Top-Down Socks Pattern

Fingering-Weight Top-Down Socks for Magic Loop

Materials
Yarn: 120 yds. fingering-weight yarn.

If working two socks at one time, you’ll need two separate balls of yarn.

Gauge: 7 sts/in in St st.

Needles: 1 or 2 40-inch circular needle(s) OR set of DPNs, in whatever size required for YOU to obtain gauge. I used US #2. What kind of needles you require depends on how you prefer to knit in the round.

I prefer Magic Loop, which requires one circular needle.

Notions: Stitch markers, tapestry needle, scissors.

Sizes: Small (Medium, Large)

Finished Measurements: Foot circumference: 7 (8, 9) inches
Length: customizable to exact foot length

Abbreviations/Terms:

CO: Cast On
PM: Place Marker
BOR: Beginning of Round
M1L: Make One Left
M1R: Make One Right
K2tog: Knit 2 Together
P2tog: Purl 2 Together
SSK: Slip, Slip, Knit
Instep: the half of the sock that goes around the front of the ankle.

Pattern Notes

Sock is worked in the round from cuff to toe.

Cuff

Using the long-tail-cast-on, cast on 48(56,64) sts. Make sure there are no twists in the round.
PM for BOR.
Rows 1-10: Work in k1, p1 rib.

Next: Work in St st until the sock measures 7(7,8) in. from CO edge.

Heel Flap

K 24(28,32) sts (across one half of the round).

Begin working back and forth in St st across these 24(28,32) sts, slipping the first st of each row to the right-hand needle without knitting it.

Work as established for 20(24,30) rows. You should be ready to work a K row.

Turn Heel

Row 1: Sl 1, K 12(14,16) SSK, K1, turn. Row 2: Sl 1, P3, P2tog, P1, turn.
Row 3: Sl 1, K4, SSK, K1, turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn.
Row 5: Sl 1, K6, SSK, K 1, turn.
Row 6: Sl 1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn.
Row 7: Sl 1, K8, SSK, K1, turn.
Row 8: Sl 1, P9, P2tog, P1, turn.

Row 9: Sl 1, K10, SSK, K1, turn.
Row 10: Sl 1, P11, P2tog, P1, turn.
For size SMALL, the heel is turned; there are 14 sts on the heel needle. Go to Pick Up Sts for Heel Gusset, below. For larger sizes, continue below.

Row 11: Sl 1, K12, SSK, K1, turn.
Row 12: Sl 1, P13, P2tog, P1, turn.

For size MEDIUM, the heel is turned, there are 16 sts on the heel needle. Go to Pick Up Sts for Heel Gusset, below. For the LG size, continue below.

Row 13: Sl 1, K14, SSK, K1, turn.
Row 14: Sl 1, P15, P2tog, P1, turn.

For size LARGE, the heel is turned; there are 18 sts on the heel needle. Go to Pick Up Sts for Heel Gusset, below.

Pick Up Sts for Heel Gusset

Next row: K across the 14(16,18) heel sts, PM, and using the same needle, pick up and knit 12(14,16) sts along the L side of the heel.

(Optional: M1 on the instep end of the picked-up sts. This st must be knit together with the adjacent picked-up sts on the very next rnd. This will close the little hole that tends to form when heels are made.)

K across the instep sts.
Pick up and knit 12(14,16) sts along the other side of the heel.

(Optional: M1 on the instep end of the picked-up sts. This st must be knit together with the adjacent picked-up sts on the very next rnd. This will close the little hole that tends to form when heels are made.)

PM.

Using the same needle, K across all heel sts until there are 3 sts left on left-hand needle, knitting the picked-up sts through the back loop.

Next: K2tog, K1. (If you have done a M1, this would be “K2tog twice”).
You should have 37(43,49) sts on the heel needle. 24(28,32) sts still remain on instep needle. K across instep.

Gusset

Round 1 (heel needle): K1, SSK, K to end, knitting all picked-up sts through the back loop. (instep needle): K all sts.

Round 2 (heel needle): K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. (instep needle): K all sts.

Remove stitch markers after you have knitted the picked-up sts once.
Continue to work rounds 1-2 until 24(28,32) sts remain on each needle [48(56,64) sts in all].

Foot

Work in St st until foot of sock (including heel) measures 2 in less than desired length.

To find the finished length your sock should be, stand barefoot on a sheet of paper. Using a pencil, make a mark in front of your big toe, and another behind your heel. Measure the length between the marks and add 1/4 inch. This is your finished length.

Toe

Round 1 (decrease round): *(K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts on needle, K2tog, K1), rep from * on other needle.

Round 2: Knit.
Continue to work these 2 rounds until 16(20,24) sts remain.
Work round 1 once more.
Break yarn, leaving a 12” tail.

Finishing

Using a tapestry needle, graft toe using Kitchener stitch.

Weave in all ends securely. Wear and be fabulous!

Link Your Project to This Pattern on Ravelry

Two-at-a-Time Illustration

If you would like a visual on how the two-at-a-time cast-on and knitting works, download the Two-at-a-Time Knitting Illustration here.

Kitchener Stitch Illustration