Sheeps Ahoy

Deb's Basic Sock Pattern

© Sheeps Ahoy by Debbie Wilson (revised Jan 2014)

This pattern assumes you are using fingering weight sock yarn and needles to obtain a gauge of about 7.5 to 8 sts/in (usually 2.25mm needles or perhaps 2.5mm).

Cast on 64 sts.

Divide evenly on 3 double pointed needles (usually 20, 24 and 20). Join in the round being careful not to twist.

Work K2; P2 rib for approximately 1 inch (14 rows).

Work in stocking stitch (knit all stitches) until the work measures 7 to 8 inches from the start (or the desired length of the sock leg from the top of the sock to the top of the ankle bone).

Heel Flap:

K16; turn;

S1; P31; turn; 32 stitches remain unworked. These will form the top of the instep and will be worked again when we are finished with the heel. Divide these unworked 32 stitches evenly on 2 of the double pointed needles. Leave the 32 stitches we just worked all on one needle and continue working on them as follows:

Row1 (RS) : (S1; K1) repeat until end of row; turn

Row2 (WS): S1; P31; turn;

Repeat these 2 rows for approximately 2 inches (roughly 14 times Row1). End after completing a RS row.

Turn The Heel:

(WS) S1; P16; P2tog; P1; turn (12 stitches remain)

(RS) S1; K3; SSK; K1; turn (12 stitches remain)

S1; P4; P2tog; P1; turn

S1; K5; SSK; K1; turn

S1; P6; P2tog; P1; turn

S1; K15; SSK; K1; (this should be at the end of the row—18 stitches in heel flap)

Foot:

Pick up and knit one stitch for every loop at the edge of the heel flap (14 or 15 stitches). Be sure to pick up a stitch very close to the instep stitches as a hole often forms here.

Knit across the instep stitches that we haven’t worked on for a while.

Pick up and knit one stitch for every loop at this edge of the heel flap (14 or 15 stitches—the same number as you picked up on the other side).

K9 stitches from the top of the heel flap (half of the heel flap stitches). This will be the beginning/end of your row.

At this point we usually divide the stitches as follows:

Needle 1—the 2nd half of the heel flap stitches (9 stitches) and the stitches you picked up on the first side of the heel flap (14 or 15 stitches) - Total 23 or 24 stitches

Needle 2—the first half of the instep stitches (16 stitches)

Needle 3—the second half of the instep stitches (16 stitches)

Needle 4—the stitches you picked up on the second side of the heel flap (14 or 15 stitches) and the first half of the heel flap stitches (9 stitches) - Total 23 or 24 stitches

Decrease down the instep as follows:

Round 1:

Needle 1—K to 3 from the end of the needle; K2tog; K1

Needle 2—K

Needle 3—K

Needle 4—K1; SSK; K to end of needle

Round 2:

Needle 1 to 4—K

Repeat these 2 rounds until you have 64 sts again (16, 16, 16, 16). Feel free to go back to 3 needles but be sure to keep the beginning and end of the round in the same place (in the middle of the foot at the bottom).

Work in stocking stitch until desired length to toe shaping (usually just at the base of the big toe, or just barely covering the little toe, or about 2 inches shorter than the full length of the foot).

Toe:

Rearrange the stitches as follows:

Needle 1—First 16 sts of the row (bottom of foot—1st half)

Needle 2—32 sts (top of foot)

Needle 3—Last 16 sts of the row (bottom of foot—2nd half)

Round 1:

Needle 1—K to last 3 sts; K2tog; K1;

Needle 2—K1; SSK; K to last 3 sts; K2tog; K1;

Needle 3—K1; SSK; K to end

Round 2:

Needle 1 to 3—K

Repeat these 2 rounds until 36 sts remain (9, 18, 9).

Repeat Round 1 only until 16 sts remain (4, 8, 4).

K4 (so the thread is at the side of the foot).

Break off the yarn and graft the top and bottom together.

Make another sock. Wear with pride.

Abbreviations

K—knit

K2tog—knit 2 together

P—purl

RS—right side

S—Slip (note: always slip stitches purlwise unless told otherwise)

SSK—(slip, slip, knit) - slip 1 knitwise, slip another knitwise, put the left needle through these 2 stitches from left to right through the front of the stitches and knit them together

Sts—stitches

WS—wrong side