How to Knit the Toe of a Rib-Down Stocking

Shape the toe of your hand-knitted sock.

Knit socks or stockings are fun, portable items to make. Choose from hundreds of sock patterns iand select yarns to customize your socks. Directions for knitting the toes of socks vary; the technique described below is a versatile, straight-forward method suitable for most hand-knit stockings.

Things You'll Need

• A set of four double-pointed knitting needles
• Yarn
• Darning needle

Instructions

1. Stop knitting the sock when the foot measures two inches less than the desired length of the sock. As most sock knitting patterns tell you to cast on a multiple of four stitches, such as 56 or 64, these instructions will assume your total number of stitches are a multiple of four. The seam line is the point at which you joined your stitches into a circle and is the beginning of each new round.

2. Rearrange the stitches so all the instep stitches, those across the top of the foot, are on a single knitting needle: needle two. Divide the remaining stitches evenly between the first and third needles; each of these should contain one-quarter of your stitches. The seam line lies between the first and third needle.

3. Knit to the last three stitches on the first needle, k2tog, knit 1. On the second needle, knit 1, ssk. Knit in rib pattern to the last three stitches on the needle, then k2tog, knit 1. On the third needle, knit 1, ssk, and knit to the end of the needle. K2tog stands for knit two stitches together. SSK is the abbreviation for slip-slip-knit and means slip the first stitch on the left needle knit-wise onto the right needle, and slip second stitch on the left needle knit-wise onto the right needle. Then, insert the tip of the left needle into the front of both of the slipped stitches that now reside on the right needle, and knit the two stitches together. K2tog creates a decrease that leans to the right, and ssk makes a left-leaning decrease.

4. Work the next round evenly, with no decreases. Knit the stitches on needle two in your rib pattern.

5. Repeat these two rounds until there are four stitches on the first needle, eight stitches on the second needle, and four stitches on the third needle. Knit the stitches on the first needle only, then place the stitches from the first and third needles on a single needle.

6. Use Kitchener stitch to graft the stitches together from the two needles.

7. Finish by weaving in the yarn inside of the toe.

References

• "Folk Socks: The History & Techniques of Handknitted Footwear"; Nancy Bush; Interweave Press; 1994
• "The Principles of Knitting"; June Hemmons Hiatt; Simon and Schuster; 1988

Resources

• KnittingHelp: Home
• knitty; Techniques With Theresa; Theresa Vinson Stenersen