Another baby wave! Lots of friends are having babies in the next several weeks, so every spare moment, it’s knitting, knitting, knitting (I’ve even been knitting in church on Sundays! I actually absorb the sermon better – multitasking prevents the mind from wandering!)!
My knitting tends to go in a seasonal rhythm – winter babies always get hats (usually a pixie or a Debbie Blisspattern with little earflaps) and spring/fall babies usually get booties. But what to make for summer babies? SOCKS!
I found that a lot of baby sock and bootie patterns (you know, the teensy ones) never fit my kids’ feet, even as newborns. As a result, I took what I like best about some of my favorite adult sock patterns, and adapted it to a bit larger baby sock. It should fit a size 6-12 months. If you’d like a larger sock, simply make it a bit longer in the foot, or for a smaller sock, go down a needle size.
Here’s the pattern :
Larksong’s Baby Socks
Size – 6-12 months (for size 3-6 months, use a smaller needle (1 or 0))
Needles – Set of 4 double-pointed needles, US size 2
Yarn – any sock or fingering weight yarn, leftovers from adult socks work great! (about 100 yds, to be safe)
CO 40 sts, divide over three needles as follows: 20 sts on ndle 1, and 10 sts each on ndles 2 and 3.
For the cuff:
Join (careful not to twist) and knit in K2, P2 rib for 24 rounds (optional – 40 rounds for a folded cuff)
For the heel flap:
Using only the 20 st on ndle 1, knit back and forth as follows –
Row 1 (outside of sock):Â (Sl one knitwise, K1) repeat these two stitches to end of row
Row 2 (inside/wrongside): Sl 1 purlwise, P to end
Repeat rows one and two a total of 18 times (you will count 9 sts on the slip rows on the knit side) ), ending after a (Sl1, K1) row.
Turn of the heel:
Row 1: Sl first st Purl wise, P to two sts beyond center (12 sts total), P2tog, P1, turn
Row 2: Sl 1, K5, K2tog, K1, turn
Row 3: Sl 1, P to one st before the gap (also known as “within 1 st of last turn”), P2 tog, P1, turn
Row 4: Sl 1, K to one st before the gap, K2 tog, K1, turn
Continue in this manner until 12 sts remain (you will end with K2togs w/o a K1 following).
You will have just completed a K row.
For the gusset:
With needle on, pick up (PU) and K 10 sts on the left side of the heel flap (continuing in the knit direction). (To avoid gaps, twist stitches as you pick them up, or K into the back of the stitch).
Knit across needle two (option – continue to in ribbing K2, P2 pattern on ndle 2 only until beginning of toe decrease. This will make for a more snug-fitting sock.)
PU and K (again, twisting sts) 10 sts along the other side of the heel flap and then K6 from ndle 1 to the end of ndle 3. (The begging of your round will now be halfway across the back of the heel, and ndle 1 will be the needle on the left side of the heel, ndle 2 will be the 20 sts across the top of the sock, and ndle 3 will be the 2nd half of the heel.
For the decrease portion of gusset:
Round 1: K around (if doing optional pattern, remember to (K2, P2) repeat across ndle 2 only)
Round 2: Ndle 1 – K to last three, K2tog, K1. Ndle 2 – K across (or, for option, (K2, P2) repeat across ndle). Ndle 3 – K1, SSK, K to end
Repeat these two rounds until you have decreased to the original 40 sts
For the body of the foot:
K for 18 rounds (my kids have long feet, and I did 20-22 rounds for them. If using smaller needles for a smaller sock, you may wish to do 14-16 rounds, depending on foot size of the infant.)
(Remember, if doing optional ribbing – continue (K2,P2) rib on ndle 2 – stopping the rib at the end of this section.
For the toe (No grafting here!! Woo-hoo!):
Round 1: Ndle 1 – K to last two sts, K2 tog. Ndle 2 – K8, K2 tog, K8, K2 tog. Ndle 3 – K to last two sts, k2tog.
Round 2: K around.
Round 3:  Ndle 1 – K to last two sts, K2 tog. Ndle 2 – K7, K2 tog, K7, K2 tog. Ndle 3 – K to last two sts, k2tog.
Round 4: K around.
Round 5: Ndle 1 – K to last two sts, K2 tog. Ndle 2 – K6, K2 tog, K6, K2 tog. Ndle 3 – K to last two sts, k2tog.
Round 6: K around.
Round 7: Ndle 1 – K to last two sts, K2 tog. Ndle 2 – K5, K2 tog, K5, K2 tog. Ndle 3 – K to last two sts, k2tog.
Round 8 – end : Continue decreasing in the manner above, but every row instead of every other. Decrease until 8 or 4 sts remain (your preference, 4 will give a bit pointier toe).
Cut a tail (6 or 8 inches), thread with a darning needle, and sew through the remaining stitches. Pull tight and sew in ends.
Block if you desire.
(Note – a baby who fits these socks may be pulling up and/or walking, so please remember that wool socks are VERY slippery on wood or tile floors – if your baby is going to wear these socks without shoes, you may wish to add some puffy paint designs to the bottom for traction.)
This pattern is copyright 2010 by Angela Baker. Please feel free to use this pattern for personal, gift or charity knitting only – not to be used for socks made for sale without approval of the designer.  Do not copy this pattern/distribute it without permission. Thank you.