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universal toe-up sock formula


by Cookie A.

Try something a little different with these lacy toe-up socks. A simple 8 row repeat leaf lace pattern paired with some cables, gusset increases, short rowed round heel, and genuine heel flap -- enough to keep you entertained without driving you batty. Unless you've done it all before, you're likely to learn something new too. Who knew a toe-up sock could be so well fitted and sexy to boot? Flaunt your mad knitting skills!

model & photos: Cookie A.
SIZE
S[M, L] (shown in size S)
 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Foot circumference: 7.5 [8.0, 8.5] inches
Leg circumference: 7.5/8.5 [8.0/9.0, 8.5/9.5] inches

In the Leg circumference measurements given above, the larger of each pair of numbers is for that size of sock worked with the adaptations for a larger instep.

Sizing notes: Even though this is a lace stitch pattern, the increases and decreases cause some biasing which results in a less elastic fabric. A larger leg circumference may be necessary for a large instep, so alternate leg directions are provided for larger insteps. If you are uncertain as to whether or not this is necessary, try the sock on as you go. For reference, I have size US 6.5EEE foot with very high instep, and I can just barely get the unmodified size S over my instep with a bit of tugging. The area that has to be adjusted to allow more ease is not the gusset but rather the leg circumference.

 
MATERIALS
Filatura di Crosa Zarina [100% extrafine merino; 181yd/165m per 50g skein]; color: #1493 Crimson; 2 skeins

1 set US #2/2.5mm double-point needles OR circular needle(s)
2 stitch markers, safety pins or split ring markers
Stitch holder
Cable needle
Tapestry needle
 
GAUGE
32 sts/48 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
 
PATTERN NOTES

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

This sock is knit from the toe up using a Figure 8 Cast On, gusset increases, and a rounded short row heel with flap.

w&t: Wrap and turn. Bring yarn to front of work between needles, slip next st to right-hand needle, bring yarn around this st to back of work, slip st back to left-hand needle, turn work to begin working back in the other direction.

Sssk: Slip next 3 sts knitwise, one at a time, to right needle, insert left needle back into front of these 3 sts, knit them together.

Front Cable Increase: Knit into the fronts of the next 4 sts, without dropping those stitches from the left needle; you will have 4 sts on your right needle which overlap 4 sts on your left needle; knit the 4 sts from your left needle through the back loops, dropping them from the left needle as usual. You will have increased 4 stitches, with the new stitches forming a cable twist (to the right) over the old stitches.

Back Cable Increase: Knit into the back loops of the next 4 stitches, without dropping those stitches from the left needle; you will have 4 sts on your left needle which overlap 4 sts on your right needle; knit the 4 sts from your left needle through the front loops, dropping them from the left needle as usual. You will have increased 4 stitches, with the old stitches forming a cable twist (to the left) over the new stitches.

C4B: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold to back of work, k2 from left needle, k2 from cable needle.

C4F: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold to front of work, k2 from left needle, k2 from cable needle.

C8B: Slip next 4 sts to cable needle, hold to back of work, k4 from left needle, k4 from cable needle.

C8F: Slip next 4 sts to cable needle, hold to front of work, k4 from left needle, k4 from cable needle.

Sewn Bind Off
Break yarn, leaving a tail at least 3 times longer than the edge you are binding off. Thread yarn tail on a tapestry needle, and work as follows:

*Draw tapestry needle through first 2 sts on knitting needle purlwise, bring tapestry needle around front of second st on knitting needle and draw back through first st knitwise, drop first st from knitting needle. Repeat from * until all sts are bound off.

Excellent photos of this process can be found here.
DIRECTIONS

Toe
Using the Figure 8 Cast On method, CO 16 sts (8 sts on each of 2 needles). Two stitch markers will be used to divide the top and the bottom of the toe and foot of the sock.

Arrange the sts on the needle(s) as desired while working the first round. If you have the stitches arranged on your needles in such a way that the marker placement falls between the needles, place safety pins or split ring markers in your work instead, and move these markers up as your work progresses.

Round 1: [K1, m1, k6, m1, k1, place marker] twice. 20 sts.
Round 2: K all sts

Round 3: [K1, m1, k to 1 stitch before marker, m1, k1] twice. 4 sts increased.
Round 4: K all sts.
Repeat these 2 rounds 9[10, 11] times more. 60[64, 68] sts.

Foot
Set-up Round: K2, p0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work first row chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], k2; k to end of round.

The first 30[32, 34] sts of the round form the top of the foot, the remaining 30[32, 34] sts form the sole. The stitch markers divide these 2 sets of sts.

