I was swatching and unventing cable designs for a pullover. Several patterns were good, but I couldn’t put all of them onto said garment (which is still to be knitted). So I picked two of the “leftovers” and threw them onto a pair of socks. But that was too boring, so I added a bit of interest to the toe and some more interest to the gusset.

On top of that, the gusset increases are not made in the usual place or in the usual way. I find that, at a tight gauge, my method of increases makes for a tidier fabric, with less pulling or puckering. Enjoy!

A big THANKS to my test knitters!

SIZE
S[M, L, XL] which equals shoe size
US Women’s 6-7[7½-8½, 9-10, 10-11]
US Men’s 4½-5½ [6-7, 7½-8, 8½-9]
EU 36-37[38-39, 40-41, 42-43]

pink socks shown in size M
blue socks shown in size L

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot length 9.25[9.75, 10.5, 11] inches.
Foot circumference 7[7, 7.5, 7.5] inch

MATERIALS
Yarn
pink version
Austermann Royal [60% Merino, 20% Nylon, 10% Cashmere, 10% Silk; 200m per 50g ball]; color: 21 raspberry; 2[2, 3, 3] balls

blue version
Lana Grossa Meilenweit 100 Merino [80% Merino, 20% Nylon; 420m per 100g ball]; color: 2019 blue; 1[1, 2, 2] ball[s]

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #0/2mm double-point needles
OR
1 long US #0/2mm circular needle for magic loop method
OR
2 US #0/2mm circular needles for two-circulars method

Notions
Yarn needle
4 stitch markers
cable needle

GAUGE

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

If you have a different round gauge, or you need to shorten/lengthen the foot part: Keep the pattern on the gusset and change the length before the gusset. You can shorten the pattern on the foot by 12 rounds (1 repeat). Adjust the cable set-up on the toe/foot part accordingly.

My toes are quite square and the toe of this sock is shaped accordingly. If you have pointy toes, you might want to start with fewer stitches and do more increases. To keep the overall foot length the same, you will need to reduce the foot by the same number of rounds that you add for the toe.

M1L: Left-leaning Lifted Increase. Insert your left needle, from front to back, under the left leg of the stitch two rows below the stitch just knit. Knit into the back of this stitch.

M1R: Right-leaning Lifted Increase. Insert your right needle, from front to back, under the right leg of the stitch below the first stitch on the left needle. Transfer this stitch to your left needle and knit into the front of it.

M1P: Insert your left needle from back to front under the bar between the last stitch on the right needle and the first stitch on the left needle, and purl it.

C4B: Slip next 2 sts to cn and hold in back; k2, then k2 from cn.

C4F: Slip next 2 sts to cn and hold in front; k2, then k2 from cn.

T4B: Slip next 2 sts to cn and hold in back, k2, then p2 from cn.

T4F: Slip next 2 sts to cn and hold in front; p2, then k2 from cn.

Cable Dec 1 Back: Slip next 2 sts to cn and hold in back, k1, then k1 st from left needle tog with 1 st from cn, k1 from cn. 1 st decreased.

Cable Dec 1 Front: Slip next 2 sts to cn and hold in front; k1, then k 1 st from cn tog with 1 st from left needle, k1 from cn. 1 st decreased.

Cable Dec 2 Back: Slip next 2 sts to cn and hold in back, (k 1 st from left needle tog with 1 st from cn) twice. 2 sts decreased.

Cable Dec 2 Front: Slip next 2 sts to cn and hold in front, (k 1 st from cn tog with 1 st from left needle) twice. 2 sts decreased.

DIRECTIONS

Toe round 1: Work row 1 of chart 1a[1b, 1c, 1d] to center of round, k1, M1R, k to 1 st before end of round, M1L, k1. 

Toe round 2: Work row 2 of chart 1a[1b, 1c, 1d] to center of round, and k to end of round.

Continue as established, working increases as set on sole every other round until chart 1a[1b, 1c, 1d] is complete.  34 stitches on the instep and 30[30, 32, 32] stitches on the sole.

Foot
Foot round: Work chart 2a[2a, 2b, 2b] across 34 instep sts, knit to end of round.

Continue until you have finished round 34[34, 38, 38] of chart. 38[38, 40, 40] stitches on the instep and 30[30, 32, 32] stitches on the sole.

