Soft and Warm – Hand knitted socks are a real treat for your feet. Follow my simple free sock knitting pattern and learn how to knit your own colourful top down socks in children’s and ladies sizes. Your hand-knitted socks will feature contrasting cuffs, heels and toes for a really fun feature that’s easy to knit.
What You Will Need to Knit Your Own Socks
This pair is knitted with West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply Sock Yarn. It’s 75% Wool and 25% Nylon. The wool content contains 35% luxurious Bluefaced Leicester making this one of the most sumptuous yarns availible. It’s also locally spun in Keighley, West Yorkshire.
I’ve knitted a few pairs of socks in West Yorkshire Spinners Signature yarn and they’ve all knitted up very nicely. The socks are lovely and soft but are also hard wearing enough for daily wear. It’s definitely become one of my favourite sock yarn brands.
They aren’t the cheapest sock yarn but the extra price is worth paying for the extra quality you get over cheaper yarns.
And also the colour range is just gorgeous. I mean just look at these!!
This free sock knitting pattern is suitable for all 4ply sock yarns. Ideally the tension should be 28 stitches and 36 rows to form a 10cm / 4 inch square swatch.
I use 3.25mm double pointed needles for the main sock knitting and 3mm double pointed needles for the cuffs. You could use the magic loop method with this knitting pattern, personally I prefer to use double pointed needles but it’s totally up to you.
I do hope my sock Knitting project inspires you to have a go at knitting your own socks with this free knitting pattern.
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Free Sock Knitting Pattern
This knitting pattern includes three sizes. The larger sizes are shown in brackets. You might find it helpful to highlight or circle the size you’d like to make before starting to knit.
UK Shoe size 8-12 Small Child (1-3 Large Child, 4-7 Ladies)
Knitting the Sock Cuff
Start with 3mm needles.
Using the Long Tail method cast on 36 (36, 48) stitches and divide them over three needles, 12 (12, 16) stitches on each needle
Knit in the round Knit 2 Purl 2 rib for 2 (3, 3) cm
Knit the last row to stop colours mixing
Change colour if desired
Knitting the Sock Leg
Knit in the round until sock measures 13cm (15cm, 17cm)
Knitting the Sock Heel
Separate 18 (18, 24) stitches for the heel
Change yarn if desired
Work in Heel Stitch until heel is square – Knit 1, Slip 1 Purl wise. Purl on wrong side.
Once the heel is square turn the heel as follows:
Slip 1, Knit 11 (11, 15), SSK, Turn
Slip 1, Purl 5 (5, 7), P2Tog, Turn
Slip 1, Knit 5 (5, 7), SSK, Turn
Repeat the last two rows until 6 (6, 8) stitches remain. Ending with a knit row
Change yarn if desired
Pick up and knit an equal number of slipped stitches along each side of heel.
Split heel and instep stitches equally across two needles. The third needle has the stitches that will go across the top of the foot.
Knitting the Sock Instep
Row 1 – Knit across all three needles
Row 2, Needle 1 – K to last 3 st, SSK, K1
Row 2, Needle 2 – Knit across foot top
Row 2, Needle 3 – K, K2Tog, K to end
Repeat these 2 rows until 36 (36, 48) stitches remain
Knitting the Sock Foot
Knit until foot measures 13cm (16cm, 19cm)
Knitting the Sock Toe
Change yarn if desired
Knit another 1cm so that foot measures 14cm (17cm, 20cm)
Row 1, Needle 1 – K to last 3 st, SSK, K1
Row 1, Needle 2 – K1, K2Tog, K to last 3 st, SSK, K1
Row 1, Needle 3 – K, K2Tog, K to end
Row 2 – Knit across all three needles
Repeat these 2 rows until 8 (8, 10) stitches remain
Move stitches onto two needles.
Cast off in Kitchener Stitch as follows:
Set Up:
- From the Front of your work, Purl, leaving the stitch On the needle
- From the Back of your work, Knit, leaving the stitch On the needle
Kitchener:
- From the Front of your work, Knit, taking the stitch Off the needle
- From the Front of your work, Purl, leaving the stitch On the needle
- From the Back of your work, Purl, taking the stitch Off the needle
- From the Back of your work, Knit, leaving the stitch On the needle
Sew in The Ends
Use a knitters needle to sew in the ends of your yarn. Snip off the excess and your socks are done!
Pin It Now, Knit It Later
Pin this Free Sock Knitting Pattern to your Pinterest board so that you can find it when you start your next sock knitting project.
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A Little Bit About Me . . .
Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the interweb. I’m Bridie, mum to two small humans, full time homemaker and full time craftaholic – which totally explains why I’m always short on time!

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