Free from the fish!

Here's a little freebie fresh for February
(sorry about the alliteration, I couldn't resist)

A while back, a coworker and I decided that the basic sock pattern handout that we give out with sock yarn purchase at the wool shop just wasn't cutting it. So I wrote up this one to be multi-sized and easy for a beginning sock knitter to understand.It has been used in classes at the shop and received some good reviews from the new sock-knitters who have tried it. The best was from a beginning sock knitter who raved to me that she loved that "Best Basic Sock pattern" we gave out and was now knitting up lots of pairs! I was like, "Hey! I wrote that pattern!" :-)
I hope you enjoy it too!

Knit Fish's Best Basic Sock Pattern
Socks on Double Pointed Needles



Materials:
Approx 350 m to 400 m 4-ply fingering weight sock yarn.
A set of 4 or 5 2.25 mm dpns (5 needles is recommended)
Tapestry Needle
Stitch Marker

Gauge: 28 sts = 4” in stockinette

Size: Adult S, (M), (L)

Note: For socks with very long cuffs, or for long foot sizes, additional yarn will likely be required. When in doubt, buy an extra ball of yarn . If using a finer weight sock yarn with a gauge of 30 to 32 sts = 4" in stockinette, use the instructions for the largest sock size.

Terms:

SSK: Slip stitch knit-wise, slip second stitch purl-wise, knit these two stitches together with the left needle.
P2tog: Purl 2 stitches together.
Sl 1: Slip stitch from left needle to right needle purl-wise without knitting it.
Turn: Turn work around without finishing the row, and work back on the stitches that were just knitted.
M1: Using the left needle, pick up the ladder between two stitches, place it on the left needle and knit it through the back loop.
PM: Place marker on needle.
RS: Right side.
WS: Wrong side.


Cuff/leg:

Loosely cast on 56,(64), (72) sts on dpns.
Hint: casting on over 2 needles produces a nice stretchy cast on edge
Arrange sts evenly over three needles if using a set of four, or four needles if using a set of five.
Join in the round, being careful not to twist stitches. Place marker at beginning of round.
Ribbing Stitch: *K2, P2*, repeat ** around.
Work in ribbing stitch until cuff measures 1.5” from cast on edge.
Then knit every round in stockinette until leg is 6” long from cast on edge, or desired length.


Heel Flap:

Knit 28, (32), (36) sts onto one dpn. These will be the heel flap stitches. Distribute the remaining stitches evenly over two dpns. These will be the instep stitches, and will be worked later.
You will work the heel flap stitches flat, as follows:
Row 1: Sl 1, P to end of row
Row 2: *Sl 1, K1*, repeat * to* across row

Repeat rows 1 & 2 until flap measures 2.5”, (2.5”), (2.75”) ending on a WS row.


Turning the Heel:

Size Small:
Round 1: Sl 1, K15, SSK, K1, turn
Round 2: Sl 1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 3: Sl 1, K6, SSK, K1, turn
Round 4: Sl 1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 5: Sl 1, K8, SSK, K1, turn
Round 6: Sl 1, P9, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 7: Sl 1, K10, SSK, K1, turn
Round 8: Sl 1, P11, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 9: Sl 1, K12, SSK, K1, turn
Round 10: Sl 1, P13, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 11: Sl 1, K14, SSK, turn
Round 12: Sl 1, P14, P2tog
16 sts remain.

Size Medium:
Round 1: Sl 1, K17, SSK, K1, turn
Round 2: Sl 1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 3: Sl 1, K6, SSK, K1, turn
Round 4: Sl 1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 5: Sl 1, K8, SSK, K1, turn
Round 6: Sl 1, P9, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 7: Sl 1, K10, SSK, K1, turn
Round 8: Sl 1, P11, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 9: Sl 1, K12, SSK, K1, turn
Round 10: Sl 1, P13, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 11: Sl 1, K14, SSK, K1, turn
Round 12: Sl 1, P15, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 13: Sl 1, K16, SSK, turn
Round 14: Sl 1, P16, P2tog
18 sts remain.