Gusset setup round: Work chart 2a[2a, 2b, 2b] round 35[35, 39, 39], k29[29, 31, 31] and transfer rem stitch to the instep. This will be the new start of round. Move marker as appropriate.

Round 2: Work chart for instep, knit to first gusset increase marker, slip marker, ktbl, knit to one stitch before second gusset increase marker, ktbl, slip marker, knit to end of round.

Round 3: Work chart, knit to within one stitch of end of round, slip last stitch to instep.

Round 4: Work chart including the first stitch from the sole - thus transferring it to the instep - knit to marker, slip marker, YO, knit to marker, YO, slip marker, knit to end of round.

Round 5: Work chart, knit to marker, slip marker, ktbl, knit to one stitch before marker, ktbl, slip marker, knit to end of round.

Round 6: Work chart, knit to within one stitch of end of round, slip one stitch to instep.

Repeat Rounds 4-6 11[11, 12, 12] times more. Then repeat Rounds 4 and 5 once more. Your last chart round should be round 41[41, 44, 44].

Now work round 42[42, 45, 45] of chart 3a[3a, 3b, 3b]. Stop after working the chart; DO NOT finish the round. 68[68, 72, 72] stitches on the instep and 30[30, 32, 32] stitches on the sole.

Heel turn

For sizes L and XL:
Row 1 [RS]: K31, wrap and turn.
Row 2 [WS]: P30, wrap and turn.

For all sizes:
Row 1 [RS]: K29, removing markers as you go, wrap and turn.
Row 2 [WS]: P28, wrap and turn.
Row 3 [RS]: K27, wrap and turn.
Row 4 [WS]: P26, wrap and turn.
Row5 [RS]: K25, wrap and turn.
Row 6 [WS]: P24, wrap and turn.
Row 7 [RS]: K23, wrap and turn.
Row 8 [WS]: P22, wrap and turn.
Row 9 [RS]: K21, wrap and turn.
Row 10 [WS]:P20, wrap and turn.
Row 11 [RS]: K19, wrap and turn.
Row 12 [WS]:P18, wrap and turn.

For sizes S and M:
Row 13 [RS]: K17, wrap and turn.
Row 14 [WS]:P16, wrap and turn.

For all sizes:
Next round: K16[16, 18, 18], work each of the next 7 stitches together with their wraps, work round 43[43, 46, 46] of chart 3a[3a, 3b, 3b], work each of the next 7 stitches together with their wraps, k8[8, 9, 9].

Heel flap row 1 [RS]: K14[14, 15, 15], ssk, turn,
Heel flap row 2 [WS]:Slip 1 wyif, p28[28, 30, 30], p2tog, turn.
Heel flap row 3 [RS]: Slip 1 wyib, k28[28, 30, 30], ssk, turn,
Heel flap row 4 [WS]:Slip 1 wyif, p28[28, 30, 30], p2tog, turn.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 11[11, 12, 12] times more. 36[36, 38, 38] stitches on the instep and 32[32, 34, 34] stitches on the sole, which is now the back of the sock.

One gusset stitch on each side is left and will be decreased in the first leg round, as per the chart. This helps to avoid holes.

Final heel flap row [RS]: Slip 1 wyib, k14[14, 15, 15]. You are now in the center back, which is the middle of the former sole stitches. This is the new beginning of the round.

Redistribute the stitches and move markers as appropriate.

LEG
Start working in rounds again, following chart 4a[4a, 4b, 4b] as follows:
Work Rounds 1 to 24.
Repeat Rounds 13-24 once more. 74[74, 78, 78] stitches.
Work Rounds 25-40.
Repeat Rounds 29-40 once more. 76[76, 80, 80] stitches.
Work Rounds 41-57, then repeat Round 57 19 times more. 66[66, 70, 70] stitches.

FINISHING
Bind off as follows:
Work 1 st in pattern (knit the knits and purl the purls), [work 1 st in pattern, knit the 2 sts together through the back loop] until 1 st rem.  Cut yarn and pull on the st until the end pulls through.

Weave in ends.

Stefanie got introduced to knitting by her Mom at the age of about 8. Since then, she's added lots of techniques and other crafts to her repertoire, thanks to books and later the internet.

She blogs in German here and can be found on Ravelry.