setup K7, turn your work so that the wrong side is facing, P34 (Note: Kniting 7 before turning and purling 34 lines it up for the top of foot pattern later.) Heel The heel is worked back and forth on these 34 stitches. Place the rest of the stitches on hold for now. These will form the top of the foot later. On the 34 heel stitches repeat the following two rows until the heel flap measures 3" (7.5cm) ending with a wrong side row: Row 1 (RS): $^{\star}{\sf S l}1$ ， $\mathsf{K}\mathsf{1}^{\star}$ repeat to end of row Row 2 (WS): Sl1, P33
Heel Turn
Row 1: Sl1kw, K18, K2tog, K1, turn work Row 2: Sl1pw, P5, P2tog, P1, turnRow 3: Sl1kw, K to one stitch before the gap, K2tog, K1, turn Row 4: Sl1pw, P to one stitch before the gap, P2tog, P1, turn Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all the stitches are included (no stitches are left unworked). 20 heel stitches remain.
Knit across the 20 heel stitches and using the same needle pick up and knit a stitch in each long stitch formed by the slipped edge stitches plus one stitch between the flap and the top of the foot. Knit across the stitches left on hold using the first row of the top of foot pattern. Using a free needle pick up the same number of stitches as the left side of the heel flap on the right side of the heel flap. Using the same needle K10 stitches from the heel stitches.
The end of the round is now in the centre of the bottom of the foot.
Gusset Decreases
You should now have 17 stitches on the two top of the foot needles and around double this on each of the other two needles. The gusset decreases will get the count back to 68 stitches total (17 stitches on each needle). Whilst following the top of foot chart (starting on row 2) repeat the following two rounds until 17sts remain on each needle: Round 1: Knit to last three stitches on first needle, K2tog, K1; follow top of foot pattern across next 34 sts; K1, ssk, K to end of round Round 2: Knit all stitches on the first needle; follow top of foot pattern across next 34sts; knit all stitches on the last needle. This pattern is for the 34 stitches on the top of the foot only. The bottom of the foot is kept in stockinete stitch (Chart found on page 9).
Foot Knit all of the stitches on the first and last needles of the round whilst continuing the top of foot pattern until the sock measures $z^{\ast}$ (5cm) less than the recipient's foot. To extend the length of the foot continue to knit in pattern, moving the purled stitches four stitches to the left the round after each square is finished. Toe Repeat the following two rounds until you have 24 stitches total remaining (11 repeats): Round 1: Knit all stitches Round 2: Knit to last 3 stitches on first needle, K2tog, K1; K1, ssk, knit across the rest of the stitches on needle 2; knit to last three stitches on needle 3, k2tog, K1; K1, ssk, knit to end of last needle (4 stitches decreased) When 24 stitches remain, knit the stitches from needle 1 onto needle 4 and graft the top of foot stitches to the bottom of foot stitches using kitchener stitch. Weave in the ends. Cast on for the second sock.
Pattern for the Second Sock
Cuff CO 68sts and join in the round being careful not to twist. Knit 12 rounds of $_{2\times2}$ ribbing ( ${}^{\star}\mathsf{K}2\mathsf{P}2^{\star}$ repeat to end of round) Knit 4 rounds in stockinette (knit every stitch) Begin cuff pattern for sock two starting from row one.
Second Sock Cuff Pattern (The chart can be found on page 10)
Heel Setup K14, turn your work so that the wrong side is facing, P34 Heel The heel is worked back and forth on these 34 stitches. Place the rest of the stitches on hold for now. These will form the top of the foot later. On the 34 heel stitches repeat the following two rows until the heel flap measures 3" (7.5cm) ending with a wrong side row: Row 1 (RS): $^{\star}{\sf S l}1$ ， $\mathsf{K}\mathsf{1}^{\star}$ repeat to end of row Row 2 (WS): Sl1, P33
Heel Turn
Row 1: Sl1kw, K18, K2tog, K1, turn work Row 2: Sl1pw, P5, P2tog, P1, turn Row 3: Sl1kw, K to one stitch before the gap, K2tog, K1, turn Row 4: Sl1pw, P to one stitch before the gap, P2tog, P1, turn Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all the stitches are included (no stitches are left unworked). 20 heel stitches remain.
Gusset
Knit across the 20 heel stitches and using the same needle pick up and knit a stitch in each loop formed by the slipped edge stitches plus one stitch between the flap and the top of the foot. Knit across the stitches left on hold using the first row of the top of foot pattern. Using a free needle pick up the same number of stitches as the left side of the heel flap on the right side of the heel flap. Using the same needle K10 stitches from the heel stitches. The end of the round is now in the centre of the bottom of the foot.
Gusset Decreases
You should now have 17 stitches on the two top of the foot needles. The gusset decreases will get the count back to 68 stitches total (17 stitches on each needle). Whilst following the top of foot pattern (starting on row 2) repeat the next two rounds until 17sts remain on each needle: Round 1: Knit to last three stitches on first needle, K2tog, K1; follow top of foot pattern across next 34 sts; K1, ssk, K to end of round Round 2: Knit all stitches on the first needle; follow top of foot pattern across next 34sts; knit all stitches on the last needle.
Top of Foot Pattern for the Second Sock
This pattern is for the 34 stitches on the top of the foot only. Continue to knit the bottom of the foot in stockinette. These instructions are also charted on page 11.
Foot Knit all of the stitches on the first and last needles of the round whilst continuing the top of foot pattern until the sock measures $z^{\ast}$ (5cm) less than the recipient's foot. To extend the length of the foot continue to knit in pattern, moving the purled stitches four stitches to the right on the next round after a square is finished. Toe Repeat the following two rounds until you have 24 stitches total remaining (11 repeats): Round 1: Knit all stitches Round 2: Knit to last 3 stitches on first needle, K2tog, K1; K1, ssk, knit across the rest of the stitches on needle 2; knit to last three stitches on needle 3, k2tog, K1; K1, ssk, knit to end of last needle (4 stitches decreased) When 24 stitches remain, knit the stitches from needle 1 onto needle 4 and graft the top of foot stitches to the bottom of foot stitches using kitchener stitch. Weave in the ends.
First Sock Cuff
Second Sock Cuff Chart
Second Sock Top of Foot
