Undertoe, a free knitting pattern from Knitty.com.

INTRODUCTION

Undertoe

beauty shot

by Glenda McDonald

Tangy

These socks began as an experiment with ribbing, exploring how a carefully placed increase or decrease can turn an otherwise straight line of knitting into sloping angles and sinuous curves. The cuff-down design begins with inward-pointing diagonals that follow your leg as it narrows down to the ankle. Reverse the placement of the shaping, and the diagonals change direction, curving around your heel at the back, and flaring out over your foot at the front.

The vertical lines serve as structure to the curves, both providing visual contrast for the diagonals, and keeping the socks from twisting around on your foot. Overall, the socks have a very organic feel, reminding me at various times of peacock feathers, pine boughs, and fishbones.

spacer model: Glenda McDonald

spacer photos: Michael Delage

SIZE

Adult S[M, L, XL]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Foot Circumference: 6.5[7, 7.5, 8] inches / 16.5[18, 19, 20] cm, unstretched
The ribbing pulls in a lot: choose a size that is 1.5 inches/4 cm smaller than your foot.
Leg and Foot Length: Adjustable; leg length as shown is approximately 5 inches/13 cm from the cast on edge to the start of the heel flap.

MATERIALS

Yarn
Opal Funny Fruits 4-Ply [75% wool, 25% nylon; 465 yd/425m per 3.5 oz/100 g skein]; color 11414 Bananenstampf; 1[1, 1, 1] skeins (M orange sock shown at top)
OR
Schoppel-Wolle Admiral Hanf [67% wool, 23% nylon, 10% hemp; 459yd/420 per 3.5 oz/100 g skein]; color: 2377 Elefantenhaut; 1[1, 1, 1] skeins (XL black sock shown below)

Yarn Characteristics
The socks are knit in a wool and nylon blend yarn for extra durability. A solid or semi-solid color yarn is ideal for showing off the texture pattern.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #1/2.25 mm needles for working a small circumference in the round.

Notions
stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

32 sts/46 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch.

PATTERN NOTES

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

Construction method: The socks are knit from the cuff down to the toe, with a heel flap and gusset construction.

Techniques:

Picking up and knitting stitches.
Grafting stockinette stitch.
Pfkb – purl into the front leg of the stitch, bring the working yarn back through the needles, and then knit into the back leg of the same stitch. Increases 1 stitch.

CHARTS

View and download CHARTs here:

Size S | Size M | Size L | Size XL

DIRECTIONS

Using your favorite stretchy cast on, CO 60[64, 68, 72] stitches. Distribute sts across needles and join for working in the round; note or mark start of round as you prefer. You may choose to add additional markers to separate the chart repeats on the leg and foot, and/or to help you keep track of chart rows.

Cuff
Round 1: (K1, p1) around.
Repeat Round 1 until piece measures approximately 1.5 inches / 3.5 cm, or desired length

Leg
Leg round: Work Leg Pattern chart for your size, twice around.

Work as set, repeating Rounds 1-8 of the chart until the piece measures 5[5, 5, 6] inches / 13[13, 13, 15] cm from the cast-on edge, or desired length, ending with Round 8 of the chart.

Heel Flap
Row 1 [RS]: Work Heel Flap chart for your size across the first 30[32, 34, 36] sts of the round, turn,
continue, working Heel Flap chart as set, until you have completed all 30[32, 34, 36] rows.

Heel Turn
Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1, k 16[18, 18, 20] , ssk, k1; turn.
Row 2 [WS]: Slp 1, p 5[7, 5, 7] , p2tog, p1; turn.
Row 3: Slp 1, k to last stitch before gap, ssk, k1; turn.
Row 4: Slp 1, p to last stitch before gap, p2tog, p1; turn.

Repeat Rows 3-4 until all heel stitches have been worked. 18[20, 20, 22] stitches remain on heel.

Gusset
Gusset Round 1: K 18[20, 20, 22] sts of heel; pick up and knit 15[16, 17, 18] sts along the first side of the heel flap; work the 30[32, 34, 36] sts of the instep in Foot Pattern chart; pick up and knit another 15[16, 17, 18] sts from the other side of the heel flap; k 9[10, 10, 11] to center of heel stitches. This is the new start of round; rearrange sts or place marker as desired. 78[84, 88, 94] sts.

Gusset round 2: K 11[12, 13, 14] , k2tog, k1, p1; work Foot Pattern on instep as set; p1, k1, ssk, k to end of round. 2 sts decreased.
Gusset round 3: K to 1 st before instep, p1; work instep sts in pattern as set; p1, k to end of round.
Gusset round 4: K to 4 sts before instep, k2tog, k1, p1; work instep sts in pattern as set; p1, k1, ssk, k to end of round.

Repeat Gusset rounds 3-4 7[8, 8, 9] more times, until 60[64, 68, 72] sts rem.
Note: for sizes S, M, and L there are pattern transition rows in the chart; work rows 1-12[1-12, 1-6, -] and then repeat rows 13-20[13-20, 7-14, 1-8] to the end of foot.

Foot round: K to 1 st before instep, p1; work instep sts in pattern as set; p1, k to end of round. Work as set until Foot measures no more than 2.5[2.75, 2.75, 2.75] inches/ 6[7, 7, 7] cm shorter than desired length of foot, ending on Row 20[20, 14, 8] of the pattern repeat.

Toe
Setup: K to 1 st before instep, p1. This is the new start of the round. Rearrange sts or mark as you prefer.

Toe section 1 round: Work Toe chart for your size across 30[32, 34, 38] sts of instep; p1, k to last st, p1.
Work as set until you have completed row 7[7, 5, 3] of the Toe chart.

Toe section 2 round: Work Toe chart as established across instep sts; k to end of round.
Repeat this round until you have completed row 12[12, 10, 8] of the Toe chart.

Toe decrease round 1: Work Toe chart as set across instep sts; k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 4 sts decreased.
Toe decrease round 2: Work Toe chart as set; knit to end of round.
Repeat these 2 rounds until you have completed the Toe chart. 24 sts rem.

FINISHING

Adjust the stitches so that the top of foot stitches are on one needle and the sole stitches are on another, with the tips pointing to where the working yarn is attached. Cut yarn, leaving a 12 inch/30 cm tail, and use the yarn needle to graft together your toe.

Wash, and hang or lay flat to dry. Weave in your ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Glenda McDonald is a long-time knitter who lives on a 36-foot sailboat with her husband and a small part of her yarn stash. In 2022, they sailed out of Canada and set off to explore the world. Her knitting is inspired by her travels, both from the need of woolly accessories to fight off the ocean chill, and from the beautiful surroundings of the places she visits.

Follow her on Instagram and Ravelry.