Knitting: Baby Socks

Here's how to make some really cute baby socks for your newborn.

Materials

• 1 x ball of cotton yarn
• 5 x 3mm or 4mm needles (the smaller the needles = the smaller the stitch = the smaller the sock)
• a yarn sewing needle (for finishing off the toe)
• a crochet needle and some ribbon for decorating

KnittingKey

K - knit
P - purl
S - slip stitch
ST = stockinette stitch
tog = together 
skp = slip one, knit one, then pass the slip stitch over the knitted stitch


Instructions  

1. Start by casting on 32

2. Knit one row and divide 8 stitches each onto 4 needles 

3. To create a ribbed stem for your sock, work in a "knit 2, purl 2" pattern for 18 rows

4. Heel: K18 , then turn making sure 14 stitches remain on needles). You can work the stitches onto two needles now for ease. Knit 18 ST for 12 rows. Ending with P row.  

5. To turn the heel:

K11, skp, turn (you should have 5 stitches left on needle)
S1, P4, P2tog, turn around (5 left )
S1, K4, skp, turn (4 left)
S1, P4, P2tog, turn (4 left)
S1, K4, skp, turn (3 left)
S1, P4, P2tog, turn (3 left)
S1, K4, skp, turn (2 left)
S1, P4, P2tog, turn (2 left)
S1, K4, skp, turn (1 left)
S1, P4, P2tog, turn (1 left)
S1, K4, skp, turn (on the last stitch, simply lift the existing stitch onto the needle without stitching it)
S1, P4, P2tog, turn (on the last stitch, simply lift the existing stitch onto the needle without stitching it)  

6. Foot: Knit across the 6 heel stitches, and then carry on by creating 7 new stitches up the side of the heel. Knit 14 stitches across the front of the sock (these are the ones that are still on the needles). Pick up another 7 new stitches up the other side of the heal — you should have 34 stitches on your needles in total now. In continuation, you can work these onto 4 needles for comfort. Place a safety pin at this stitch, eg. so you know where the start of a round is. Then:

K12, K2tog, K 12, skp, K6
Knit round
K11, K2tog, K 11, skp, K6
Knit round
K10, K2tog, K10, skp, K6  - You should now have 28 stitches on your needles
Knit 9 rounds

7. Toe: decrease the sock into a pointed toe as follows:

K7, K2tog, K1, skp, K9, K2tog, K1, skp, K2  - you should now have 24 stitches left
Knit one round
K6, K2tog, K1, skp, K7, K2tog, K1, skp, K1  - you should now have 20 stitches left
Knit one round
K5, K2tog, K1, skp, K5, K2tog, K1, skp, K0 - you should now have 16 stitches left
Knit one round
K4, K2tog, K1, skp, K3, K2tog, K1, skp  - now just slip the last stitch, knit the first stitch of the next round, then pass the slip stitch over .  - you should now have 12 stitches left on the needles.)

8. Close: The toe is now ready, there are 3 stitches on each of the four needles. Join the 3 top and 3 bottom stitches together using kitchener stitch. Then using a large sewing needle, pull yarn through the 3 side stitches on each side, and pull tightly, knot and sew in the ends.   

9. Finish: Turn the booties inside out to show the "good side".  

10. Decorate: using  a crochet needle, crochet a simple chain of six stitches at a time, attaching the sixth stitch in the middle of each sock stem groove. To finish, use the sewing needle to work some ribbon through the ankle, again using the sock cuff grooves as a guide.