Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Toddler Socks - Knitting for Children's Hospitals

A new friend has been knitting toddler socks for the local hospital, for the children's ward.  She felt that this pattern should be shared along with the other charity knitting patterns (preemie caps, and finger puppets - Poppets) that my readers have been knitting for many years.  The more we share, the more kids benefit!  So grab your left over sock yarns and your knitting group and start knitting for kids!  

Photo by Judy Kempston



TODDLER SOCKS   *pattern originally supplied by Kinsey Wool Shop for charity knitting

Some fingering weight yarn is finer than others.  I am including two versions, one for finer weight yarn, another for heavier weight yarn. 
Needles: 2.75mm or 3.25mm 
Cast on 32 stitches (I use the Tubular Cast on for a nice stretchy edge).  Divide on to 3 needles as follows: 10, 12, 10 
Work K1, P1, until work measure ¾ inch. 
Work in stockinette stitch until work measures 2 ¾ (3) inches.   
HEEL FLAP 
Knit across first needle.  Transfer 10 stitches from 3rd needle onto end of first needle (20 stitches) 
*Slip all stitches knitwise* 
Row 1: (WS) Sl1, purl to end 
Row 2: (RS) *Sl1, P* to end 
Repeat these rows foe 1 inch ending with a RS 
TURN HEEL 
Sl1, P11, P2tog, P1, turn 
S1, K5, S1, K1, PSSO, K1.  Turn 
Sl1, P6, P2tog, P1, turn. 
Sl1, K7, K1, PSSO, K1.  Turn 
S1, P8, P2tog, P1.  Turn 
Sl1, K9, S1, K1, PSSO, K1.  Turn 
Sl1, P10, P2tog.  Turn 
S11, K10, Sl1, K1, PSSO.  Turn 
There will be 12 stitches on heel needle.  Divide onto 2 needles, 6 stitches on each.   

GUSSET 
Pick up and knit 8 stitches on left side of flap, knit 12 stitches from the needle at the front of the sock, pick up and knit 8 stitches on the right side of the flap.  You now have stitches on all five needles.  Knit 6 stitches onto the 3rd needles and slip the other 6 stitches onto the first needle.  (1st:14, 2nd: 12, 3rd 14) 
Knit one round. 
Row 1: 1st needle:  K to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1 
             2nd needle: K 
             3rd needle: K1, Sl1, K1, PSSO, K to end 
Row 2: knit all stitches 
Repeat these 2 rows 3 times.  You should have 32 stitches on the needles. 
Continue knitting in the round until your work measures 2 ¼ (2 ½) from picked u stitches at heel.   
Toe 
Transfer stitches so that you have 8 stitches on the first, 16 on the second and 8 on the third. 
Row 1:  1st needle: K to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1 
              2nd needle: K1, Sl1, K1, PSSO.  K to last 3 stitches, K2 tog, K1 
              3rd needle: K1, Sl1, K1, PSSO, K to end 
Row 2: K 
Repeat these 2 rows until 12 stitches remain.  Cut the yarn, thread it through the stitches and secure 

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks for posting, Chris!

Unknown said...

You mentioned two versions for different weights of fingering yarn, but I see only one pattern version. Thx :)

chris said...

Hi Carol. I did not write this pattern, but, the way I read it, you could use the finer needles for the finer yarn and the thricker needles for the thicker yarn (although me personally, I find sock yarn pretty much the same thickness). Then You knit the same number of stitches, but the larger measurement for the thicker yarn (when there are two measurements). The larger yarn, and measurements make a slightly larger sock.
That's what I read, but I knit these on the smaller needle with the first measurement to make the smallest socks for toddlers.
Cheers, Chris