Mini Socks

This miniature sock knits up quickly in heavyweight yarn. Like its big brother, the Mix-and-Match Stockings, it features an “afterthought heel.” You’ll knit the stocking straight down to the toe and then add the heel afterward, when you’re done. These stockings make great ornaments, or tuck a small gift inside for a special friend.

Finished Measurements

3" wide x 7" long

Yarn

Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride, 85% wool/15% mohair, worsted weight, 4 oz (113 g)/190 yd (173 m) skeins

MC: White Frost (M11)/Amethyst (M62), 13 yds
CC A: Violet Fields (M161)/Old Sage (M69), 12 yds
CC B: Aztec Turquoise (M78)/Sandy Heather (M01), 15 yds

Needles

One set of US 8 (5 mm) double-pointed needles or size you need to obtain correct gauge

Gauge

20 stitches = 4" on US 8 (5 mm) needles in stockinette stitch

Other Supplies

Small quantity of scrap yarn in similar weight, yarn needle

Abbreviations

CC: contrasting color

K: knit

K2tog: knit 2 stitches together

MC: main color

P: purl

ssk: slip, slip, knit the 2 slipped stitches together

Knitting the Cuff

Setup: Using MC and double-pointed needles, cast on 30 stitches, leaving a tail of yarn 1 yd (1 m) long. Distribute the stitches evenly among three needles (10 stitches per needle), and join into a round, taking care not to twist the stitches. For information about knitting in the round, see Getting Around on page 16.

Rounds 1–4: Work in K1, P1 ribbing.

Knitting the Leg

Rounds 1–20: Using MC, CC A, and CC B, knit each round, following lines 1–20 on the Mini-Sock chart on page 110 for the color pattern. Begin where indicated on line 1 at the bottom of the chart and work from right to left. Repeat each pattern three times in each round. For more information about knitting color patterns, see The Joy of Color. Cut MC after working line 1, but do not cut CC A between rounds. Work round 11 with only CC B; add MC later in Duplicate Stitch.

Marking for the Heel

Setup: When you have completed line 20 of the chart, cut CC A and B. Slide the last 7 stitches just worked to an empty needle (now Needle 3). Slide the remaining 3 stitches onto Needle 2.

Join scrap yarn at the beginning of Needle 3, and knit the 7 stitches onto it.

Continuing with the scrap yarn, knit the first 8 stitches on Needle 1, then slide the remaining 2 stitches onto Needle 2. Cut the scrap yarn.

The stitches are now distributed as follows:

Needle 1: 8 stitches
Needle 2: 15 stitches
Needle 3: 7 stitches

Knitting the Foot

Join CC A at the beginning of Needle 2, which will now be at the start of each round.

Rounds 1–11: Using CC A, continue to work the Mini-Sock chart, picking it up again at line 21. Knit to the end of each round.

After round 11, you now have completed all 31 lines of the chart. Cut CC A and B.

Shaping the Toe

Round 1: Using MC, knit to the end of the round.

Round 2 (decrease round):

Needle 2: Ssk, knit to the last 2 stitches, K2tog. You now have 13 stitches on the needle.
Needle 3: Ssk, knit to the end of the needle. You now have 6 stitches on the needle.
Needle 1: Knit to the last 2 stitches, K2tog. You now have 7 stitches on the needle.

Rounds 3–8: Repeat rounds 1 and 2.

After round 8, you now have 14 stitches.

Place the stitches from Needles 1 and 3 on the same needle, and then graft the toe using Kitchener Stitch.

Making the Afterthought Heel

Setup: Carefully pull out the scrap yarn, picking up the live stitches from the rows above and below and placing them on two needles. You now have 15 stitches on each needle. Redistribute them as follows:

Needle 2 has 15 stitches from the upper row. (This needle will be at the start of round, as for the foot.)
Needle 3 has 7 stitches from the lower row.
Needle 1 has 8 stitches from the lower row.

Join MC at the beginning of Needle 2. Follow instructions for rounds 1–8 under Shaping the Toe, above.

Making the Loop

At the top of the sock, using the tail from the cast on, pick up and knit 2 stitches. (See Picking Up Stitches.)

Knit a 2¹⁄₂" I-cord, following the instructions in We’ve Got Hang-Ups.

Tie off the I-cord and tack the other end to the sock using the yarn needle.

Finishing

With MC and Duplicate Stitch, add the holly berries as shown on the Mini-Sock chart. (See Duplicate Stitch.)

Cut the yarn and weave in all loose ends on the wrong side of your work.

Key

Mini-Sock, refer to Marking for the Heel, page 108.

Duplicate Stitch

Step 1: Bring the yarn needle out from the center of the stitch below the stitch to be covered.

Step 1

Step 2: Insert the needle through both sides of the V of the stitch above the one to be covered and pull the yarn through, thus covering half the stitch.

Step 2

Step 3: Insert the needle again into the original hole (that is, the center of the stitch below the stitch being covered).

Working vertically

Work from the bottom to the top to cover vertical stitches and from right to left and then left to right to cover horizontal stitches.

Working horizontally