Size Large:
Round 1: Sl 1, K19, SSK, K1, turn
Round 2: Sl 1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 3: Sl 1, K6, SSK, K1, turn
Round 4: Sl 1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 5: Sl 1, K8, SSK, K1, turn
Round 6: Sl 1, P9, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 7: Sl 1, K10, SSK, K1, turn
Round 8: Sl 1, P11, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 9: Sl 1, K12, SSK, K1, turn
Round 10: Sl 1, P13, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 11: Sl 1, K14, SSK, K1, turn
Round 12: Sl 1, P15, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 13: Sl 1, K16, SSK, K1, turn
Round 14: Sl 1, P17, P2tog, P1, turn
Round 15: Sl 1, K18, SSK, turn
Round 16: Sl 1, P18, P2tog
20 sts remain.

Gusset:

K across remaining 16, (18), (20) heel stitches. Divide onto two needles evenly. Using the needle that has the second half of the heel stitches, work down the side of the heel flap, picking up and knitting into each edge slipped stitch.
Hint: I recommend putting your left needle through the entire edge stitch sideways, then knit it like a regular stitch with the right needle. This creates a nice edge without holes.
It is not important to get an exact number of edge stitches, but you want both sides to have the same number; it will be approximately 23, (23), (25) sts.
Using another dpn, M1at the corner between the picked up heel flap stitches and the instep stitches. This prevents a hole from forming at the corner.
Knit across the 28, (32), (36) instep stitches. If using 4 dpns, knit all instep stitches onto one needle, or evenly onto two needles for 5 dpns. At the corner between the instep and the heel flap, M1, then pick up and knit the heel flap edge stitches as explained above. Knit the first 8, (9), (10) heel stitches onto this needle. The remaining 8, (9), (10) heel flap stitches are now considered the beginning of each round. This will be needle 1.
Instep stitches if using 4 dpns, will be on needle 2, {or if using 5 dpns will be on needles 2 and 3}, the opposite side of the heel flap, and last 8, (9), (10) heel sts will be needle 3 for 4 dpns, {or needle 4 for 5 dpns}. PM between needle 3, {4} and needle 1.

*Instructions for 5 dpns in curly brackets.

Round 1: K around
Round 2: K across needle 1 to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
On needle 2 {2 & 3} K across. On Needle 3, {4} K1, SSK, K across.

Repeat these two rows until you have 56, (64), (72) sts.

Foot:

Knit until foot is 1.5” shorter than desired length when you try the sock on. If you are unable to try the sock on the recipient, lay the sock flat & measure the sock from the heel; it should be 1” shorter than desired length. This allows for the shortening of the sock when the fabric is stretched over the foot width-wise.

Toe:

Round 1: On needle 1, K to last 3 sts, SSK, K1. On needle 2, if using 4 dpns, K1, K2 tog, K to last 3 sts, SSK, K1. {If using 5 dpns, on needle 2, K1, K2tog, K across, needle 3, K to last 3 sts, SSK, K1.} On needle 3 {4}, K1, K2tog, K across.
Round 2: Knit

Repeat these two rounds until 16 sts remain. Knit 4 sts. Distribute 16 sts evenly over two needles, with the top of toe stitches on one needle, and the bottom of toe stitches on the other.

Finishing:

Cut yarn leaving a 10” tail. Graft the toe using kitchener stitch, or preferred method of grafting. Weave in all ends.



This pattern is copyright Vanessa Carter 2009
www.knit-fish.blogspot.com

Terms & Conditions:
You are welcome to use this pattern to knit items for yourself, for charity, and for gifts. You may not distribute this pattern for free or for sale. If you are a Yarn Shop and would like to distribute this pattern for free with yarn purchase, please contact me via my weblog.

Disclaimer:
I have edited this pattern for mistakes and it has been test-knitted. I have tried my best to make it error-free. With that said, nobody is perfect! If you think you have found a mistake, please contact me at www.knit-fish.blogspot.com.

Happy Knitting!