Knitting Buzz Designs by Krista Werbil
How to Knit Sockz Tutorial
This pattern is targeted for the new sock knitter using dpn's (my personal preference). Its written in two sizes, for an average foot and a larger foot (a 9-10 shoe size). The large size directions will always be listed in parenthesis ( ). You may want to highlight your size before getting started. Don't be intimidated by the length of the instructions, these are designed to make kniting socks easy for you. TIPS or Helpful Hints willbe located in boxes through out the instructions. The instructions are divided into the parts of the sock: Cast-on, Cuff, Leg, Heel, Turning the heel (sounds scarier than it is), Gusset or Ankle, Foot, Toe, Seamless Finish The stitches used: Knit, Purl, K2tog (knit two together), SSK (slip slip knit - a decrease similar to k2tog), slip
SUPPLIES NEEDED
Sock or Fingering Weight yarn (approx 420 - 450 yards) Try a self-stripping yarn for your first sock to increase your "fun-factor" 5 dpns - size US 1 (2.25mm) or US 1.5 (2.5mm) Blunt tip Tapestry Needle · Measuring Tape · Crochet hook - recommend size $00/{\sf B}/2.25\;\mathrm{mm}$ Optional: Row Counter (highly recommended) An ounce of trust... some times the directions will sound quirky...but trust that they will get you to the next step
TIP
To avoid SSS or Second Sock Syndrome, two socks can be knitted simultaneously. All you need is two balls of yarn and two sets of needles or 10 dpn's.Resulting in a completed pairof socks at the end of this tutorial. This is also a good idea to make insure ribbing, leg & foot dimensions are equal on each sock. Take each step complete it on sock #1 and then repeat the step for sock #2. Voila...a perfect pair of socks!
CAST-ON
On one needle, cast on64(72) stitches loosely If a loose cast-on is a challenge,try using two needles together. I have used a long-tail cast-on, but any cast on you are comfortable with will work. Now divide the cast on stitches between 3 needles.( find using 3 needles here is much easier than trying to juggle 4 needles at this point...we will add the fourth needle after the ribbing) Slip the stitches purlwise onto two additional needles dividing the stitches on as follows: 21,20,23 (23,24,25). Once your stitches are divided between the 3 dpn's, its time to join them to start working in the round. Your needles can easily form a triangle, slide the stitches on the 2 end needles to the opposite side of the needle. Tail and working yarn should be on the needle on your right. VERY IMPORTANT - make sure your stitches are allfacing the same way and did not get twisted. Join by taking the needle with the working yarn and tail and inserting into the first stitch of the 3rd needle knitwise maesure you grab the working yarnand not the tail tomake your first knit stitch andcomplete the join.
CUFF
TIP
The first row is the hardest part of making the sock. The dpn's seem to take on a life of there own. Remember you are only ever working on two needles at a time, ignore the others. The first couple of rows may feel awkward, but once you're past that it will be smooth sailing... I promise! Now take the 4th needle, as your working needle & continue in a K2,P2 rib. Remember you have already K1, s0on needleto theleft of the working yarn you wil k1,p2 (k2, p2)\* \*repeat to next to last stitch on third neede and k1 as the last stitch. When you have finished the ribbing on the st needle,that empty neede nowbecomes your working needle. (Give your first stitch a little tug to minimize any gaps and prevent ladders) Moving tothe next needle, remember to position yarn to the back for a knit stitch and yarn to the front for a purl stitch to eliminate any yarnovers or extra stitches. Once you have completed your fist row, your tilfrom the cast-on, will serve as your row marker. Continue the K2,P2 Rib for 12 to 18 rows. If you have a row counter - this makes it easy to keep track. Personally, Iloathe ribbing but will usually rib 15 - 18 rows, but 12 will work just fine. You have now completed the Cuff! LEG Knit one round We are now going to add our 5th needle. This will actually make things easier not more difiult asit might sound. Atthe beginning of the next row, knit 16(18)stitches, thenstart a new working needle until you have 16(18) stitches, Continue until you have 16(18) stitches on 4 needles. Note that the needles are numbered and will refer to the needle to the left of the tail as needle #1, and the needle to the right of the tail as needle #4. This will make more sense to you once we get to the heel. Continue to knit the leg until your work equals $9"(8.5")$ from beginning of cuff, ending on needle #3. If you wouldlike to make a shorter sock, knit until desired length. If you would like a longer sock, additional yarn will be needed.
HEEL
Once youhave the desired lengthof leg..We wil begintheheel on nedle #4 or the needle to the right of the tail. On needle #4, Slip the first stitch, knit 1 stitch and repeat (Slip 1, K1) until the end. Now continue in the same pattern of Slip 1, knit 1 from needle #1 onto the same needle. Resulting in 32(36) stitches on the needle, going from four needles to three needles. TIP: The slip 1, Knit 1 pattern is making a more durable heelto extend the life of your socks. Cool huh! Needles #2 & #3 will still have 16(18) stitches on each needle. These needles will rest while we work on the heel. Turn work, onwrong side, slipfirst stitch and pul the remaining of the stithes.While we are working on the heel it is IMPORTANT to always slip the first stitch of each row..this will help us to form the gusset/ankle. Turn work, on right side, Slip, knit repeat to end. Continue for a total of 31(33) rows.
