free pattern friday: footies

The footie is my most favorite sock style, probably because I wear a lot of cropped pants and skirts with clogs or sneakers. Better than going sockless, the footie lets you show a little colorful sock, avoid blisters and bare your ankles to the warm spring breeze, all at the same time. They're also great for lounging around the house in your PJ's on a chilly morning. Best of all, no yarn purchase is necessary. Just use up some of the leftover sock yarn from your stash. Did I mention they're twice as fast as regular socks?

I almost feel guilty for posting this as a pattern, since many of you battle-worn sock knitters could whip these up without more than a glance, but Anita requested the pattern, and so you all receive. Enjoy!

size: child large (women's medium, men's medium).
* For lots of tips on changing size and gauge, see my Intro to Socks.

materials

• around 200 yards superwash sock yarn (more for men's size), fingering weight
• size 1 or 2 DPN's
• stitch markers in different colors.

The footies in the photo were knit (mostly) using Lana Grossa Meilenweit Colortweed (80% virgin wool, 20% polyamide). I ran out of yarn near the end and finished the second toe with another yarn, for which the ball band is long since lost. See what I mean about using up leftover sock yarn?

gauge: 7 st/in in stockinette stitch.

ankle
Cast on 52 (56, 68) st using two needles held together.
Distribute st evenly across 3 needles, place marker, join for knitting in the round. Knit 6 rows in K2P2 rib.

The stitch marker marks the center back of the sock; it will be at the center of the heel as you knit the rest of the sock.

heel flap
K 13 (14, 17) in st st. Turn work.
Slip 1, P25 (27, 33). These 26 (28, 34) stitches will form the heel flap. Place the remaining stitches on 2 DPN's to act as stitch holders until the heel flap is finished.

Row 1: *sl 1, K 1. Repeat from * to end.
Row 2: sl 1, purl to end.

Repeat these last two rows until you have knitted 26 (28, 34) rows for the heel flap.

turn the heel
Sl 1, knit to marker. Sl M, K2, SSK, K1, turn work.
Sl 1, P 5 st, P2tog, P1, turn work.
Next row: Sl 1, K to 1 st before gap. SSK using one st from each side of gap. K1, turn work.
Next row: Sl 1, P to 1 st before gap. P2tog using one st from each side of gap. P1, turn work.

Repeat these last two rows until all heel flap st have been worked. 16 (16, 20) st of the heel flap rem.

heel gusset
Sl the first st of the row, K to end. Pick up 13 (14, 17) st along the left selvedge of the heel flap. PM (using a new color of marker). Knit across held instep stitches, maintaining K2, P2 rib pattern. PM (again, don't use the same color as the "main" center marker). Pick up 13 (14, 17) st along the right selvedge of the heel flap. K to center marker. 68 (72, 88) st rem on needles.

Begin at the center back heel.
Row 1: Knit to 3 st before first M. K2 tog, K1. Sl M, knit in patt to next M. Sl M, K1, SSK. K to end of round.
Row 2: Knit.

Repeat these last two rows, decreasing 2 st on every other rnd, until 52 (56, 68) st rem on needles. Be sure to maintain the ribbing pattern over the instep (the heel gusset is knit in st st).



foot
Work even in patt until sock measures 6 (7 1/2, 9) inches from back of heel (or about 2 inches shorter than overall foot length).

toe
The toe will be knit in st st (no more ribbing). Begin at the center back heel.
Row 1: K to 3 st before first M. K2 tog, K1, sl M, K1, SSK. K to 3 st before next M. K2 tog, K1, sl M, K1, SSK. K to end of rnd.
Row 2: Knit.

Repeat these last two rows, decreasing 4 st every other row, until 26 (28, 34) st rem on needles. Now repeat only row 1, dec 4 st every row until 12 st rem on needles.

Begin at center back heel. Remove M.
Continuing with the same needle, K to 1st M, remove M. Using a new needle, K 6. You should have 6 st on each needle. Now graft the toe closure using kitchener stitch.

Weave in loose ends. Wear with low-top Chuck Taylors on your next Casual Friday.

important notice: This is a free pattern and you are welcome to use it for all the non-commercial purposes you like. However, you may not reproduce this pattern to sell, and you may not sell what you make with it. You may donate what you make with it to charity, and you may use it for charity fundraisers only if 100% of the proceeds are donated to the charity (and by charity I don't mean your kid's college fund). Thanks for understanding!