The Best Sock Pattern EVER!

Or... at least, my favourite sock pattern :)

This is the pattern I use for almost all of my socks. It is easy to follow, and fits snuggly and doesn't droop at all. The only time I don't use it is self patterning yarns, those should be all stocking stitch to show the pattern that happens. You could still use all the numbers below, but stocking stitch instead of the K3, P1 ribbing.

Yarn: Most classic "sock" yarns (fine yarn designed to knit on 2.5mm needles)Needles: Double point 2.5mm needles, set of 4 - I like Bamboo ones, as the yarn is less likely to slip off.

Cast on 60 stitches and join in the round. Knit for 1.5 inches in K2, P2 ribbing. Change to K3, P1 ribbing, and continue to work in the round until total length is about 7 inches.

Heel: Put half the stitches (30 ) on one needle by knitting next 15 sts, and transfer previous 15 onto the front of this needle. Rearrange the other 30 sts onto two needles with 15 each. These 2 needles will be ignored for a while.

Working on the 30 st needles, Purl (wrong side) across. Right side: [Slip one, K 1] repeat across row. Work these two rows until repeated 15 times. (the heel should be almost square and be about 2.5 inches).

With right side facing you will now do the magic that is a heel turn! K17, K2tog, K1, turn to wrong side facing. Slip one, P5, P2tog, P1, turn. Slip one, Knit to the stitch before the gap (the space between the slipped stitch and the old heel stitches). Knit 2 tog (thus closing the gap and picking up the last slipped stitch and the next old heel stitch), K1, turn. Slip one, Purl to st before gap and P2tog over gap, P1, turn. Repeat these two rows, until all the old heel stitches are involved and worked.

Right side again: Knit across heel, pick up 15 sts up the side of the heel (put these on needle 1).

Work next 30 sts on needle 2, AND work them in the K3, P1 ribbing, as they are already still looking at you. Pick up 15 sts on the other side of the heel and knit half of the bottom of the heel sts. (needle 3). Check and make Needle 1 and Needle 3 have the same number of sts on each, adjust if needed.

Round ONE: Knit down Needle 1 to 3 sts before end, K2tog, K1, Needle 2: work in K3, P1 pattern as established, Needle 3: K1, K2tog, knit to end of needle. Round TWO: Knit needle 1, Pattern needle 2, Knit needle 3. Repeat these two rounds, until back to 60 sts (15, 30, 15). Then continue in stocking stitch for the under foot and ribbing stitch for the top of foot, until about 6 inches from the picked up stitches of the heel (or until sock is about 1.5 inches short of your foot length). Toe: round 1: Needle 1: Knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 2 K1, K2tog, K across to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 3: K1, K2tog, K across to end. Round 2, Knit all sts without decrease. Continue to knit these 2 rounds until 16 sts are left. Graft two rows of eight sts.

Do it all again for sock two. This photo is the almost finished socks for Fiona, made with the yarn she dyed at our Sock Dying Party. I thought it may be a bit much for Fiona to knit as a first sock attempt, what with the small needles and her inexperience with double point needles, so I offered to whip these up. I will help her up with the Chunky Sock pattern for her first sock project.