TURNING THE HEEL
The following instructions willseem quirky, this is where the ounce of trust comes in.. but if followed carefully will be fun...just take one step at a time. Row 1: Wrong side row: Purl (no need to slip the first stitch) to two stitches beyond the center Average size $16+2=18$ stitches (Large size $18+2=20$ stitches) then p2tog (purl 2 stitches together as one), p1. You should have 11(13) stitches remaining. We are not going to do anything with these yet. Now TURN work to start next row....and trust it will be OK. TIP We are doing short rows to create the bottom of the heel. You will start to see it transform in a few more rows. Row 2: Slip 1, K5, k2tog, k1 TURN Row 3: Slip 1, P6, p2tog, pi TURN TIP When k2tog or p2tog you will begin to see anobvious gap that you are pulling together Row 4: Slip 1, K7, k2tog, k1 TURN Row 5: Slip 1, p8, p2tog, p1 TURN ROW 6: slip 1, k9, k2tog, k1 TURN Row 7: slip 1, p10, p2tog, k1 TURN Row 8: slip 1, k11, k2tog, k1 TURN Row 9: slip 1, p12, p2tog, p1 TURN ROW 10: slip 1, k13, k2tog, k1 TURN Row 11: slip 1, p14, p2tog, p1 TURN Row 12: slip 1, k15, k2tog, k1 TURN - STOP if you are making the average size. Continue if you are making the larger size. Row 13: slip 1, p16, p2tog, p1 TURN Row 14: slip 1, k17, k2tog, k1 You did it! You should have the 18(20) stitches remaining on your needle
GUSSET/ANKLE
In this step, we wil pick up stitches utilizing the slipped stitches on the heel to form the gusset/ankle. With the right side facing you, hold helffap to see the sliped stitches.it hasa tendency to rolliwad. Pick up 16(18) stitches evenly along heel. Put your needle under both sides of the slipped stitch producing a secure gusset join. TIPllike make my last picked up stitch in the stitch between the leg and the heelto prevent a hole from forming. Knit across needle #2 and #3 Now pick up 16(18) stitches evenly along heel. I like to start this side in stitch between the leg and theheel to prevent ahole from forming and using the slipped stitches for the remainder of the picked up stitches. Now you have stitches on 4 needles again. But we need to position them slightly. That's right..it trust time again... From your short row heel, knit 9(10) stitches onto the same needle that you just picked up the 16(18) stitches or a total of 25(28) stitches on your needle. Next, slip purlwise the remaining stitches onto the first needle where you picked up stitches, which should also now have 25(28) stitches on it. Guess what...we are now back to our 4 needle positions Needle #1 is once again lined up to the left of the tail and the bottom of the heel, Needle #4 is to the right of the heel and the bottom of the heel. Needles #2 & #3 are the top of the foot. TIP Give the first stitch on needle #1 an extra tug to insure no gaps form along the bottom of the foot. Starting with needle #1 knit across all 4 needles one row. Now we will begin the decreases to form the gusset/ankle. We will decrease every other row, so you may want to use your counter to keep track. Decrease on odd number rows and work even on even number rows. Row 1 : on needle #1, knit until last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1, knit across needles #2 & #3, on needle #4 k1, ssk, knit til end. Note: ssk is slip 2 stitches(one at a time) knitwise onto working needle, then insert left hand needle into stitches and knit together. this is a directional decrease that makes your sock look nicer. Row 2: work even Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until needles #1 & #4 have 16(18) stitches remaining. You will begin to see the gusset/ankle take shape.. FOOT Knit even until foot measures 7"(8") from heel or 2" less than total foot measurement. TOE Now we willbegin to decrease the sides between the top and the bottom of the foot forming the toe. Like the gusset,this is a good time to pull out your trusty counter. We will make our decreases on the odd numbered rows and work in an even knit stitch on the even numbered rows. Row1 Needle #1: knit to last three stitches, k2tog, k1 Needle #2: knit 1, ssk, knit remaining stitches Needle #3: knit to last three stitches, k2tog, k1 Needle #4: knit 1, ssk, knit remaining stitches Row 2 Knit even across all 4 needles. You should start to see the toe beginning to form after just a few rows....prety cool and almost done! Continue until all needles have 6 stitches on each of them. Combine stitches on needle #4 and #1 by kniting across needle #1 leaving a total of 12 stitches on one needle. Slip purlwise the stitches from needle #2 to needle #3 leaving a total of 12 stitches on one needle. Now all stitches should be evenly on two needles
SEAMLESS TOE (Kitchener Stitch)
The Seamless toe is the most comfortable of all closures and closely resembles those of commercially made socks. Once again..the directions willfel litle quirky but with some trust and patience you are moments away from your finished sock. Cut your yarn leaving about 18" for you to work with. Thread your tapestry needle with the end of the yarn. Position your sock so the working yarn is inthe back and slide the stitches to the end of the right side of the needle. We wil begin to weave the yarn thru our stitches either KNITWISE (as if to knit) or PURLWISE (as if to purl) Insert the needle purlwise into the first stitch on the front needle and pull the yarn thru Insert the needle knitwise into the first stitch on the back needle and pullthe yarn thru The first two stitches were our set up stitches, the following stitches we wil repeat tillthe end. 1. Insert the needle knitwise into the first stitch on the front needle and at the same time slip the stitch off the needle 2. Insert the needle purlwise into the first stitch on the front needle and pull the yarn thru 3. Insert the needle purlwise into the first stitch on the back needle and at the same time slip the stitch off the needle 4. Insert the needle knitwise into the first stitch on the back needle and pullthe yarn thru Repeat the last 4 lines untilall stitches have slipped off the needle. YOU DID IT!!!! Ifind the last stitch to stick out and act a little wonky. Take your tapestry needle back upthru the last stitch to stitch it down so it lays smoothly. I like to weave my end thru the top of the toe. And finish the sock by weaving the tail into the cuff.
Copyright $\copyright$ 2010 by Krista Werbil forKnitting Buzz Designs. All rights reerved. Reproduction for any purpoe is prohibited without permisson of the author. This pattrn is available for sale on Ravelry.com. Thank you. Designer can be contacted by email. kristawerbil $@$ gmail.com
