Different Ways to End Knit Toes

Knitting the toe of a sock in different ways is an interesting way to vary your socks.

The "normal" way to end a knit toe, for many years, was to decrease the foot stitches at the edges by paired decreases that leaned from the edges of the foot toward the center of the toe. Foot stitches were decreased until about half remained, and then the remaining stitches were grafted together. However, there are other ways to end the toe of a sock. You can even begin the sock at the toe, in a method that is traditional to Eastern European knitters.

Conventional Toe

This is the first toe shaping that most sock knitters learn. Begin with the foot stitches on 4 needles. Place a marker at the center of the sole, where the first needle begins. Knit to within the last 4 stitches of the end, knit 2 together, knit 2. Next needle: knit 2, slip 1, slip 1, insert the right needle into the 2 slipped stitches and knit them together (hereafter referred to as slip, slip, knit or SSK), knit to the end of the needle. Third needle: knit to within 4 stitches of the end, knit 2 together, knit 2. Fourth needle: Knit 2, SSK, knit to end. This is one decrease round. Knit the next round plain. Then knit another decrease round. Continue in this manner until half the stitches are gone. Graft the remaining stitches together with Kitchener stitch.

Kitchener Stitch

Kitchener stitch is an essential skill to learn when ending knit toes. It enables you to graft the last toe rows together seamlessly. Put the sole stitches on 1 double pointed needle and the instep stitches on the other double pointed needle. Break off the yarn leaving 12 inches. Thread it onto a yarn needle. Name the needle closest to you the front needle and the other, the back needle. *Insert the yarn needle into the first stitch on the front needle, as if to knit. Slip that stitch off. Insert the yarn needle into the next stitch on the front needle as if to purl; leave the stitch on the needle, but pull the yarn through it. Now go to the back needle. Insert the yarn needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl. Take that stitch off the back needle. Insert the yarn needle into the next stitch on the back needle as if to knit. Pull the yarn through the stitch, but leave it on the back needle.* Repeat from asterisk across all the stitches until they are all grafted together.

Cat Bordhi's Star Toe

This is an attractive and easy way to decrease the stitches at the toe, invented by sock guru Cat Bordhi. Divide the number of toe stitches by 6. If the number of stitches does not divide evenly by 6, decrease by a few stitches on the next round until you have a multiple of 6 stitches. Place markers to divide the remaining stitches into 6 equal sections. Start the first decrease round: knit to the first marker, knit 2 together. Knit to the next marker; knit 2 together. Continue around decreasing at each marker. Knit the next round plain with no decreases. Then knit another decrease round, until only 6 stitches remain. Break the yarn. Thread it through a yarn needle and pull the yarn through all the stitches. Securely weave in the end.

Toe-Up Socks

Eastern European knitters begin their socks at the toe and work toward the top of the ankle. To knit a toe in this way, use the figure-eight cast-on described by Anna Zilboorg: hold 2 double pointed needles side by side in front of you. Anchor the tail of the yarn with your left hand, which also hold the needles. With your right hand, take the yarn from the ball between the two needles and toward the back. Then bring it over the top needle, between the 2 needles again, under the bottom needle, between the needles, back over the top needle, and so on until you have 4 wraps on the top needle and 4 on the bottom needle. With a third needle, knit the loops off the top needle. Turn and purl back. Turn and knit the loops on top. Rotate the piece and kit across the 4 stitches. Now you have a little rectangle with stitches on 2 sides. To start the toe, pick up 3 stitches on each side of the rectangle: 14 stitches total. On the next round, place a marker at the beginning of one 3 stitch side. Needle 1: Pick up a stitch to make one, knit 3, pick up another stitch to make another. Needle 2: knit 4. Needle 3: pick up a stitch, knit 3, pick up another. Needle 4: knit 4 stitches. This is one increase round. Knit one round plain. Then knit another increase round. Continue until you have the desired number of stitches for the foot.

References

• "Knitting Around"; Elizabeth Zimmerman; 1989
• "New Pathways for Sock Knitters"; Cat Bordhi; 2007
• "Magnificent Mittens and Socks"; Anna Zilboorg; 2009