Baby Socks -- Free pattern

I'm not so much a sock knitter but occasionally I need a quick gift or instant gratification of baby things.  Although I don't have any small babies, I can still whip out a pair of socks for Oonagh in a jiffy.  Here is a free pattern that I designed for Stitch DC that is for newborn to 6 month old babies.  I used Aurora 8, a super soft washable merino, and size 6 needles so I had a pair knit in less than 2.5 hours!

Baby socks
Designed by Marie Connolly


Suggested Materials
50 yards of worsted weight yarn. (sample was knit with Aurora 8; one skein would produce two pairs)
US 6 double pointed needles (or circular needles if you prefer magic loop or two circulars)


Notes:
1. These socks are knit from the toe up in the round.
2. The pattern is written for double pointed needles but as long
as you indicate each needle divide, you can modify it to magic loop or two circulars.




Cast on using turkish cast a total of 16 stitches. Knit these stitches
Knit one more round. At this point you can divide the stitches as follows 

• needle 1: 8 stitches
• needle 2: 4 stitches 
• needle 3: 4 stitches

Start two increases as follows:
Round 1: needle 1: k1, m1, knit to last stitch, m1, k1; needle 2: k1, m1, knit to end of needle; needle 3: knit to last stitch, m1, k1
Round 2: knit all stitches
Repeat these two round once more. (24 total stitches as follows needle 1: 12 stitches; needle 2: 6 stitches; needle 3: 6 stitches)
Knit in the round for an additional inch.


The Heel
Build the gusset as follows:
Round 1: needle 1: k1, m1, knit to last stitch, m1, k1; needle 2: knit; needle 3: knit 
Round 2: knit all stitches
Repeat last two rounds until Needle 1 has 22 stitches.
Please note during this section, we are only increasing on needle 1.

Turn the heel:
Please note for the next section, we are only working needle 1:
Next round: knit 11 stitches, place marker, knit 2, k2tog, k1 TURN work
Next row: still working on needle 1: purl to marker, p2, p2tog, p1 TURN


Right side rows: *Turn. Slip 1, knit back to the gap, knit the stitch before and after the gap together. Knit 1. 


Wrong side rows: Turn. Slip 1, purl back to the gap, purl the stitch before and after the gap together. Purl 1.*


Repeat these two rows until you have worked all stitches on the gusset needle.
Note that you will have two more stitches on the heel/gusset needle than you started with.
Resume knitting around both needles and decrease away the excess stitches to bring the total back to 24 stitches.

Reset the needles so they are arranged as follows:

needle 1: 12 stitches
needle 2:  6 stitches
needle 3: 6 stitches
Knit one round 


Next round: needle 1: [k2tog] twice, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, [k2tog] twice; 
needle 2: [k2tog] twice, k1, yo, k1, yo; 
needle 3:k1, yo, k1, yo, [k2tog] twice


Purl one round 
Knit two round

Repeat last 4 rounds once more.   
Bind off loosely. Weave in the ends.


Repeat for second sock or knit two at a time 



Pattern Designed by Marie Connolly Published August. 2011
Pattern cannot be reproduced with permission and is designed for personal use only.
Photo credit: Mickie Gelling