Next Round: K2, p0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], k2; k to end of round.

Repeat this round until work measures 3.5[3.5, 4] inches less than length of foot.

Gusset
Round 1: Work in pattern as set.
Round 2: Work in patt to marker, slip marker, m1, k to marker, m1. 2 sts increased.
Repeat these 2 rounds 11 times more. 84[88, 92] sts.

Work in patt to first marker, place these 30[32, 34] sts on hold on needle or stitch holder. Heel will be worked back and forth over remaining 54[56, 58] sts. Make note of last row of chart pattern; first round of Leg will begin on following row of chart pattern.

Heel
Row 1 [RS]: K41[43, 45], w&t.
Row 2 [WS]: P28[30, 32], w&t.
Row 3 [RS]: K27[29, 31], w&t.
Row 4 [WS]: P26[28, 30], w&t.
Row 5 [RS]: K25[27, 29], w&t.
Row 6 [WS]: P24[26, 28], w&t.
Row 7 [RS]: K23[25, 27], w&t.
Row 8 [WS]: P22[24, 26], w&t.
Row 9 [RS]: K21[23, 25], w&t.
Row 10 [WS]: P20[22, 24], w&t.
Row 11 [RS]: K19[21, 23], w&t.
Row 12 [WS]: P18[20, 22], w&t.
Row 13 [RS]: K17[19, 21], w&t.
Row 14 [WS]: P16[18, 20], w&t.
Row 15 [RS]: K15[17, 19], w&t.
Row 16 [WS]: P14[16, 18], w&t.
Row 17 [RS]: K13[15, 17], w&t.
Row 18 [WS]: P12[14, 16], w&t.
Row 19 [RS]: K11[13, 15], w&t.

Size L Only:
Row 20 [WS]: P14, w&t.
Row 21 [RS]: K13, w&t.
Row 22 [WS]: P12, w&t.
Row 23 [RS]: K11, w&t.

All Sizes:
Next Row [WS]: P11[13, 11]; p next 8[8, 10] sts, picking up each wrap (loop of yarn wrapped around base of st) and purling it together with the st it had wrapped; pick up next wrap and place on left needle, p3tog (wrap on left needle, st which it had wrapped, and next st, all purled together). Turn work (do not wrap st).

Next Row [RS]: Sl 1, k19[21, 21]; k next 9[9, 11] sts, picking up each wrap and knitting it together with the st it had wrapped; pick up next wrap and place on left needle, sssk (wrap, st which it had wrapped, and next st, all worked together.) Turn work (do not wrap st).

Next Row [WS]: Sl 1, p28[30, 32], p2tog. Turn work.
Next Row [RS]: Sl 1, k28[30, 32], ssk. Turn work.
Repeat these 2 rows 10 times more; all sts have been worked. 30[32, 34] sts remain on this needle.

Leg
Note: If making sock for foot with larger instep, proceed to "Leg Instructions for Larger Instep" below.

If sts for top of foot have been placed on stitch holder, replace them now on needle(s). Leg will be worked in the round over all 60[64, 68] sts. When working next round (Set-up Round), beginning of round will be shifted 2 sts to the left. Place marker as instructed; remove any other markers currently in place.

Set-up Round: K2, place marker (this will be new beginning of round); [p0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], k4] twice.

Round 1: P0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], C4B, p0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], C4F.
Rounds 2-4: [P0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], k4] twice.
Repeat Rounds 1-4, 13 times more, or until work is 1 inch shorter than desired length.

Proceed to Ribbing.

Leg Instructions for Larger Instep:
If sts for top of foot have been placed on stitch holder, replace them now on needle(s). Leg will be worked in the round over all 60[64, 68] sts. When working next round (Set-up Round 1), beginning of round will be shifted 2 sts to the left. Place marker as instructed; remove any other markers currently in place.

Set-up Round 1: K2, place marker (this will be new beginning of round); [p0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], k4] twice.

Set-up Round 2: P0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], work Front Cable Increase, p0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], work Back Cable Increase. 68[72, 76] sts.

Rounds 1-7: [P0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], k8] twice.
Round 8: P0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], C8B, p0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], C8F.
Repeat Rounds 1-8 6 times more, or until work is 1 inch less than desired length.

Proceed to Ribbing.

Ribbing
Next Round: [K1, p1] to end.
Repeat this round 11 times more. BO using Sewn Bind Off, or other elastic BO method.
FINISHING

Weave in ends.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Cookie is an obsessed knitter living in California. In her spare time, she co-authors a blog and maintains a website for the Lacy Knitter's Guild.

Pattern & images © 2006 Cookie A. Contact Cookie