How to Knit Men's Boot Socks

Men's boot socks need to be sturdier than ordinary socks, particularly at the heels and toes, where they will rub up against the foot and the inside of the boot. You should knit men's boot socks from sturdy yarns, and knit the heels and toes in a heavier yarn than you use for the rest of the sock for added durability.

Things You'll Need

• A tape measure
• A sock pattern for socks of approximately the same size as the ones you're knitting
• Worsted-weight yarn for the body of the socks
• Bulky-weight yarn for the heels and toes of the socks
• Four double-pointed knitting needles

Instructions

Preliminaries

1. Know that these instructions presume that you know how to knit in the round, on multiple double-pointed needles, and that you've knitted at least a few pairs of socks, so you're familiar with the techniques for knitting the heel flap and turning the heel. They also presume that you'll knit these socks in straight stockinette stitch, knitting the right-side rows and purling the wrong-side rows, rather than using a more complicated stitch pattern.

2. Measure the foot of the person who will wear the sock. It's important that a boot sock fits comfortably yet snugly, with perhaps ½ inch of ease all around, but the sock shouldn't be skintight nor sloppily loose on the foot. Measure carefully to get the best possible fit.

   Figure out how high you want the sock to come up on the ankle and then measure from that spot down to the beginning of the heel in the back; from the same spot on the ankle down to the top of the instep in front; the length of the heel, from the back of the foot to the beginning of the arch on the bottom; the instep from the juncture of the front of the ankle to the first joint of the toes; the length of the toe area, from the first joint to the tip of the longest toe; and finally, the circumference of the foot, starting and ending at the base of the ankle and going around the arch, and the circumference of the ankle at the top of the instep.

3. Pick a suitable yarn. Though their price tags may be tempting, don't knit socks with 100-percent acrylic yarns. These yarns don't wear well, nor do they wick moisture away from the skin. They will produce a very hot, uncomfortable sock that won't stand up to the abuse that boot socks take for very long.

   Instead, choose a heavy wool, wool/nylon blend, or cotton yarn, of at least a worsted weight (yarn A), for the body of the sock. Pick a coordinating or contrasting bulkier yarn (yarn B) for the heel and toe, for extra durability. Yarns with flat surfaces that do not snag easily will make better socks than fuzzy or thick-and-thin yarns.

4. Find a sock pattern for the correct sock size and weight of yarn you plan to use and keep it where you can refer to it when it's time to knit the heel flap and turn the heel. Even if you've knitted dozens of pairs of socks, it doesn't hurt to have a written pattern around to consult.

5. Look at the label for yarn A to determine what size needle to use and knit a test swatch of at least 20 stockinette stitches on needles of that size. Knit until the swatch is at least 4 inches long. Leaving the swatch on the needles, carefully measure its width to determine how many stitches it takes to make an inch of knitted fabric.
   Now that you know the number of stitches yarn A will produce per inch, you can calculate how many stitches you'll need for the ankle measurement by multiplying the circumference of the ankle where it joins the instep by the number of stitches per inch. Add enough extra stitches to result in a sock that will be ¼ -to ½-inch bigger than the ankle. If that result is an uneven number, add one stitch.

Knitting

1. Cast on the total number of stitches onto three double-pointed needles and join the stitches, being careful not to twist them. With a fourth double-pointed needle, knit in the round in knit one, purl one rib for 1 inch.

2. Knit in stockinette stitch down to the beginning of the instep.

3. Change to yarn B and knit the heel flap and then turn the heel. Because you're using a heavier yarn, the heel section will be pretty stiff and inflexible, but this helps the sock last longer, as well as protects the foot from chafing against the inside of the boot. Consult your pattern as needed during this process.

4. Change back to yarn A and knit the foot section until it's the length of the instep down to the toes. Change to yarn B again and knit the toe section, following the pattern to decrease the stitches as needed. Keeping the stitches on the needles, weave them together and then tie off the yarn. Weave in any loose ends of yarn on the inside of the sock.

Tips & Warnings

• If you knit one sock at a time, you will need to record the number of stitches and rows you knit for each section of the sock, so you can make the second sock the same way. If you aren't careful about keeping track, you may find yourself having to count completed rows and stitches, which is a tedious and not altogether trustworthy method. An easier way to make sure your socks match is to knit each section of each sock in turn. Your overall progress may seem slower, but in the end, both socks will have exactly the same number of stitches and rows. Begin by knitting the ribbing and the ankle section of the first sock. Be sure to write down the number of stitches you cast on and the number of rows you worked in that section. Then cast on the same number of stitches onto a second set of double-pointed needles, and work the ankle section of the second sock to match the first. Continue in this fashion, working each section in turn, until both socks are completed.

References

• "How To: Browse A to Z Beyond the Basics"; Vogue Knitting