Illustrated Knitting Tutorial - How to Knit Socks

Part 2 - Knitting the Socks from the Gusset to the Toe

The technique for knitting for socks is basically the same for any size of sock you choose to knit. The amount of stitches to cast on and also the length of the foot will vary depending on which size you are knitting for and the thickness of your yarn. This particular pair of socks was knitted with sock yarn and the yarn was doubled throughout the whole knitting process. This created extra thick socks for the winter.

The instructions written for these socks are written for the size of European women’s shoe 36-37 (US size 7 or UK size 5) and for men’s size 42-43 (US size 10.5 or UK size 10).

The amounts for the measurements will be written in fat parenthesis for the men’s socks. If there is only one amount written, then the amount is meant for both pairs of socks.

Sock knitting is done in 8 steps:

Step 1 - The Cuff
Step 2 - The Leg
Step 3 - Creating the Backside of the Heel
Step 4 - Creating the Sole and Turning the Heel
Step 5 - The Gusset
Step 6 - The Foot
Step 7 - Decreasing at the Toe
Step 8 - Finishing Off

	Step 5 - The Gusset: Now your work will be joined again together and you will be working with all 5 needles again. Your sock currently has one needle that has 6 (8) stitches (the sole of the sock) and also a needle with 20 (22) stitches (the instep) that are still resting on a separate needle. The ankles are missing. To start, the needle with the 6 (8) stitches will later be needle 4 again. But for now, knit the 6 (8) stitches on this needle so that the yarn is now at the position where needle 1 will be.
	Then with that needle, collect 10 (11) stitches from the gusset side facing you (here the needle at the bottom of the image) and knit these onto the needle. Now this needle has 10 (11) stitches.
	Now you will continue with the needle with the “resting” 20 (22) stitches on the large safety pin. Take the next needle and knit the next 10 (11) stitches. Then take a further needle and knit the remaining 10 (11) stitches. Now you have a needle with 6 stitches and 4 needles with each having 10 (11) stitches on them.
	Now take the 5th needle and knit 10 stitches out of the gusset of the other sock side. Now you have a needle with 6 stitches and 4 needles with each having 10 (11) stitches on them.
	On the needle you just used to create the second gusset side, knit the next 3 (4) stitches from the needle that has 6 (8) stitches on it. (The needle with the stitches remaining from the heel). Now on the second gusset needle you currently have 13 (14) stitches. There are now 3 (4) stitches left on the last needle. Now you have a needle with 3 (4) stitches, 3 needles each having 10 (11) stitches and one needle with 13 (14) stitches.
	The remaining 3 stitches of the last needle will then be slipped to the first needle. Now the first needle has 13 (14) stitches, the second and third needle have both each 10  (11) stitches and the fourth needle has 13 (14) stitches. The 5th needle which is your working needle is now free again.
	Step 6 - The Foot The needles now have: 13 (14), 10, (11) 10 (11) and 13 (14) stitches respectively. Now knit one round completely through. Your yarn is again at the beginning of needle 1.
	Now it is time to decrease the stitches of the 1st and 4th needles so that all of the needles again have 10 (11) stitches on them. To do so, you will be decreasing on the first and fourth needles on every second row until you have 10 (11) stitches remaining on them. Here is how you will decrease: On needle 1: Knit the all the stitches until you reach the last 2 stitches. Then knit both those stitches together. On needle 4: Slip the first stitch from the left needle to the right, knit the next stitch and then pull the slipped stitch over the knitted one. Then knit the remaining stitches on the needle.
	Now you have 10 (11) stitches on all four needles. Continue knitting in rounds until you have a length of 19 (22.5) centimeters from the edge of your heel until the edge of your needles.
	This is now a close-up of how the sole and turned heel of the sock looks like.
	Step 7 - Decreasing at the Toe Now you will start to decrease. On every second round you will decrease until 5 stitches remain on the needle: Needle 1 - Knit all stitches until there are 3 stitches remaining. Knit the next two stitches together and then knit the remaining stitch. Needle 2 - Knit 1 stitch, slip the next stitch (2nd stitch) from the left needle to the right needle. Knit the next stitch (3rd stitch) and then pull the slipped needle over the knitted one. Then knit remaining stitches on that needle. Needle 3 - Knit all stitches until there are 3 stitches remaining. Knit the next two stitches together and then knit the remaining stitch. Needle 4 - Knit 1 stitch, slip the next stitch (2nd stitch)  from the left needle to the right needle. Knit the next stitch (3rd stitch) and then pull the slipped needle over the knitted one. Then knit remaining stitches on that needle.
	Once you only have 5 stitches on your needles, you will decrease in the previous manner on each row until you only have 2 stitches remaining on each needle.
	Then cut the yarn to about a 15 cm length. Then take a blunt large eyed sewing needle and pull it through the remaining 8 stitches. Then pull to close the top and insert the needle through the hole in the middle to the inside of the sock. Then weave your yarn end through several stitches in several directions to secure it in place. Cut the remaining yarn away.
	Step 8 - Finishing Off the Socks: Weave any other loose yarn ends securely through several stitches of the sock. Cut the remaining yarn ends.
Go Back to Part 1 - Knitting the Socks From the Cuff to the Heel

Knitting Project for Winter and Tutorial – Lime Green Winter Socks
Two 100 gramm skeins were used to make this pair of socks. They are extra thick for the winter to wear around the home. The weight of the finished women’s socks is about 87 grams so the two skeins should actually be enough for a second pair as well. For the men’s socks, you will need over 100 grams so you will definitely need 2 skeins of yarn.

Sock yarn can be so pretty because of the patterns the yarn creates. This particular color is lighter and looks quite cheerful.

Knitting Tutorial – Extra Thick Winter Socks
These socks were knitted with a fingering weight sock yarn that was doubled to make them extra thick. One of the colors was black and the other a black, grey and white mix. When both yarns are knitted together, you get really warm socks that are so comfortable to wear on cold winter evenings around the home. These socks are made in the size of European 36-37 which is about US size 7 or UK size 5.

Knitting Project for Winter – Black and Rainbow Striped Winter Socks
These colorful socks were knitted with a fingering weight sock yarn that was doubled to make them extra thick. For the black stripes, black yarn was doubled and for the colorful stripes, rainbow colored yarn was combined with black yarn.

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