Toe Up Socks

Fall is in the air! Its already starting to get chilly here in Calgary, which means I’ve been spending a lot of time dreaming up new sock patterns. I love knitting socks because they are so portable, especially when knit using the magic loop method (no need to juggle all the dpns!). This fun pattern that I’m sharing today uses the quick and easy magic loop method for knitting in the round to create a cozy pair of toe up socks!

I knit these socks up for my beautiful daughter Leelee (who I named this blog after!). She asked me for very cozy, and very warm socks to wear around the house. The yarn that I chose for these luxuriously soft socks was Knit Picks Andean Treasure 100% baby alpaca yarn. I’m so in love with the quality of this yarn, and the colour palette is to die for!

This pattern is super simple, especially if you have knit toe up socks in the past. If you are new to knitting toe up socks, read through the links in the notes section below to get an introduction and these will fly off your needles.


Scroll down to see the free pattern for these cozy knit toe up socks. The ad-free instant download PDF file can be purchased for easy printing and reading through Ravelry, or by clicking the button below.


Toe Up Socks

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Toe Up Socks Knitting Pattern – Toasty Warm Autumn Socks

Materials:

Here is what you will need to make a pair of these cozy autumn toe up socks:

  • Size 6 (4 mm) circular knitting needles
  • 2 skeins of Knit Picks Andean Treasure sport weight yarn in Royal Heather (socks in photo required 1.5 skeins. You may need more or less depending on foot length and desired leg length).
  • Scissors.
  • Yarn Needle.
  • Ruler or tape measure.
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Size:

Width is for a typical Adult Female Foot. Length of foot can be customized in pattern.

Gauge:

5.5 stitches, 6.5 rows = 1″ in stockinette stitch.

Abbreviations:

K: Knit
P: Purl
K2Tog: Knit Two Together decrease
SSK: Slip, Slip, Knit decrease
Kfb: Knit Front and Back increase

Notes on Knitting Toe Up Socks:

These socks are worked from the toe up, using the Magic Loop technique and circular 32″ knitting needles.

You will need to know the following techniques to knit these socks.  If you do not know these techniques, please follow the links and read/watch the tutorials before you begin.

Judy’s Magic Cast On

Russian Bind Off

Magic Loop Technique for knitting in the round

Placing and Picking up Stitches for an Afterthought Heel

Kitchener Stitch


More Free Sock Patterns From Leelee Knits!


Autumn Toe Up Socks – Free Knitting Pattern:

Toe:

Using Judy’s Magic Cast On, cast on 20 stitches (10 stitches on each needle).

Round 1:

Knit all stitches.

Round 2:

On each needle: K1, kfb, knit to last 2 stitches, kfb, k1 (increased a total of 4 stitches). 

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until you have a total of 20 stitches on each needle (total of 40 stitches).

Continue to Foot

Toe Up Socks cast on

Foot:

Repeat the following four rounds until your work measures 2 inches less than the length of the foot (length of foot is from top of toes to end of heel).  The remaining 2 inches will be made up when you work the heel.  For example, my feet measure 9.5 inches so I work the foot until the total length is 7.5 inches long (including the toe part).

Rounds 1 & 2:

Knit all stitches.

Rounds 3 & 4:

*K2, P2; repeat from * until end of row on first needle (this is the top of the foot).

Knit all stitches on second needle (bottom of foot).

Heel Placement:

This pattern uses the afterthought heel technique.  This requires using some waste yarn to hold the placement of the heel so that the rest of the sock can be completed before coming back to finish the heel.

To place the afterthought heel, continue to knit across Needle 1 (top of the foot).

The stitches on Needle 2 are for the bottom of the foot.  This is where we use the waste yarn to hold the heel stitches until we can come back to work the heel.  Let go of your working yarn (leave it attached) and knit with the waste yarn across Needle 2.  Turn your work and purl back to create another row, and then turn and knit one more row so that you have 3 rows with the waste yarn to hold the stitches for the heel.  Cut your waste yarn, leaving a bit of a tail.

The stitches must now be transferred back to the left needle so that you can continue to work in the round.  Slip each stitch back onto left needle and pick up the working yarn. Knit across Needle 2 to complete the round.  You now have one round complete that holds the stitches for the heel and can continue on to work the Leg of the sock.

Leg:

Knit one more round.  Repeat the following four rounds 6 times (you can do more if you would like a longer sock) and continue to cuff.

Rounds 1 & 2:

*K2, P2; repeat from * until end of round.

Round 3 & 4:

Knit all stitches.

Cuff:

Work 7 rounds of K1, P1 ribbing.  Bind off in pattern using Russian Bind Off technique.

Heel:

Hold the sock so that the toe end is facing you, and the cuff is facing away from you.

Pick up the stitches back onto your needle by inserting each needle under the front leg of each stitch directly under/over the waste yarn stitches. Carefully remove the waste yarn

Toe Up Socks heel placement

Knit one round, adding two extra stitches on each end to close the gaps (knit into the stitches below the gaps).  There are now 22 stitches on each needle, so we need to decrease back to the original 20 stitches on each needle.

Decrease the extra two stitches in the next round.

Needle 1:  K2Tog, K2Tog, Knit the remaining stitches (20 stitches).

Needle 2:  K2Tog, K2Tog, Knit the remaining stitches (20 stitches).

Continue to Shaping the Heel.

Shaping the Heel:

Round 1:

On each needle: K1, SSK, knit to last 3 stitches, K2Tog, K1 (decreased a total of 4 stitches).

Round 2:

Knit each stitch.

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until there are 10 stitches remaining on each needle (total of 20 stitches). Cut the yarn leaving an 8-10 inch tail and graft the stitches together using the Kitchener Stitch. Secure and weave in all loose ends.


Autumn Toe Up Socks Knitting Pattern PDF Copy

I hope you enjoyed this free toe up socks knitting pattern.

If you’d like your own copy, the ad-free PDF file can be purchased for $5 USD through Ravelry, or by clicking the button below.