Pattern: Tough Stuff Socks

I recently bought The Sock Knitter’s Handbook by Charlene Schurch and Beth Parrott. It’s probably one of the most useful knitting books I’ve ever bought, honestly. It’s full of all kinds of advice and techniques for knitting socks from the cuff and from the toe.
Now that I’m familiar with the techniques involved in sock knitting, I thought it’d be neat to write my own pattern. Specifically, I wanted to write a pattern for men’s socks since I was having such a hard time finding a pattern that was the right style and size for T.

Honestly, I was just going to keep this pattern for personal use, but then I thought that someone else might be able to use it. It’s written for worsted weight yarn so I think it’s a good pattern for people who have knitted training socks before and want to try a full sized pair of socks. It works up quickly, and the stitch pattern is very simple.

I’m thinking about knitting up a pair of socks for myself so I may post a women’s version later. (These socks are made for a men’s US size 10 foot so it would fit a woman’s foot of similar size.)

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Materials:

1 skein of worsted weight yarn (I used Lion Brand Heartland in Glacier Bay)
Size 4 needles
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle

Abbreviations:

• CO – cast on
• st – stitch
• k – knit
• p – purl
• yo – yarn over
• sl – slip

Stitch patterns:

Bamboo stitch
Row 1: yo, k2, sl yo over both st and off needle, continue until end
Row 2: k all st

Eye of Partridge stitch with garter stitch edging

(Starting on wrong side)

Row 1: k3, p across rest of st
Row 2: p3, *sl 1, k1* repeat until last 3 st, k3
Row 3: k3, p across
Row 4: p3, *k1, sl 1* repeat until last 3, k3

Instructions:

CO 48 st with the Super Stretchy Cast-on
Join to knit in the round and place marker.

CUFF:

Round 1 – 10: k2, p2 all the way around
Round 11: k all st (48 st)

LEG:

Round 12 – 31: Work leg following bamboo stitch pattern for 10 repeats/20 rows, ending on row 2 of pattern (48 st)

HEEL FLAP:

Determine which side the top of your sock will be. The heel flap is worked back and forth on the 24 st of the side you choose.

(NOTE: The Eye of Partridge pattern starts on the wrong side of the fabric so make sure the side you are starting your heel flap on is a purl row. )

Work the Eye of Partridge stitch for 6 repeats/24 rows, ending on row 4 of pattern (48 st)

HEEL TURN:

Row 1: Sl 1, p12, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 2: Sl 1, k3, ssk, k1. Turn
Row 3: Sl1, p to 1 st before gap, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 4: Sl1, k to 1 st before gap, k2tog, k1. Turn.

Repeat rows 3 + 4 until all st are worked. (14 st on needle)

GUSSET:

Pick up and knit 12 st down the side of the heel flap. Pick up and knit 2 additional st between heel flap and instep according to the above image. (Insert the needle under the red leg in the direction of the yellow arrows.)

Work across instep in pattern.

Pick up and knit 2 st between instep and heel flap as you did on opposite side. Pick up and knit 12 st up the side of the heel flap.

K across heel until 2 st before instep, ssk.

K in pattern across instep.

K2tog, k to middle of heel stitches. Place marker for new start of round.

GUSSET DECREASES:

Round 1:
k to 3 st before instep, k2tog, k1
k across instep in pattern
k1, ssk, k to end

Round 2:
k all st in pattern
k to end

Repeat until 48 st remain

Knit remaining heels stitches until you reach instep stitches. Remove marker from middle of heel and replace at the beginning of the instep stitches.

FOOT:

K in stockinette on sole of sock and in pattern on instep until desired length, ending on first row of instep pattern repeat.

TOE:

Round 1: *k1, ssk, k across until 3 st remain, k2tog, k1* repeat
Round 2: K across

Repeat until 24 st remain on needles

Graft st using kitchener stitch.

Voila! One beautiful finished sock! Time to make another~