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universal toe-up sock formula
Knitty swag...so cool.

These mild-mannered socks may look ordinary, but they're secretly worked in reverse!

I liked the idea of toe-up socks, especially when I'm not sure how much yarn I have available, but prefer the extra cushion of the standard top-down sock's slipped stitch heel flap.

This pattern combines the flexibility of toe-up design with a reversed round heel shaping to place that panel of heel stitching right where it belongs.

 

photos: Buckner Creel, Brooke Chenoweth Creel

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Both socks will fit a foot with an 8-inch diameter (measured around ball of foot).
The cabled socks have a fairly snug fit. If you prefer a looser fit, you may want to go up a needle size, especially for the cuffs.

 
MATERIALS

Brown Sheep Company Wildfoote Sock Yarn [75% Washable Wool/ 25% Nylon; 215yd/197m per 50g skein]; 2 skeins
Red plain socks: SY-08 Geranium
Purple cabled socks: SY-30 Vinca Minor

1 set of five US #0/2.0mm double-point needles OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE
Cable needle for cabled socks
Tapestry needle

GAUGE
28 sts/38 rows =
4 inches in stockinette stitch

41 sts/38 rows =
4 inches in cabled rib

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]

w&t: Wrap and turn. Bring yarn to front of work between needles, slip next st to right-hand needle, bring yarn around this st to back of work, slip st back to left-hand needle, turn work to begin working back in the other direction.

Cable Twist: Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold to back of work, k2, slip last st from cable needle to left needle, p1, k remaining 2 sts from cable needle.

m1p: Make 1 purl stitch: Insert left needle, from back to front, under strand of yarn which runs between last stitch on left needle and first stitch on right needle; purl this stitch. (Stitch will be twisted.)
1 stitch increased.

Instructions for Judy's Magic Cast On can be found here.

DIRECTIONS

Toe
CO 18 sts using Judy's Magic Cast On (9 sts each for top and bottom of toe).

K 1 round. Divide sts between 4 needles as follows:

Needles 1 and 4: 5 sts

Needles 2 and 3: 4 sts

The stitches on Needles 1 and 2 will form the instep, those on Needles 3 and 4 will form the sole.

Toe Increase Round: K1, m1, k to end of Needle 1; k to last st of Needle 2, m1, k1; k1, m1, k to end of Needle 3; k to last st of Needle 4, m1, k1. 4 sts increased.

Repeat this round 4 times more. 38 sts.

K 1 round.

Work Toe Increase Round.

Repeat these 2 rounds 3 times more. 54 sts.

Foot
Plain Sock:
Work in stockinette st until work measures approx. 3 inches less than length of foot. Proceed to Gusset.

Cabled Sock:
Rounds 1-4: K1, p1, [k2, p1] 8 times, k1 (end of Needle 2); k to end of round.
Round 5: [K1, p1, cable twist, p1, k1] 3 times; k to end of round.
Rounds 6-8: K1, p1, [k2, p1] 8 times, k1 (end of Needle 2); k to end of round.

These 8 rounds form Cable Rib pattern. Work in pattern as set until work measures approx. 3 inches less than length of foot. Proceed to Gusset.

Gusset:
Next Round: Work in patt to end of Needle 2; k1, m1, k to end of Needle 3; k to last st of Needle 4, m1, k1. 2 sts increased.
Next Round: Work all sts in patt as set.
Repeat these 2 rounds 9 times more. 74 sts.

Turn Heel:
Work in patt to end of Needle 2. Heel will be worked over sts on Needle 3 and Needle 4, starting on Row 1, below.

Row 1 [RS]: K31, m1, k1, w&t.
Row 2 [WS]: P17, m1p, p1, w&t.
Row 3 [RS]: K15, m1, k1, w&t.
Row 4 [WS]: P13, m1p, p1, w&t.
Row 5 [RS]: K11, m1, k1, w&t.
Row 6 [WS]: P9, m1p, p1, w&t.
Row 7 [RS]: K7, m1, k1, w&t.
Row 8 [WS]: P5, m1p, p1, w&t. 82 sts.

Work 1 round over all sts on all needle, ending at point between Needle 3 and Needle 4 (center of heel). When you encounter a wrapped stitch, pick up the wrap and place it on your left needle, then knit it together with the stitch which it had wrapped.

Heel Flap:
K until 15 sts remain on Needle 4, ssk. Turn work; do not wrap stitch.

Next Row [WS]: Sl 1, p25, p2tog. Turn work.
Next Row [RS]: [Sl 1, k1] 13 times, ssk. Turn work.
Repeat these 2 rows 12 times more; do not turn work at end of last row. You will be at end of Needle 4. 55 sts remain.

Next Round: Work all sts on Needle 1 and Needle 2 in patt; k2tog, k to end of round. 54 sts.

Leg
Plain Sock:
K until work is 2 inches less than desired length.
Next Round: [K2, p1] to end.
Repeat this round until work is desired length. BO all sts loosely.

Cabled Sock:
Work all sts in Cable Rib pattern (as established on Needles 1 and 2), until work is desired length.

BO all sts loosely.

 
FINISHING
Weave in ends.

 

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Brooke taught herself to knit in college, and became addicted to socks in graduate school. She lives in Albuquerque, NM with her husband, who reminds her that it has been a long time since she knit a pair of socks for him.

She can be found online at rhitsqueaky.blogspot.com