Knitting Pattern: Best Worsted Socks

A couple weeks ago I showed you how I tamed my tangled and unusable yarn stash. As I was sorting through my fibers I realized that I had quite a bit of leftover worsted weight yarn.

Since I have been sock obsessed for the last few months, I decided to whip up a quick pair of worsted weight socks. I think you are going to love this pattern. There's no grafting, no picked up stitches and an adult sized pair of ankle socks can easily be completed in a weekend.

Best Worsted Socks Pattern

Materials

• at least 2.5 oz/70 g, 128 yd/117 m of worsted weight yarn for ankle socks
• US size 6 (4.25 mm) dpns
• yarn/tapestry needle

A printable version of my Best Worsted Socks pattern (with additional sizing options) is available in my shop. (The printable version was updated in October 2020 with different yarn, a slightly revised heel shaping and now includes both top down and toe up instructions.)

Gauge

• 18 sts or 24 rows = 4 inches

Sizing

• Women's (Men's)
• foot circumference = 7 (9) inches
• foot length = 8 (10) inches

Abbreviations

• CO - cast on
• k - knit
• p - purl
• RS - right side
• skpo - slip one stitch knitwise, knit one, pass slipped stitch over
• tr st - triplet stitch
• tw st - twin stitch
• WS - wrong side

This pattern uses shadow wrapped short row heels. If you are unfamiliar, here's a shadow wrapped short row heel tutorial that also includes an explanation of how to make the necessary twin and triplet stitches.

Special Stitches

1 x 1 Ribbing

All Rnds: [K1, p1] around.

Moss Stitch - worked across 16 (20) stitches

Rnd 1: [K1, p1] across.
Rnd 2: K all sts.
Rnd 3: [P1, k1] across.

Rnd 4: K all sts.

Directions

Leg

Rounds begin and end at the left-hand side of the sock. CO 32 (40).

Work 1 x 1 Ribbing for at least 1 (1 ½) inches. If you prefer a longer leg length, simply work more rnds of 1 x 1 Ribbing.

Rnd 1-4: Work Moss Stitch across 16 (20) sts, k 16 (20) sts.

Heel

The heel section is worked using the Shadow Wrapped Short Row Method, across half of the sock sts, 16 (20) sts.

Row 1 (RS): [K1, p1] 7 (9) times, k1, tw st in last st, turn.
Row 2 (WS): P 14 (18), tw st in last st, turn.
Row 3: [K1, p1] to 2 sts before tw st, k1, tw st in next st, turn.
Row 4: P to 1 st before tw st, tw st in next st, turn.

Repeat Row 3-4 until there are 5 (7) twin stitches of each side of the heel and 6 regular stitches at the center of the heel.

Row 5 (RS): [K1, p1] to first tw st, k both strands of the tw st together, tr st in next tw st, turn.
Row 6 (WS): P to first tw st, p both strands of the tw st together, tr st in next tw st, turn.
Row 7: [K1, p1] to tr st, k all strands of tr st together, tr st in next tw st, turn.
Row 8: P to tr st, p all strands of tr st together, tr st in next tw st, turn.

Repeat Row 7-8 until one tr st remains on each side of the heel.

The remainder of the sock is worked in rounds with the right side facing.

Rnd 5: [K1, p1] to tr st, k all strands of tr st together, k 16 (20).
Rnd 6: K all strands of next tr st together, k 31 (39).

Foot

All Rnds: Work Moss Stitch across 16 (20) sts, k 16 (20) sts, until sock measures 7 (8 3/8) from the back of the heel or 1 (1 5/8) inches less than desired sock length.

Toe

For Men's Size: [Skpo, k3] 8 times (32 sts remain). K all sts for 3 rnds.

For Both Sizes: The remainder of the toe is worked the same for both sizes.

[Skpo, k2] 8 times (24 sts remain). K all sts for 2 rnds.
[Skpo, k1] 8 times (16 sts remain). K all sts for 1 rnd.
[Skpo] 8 times (8 sts remain). 

Cut or break yarn leaving a 12 inch tail. Thread yarn onto a yarn needle and pull through the remaining 8 sts to close the toe.

Enjoy stash busting all of your worsted weight leftovers into comfy house socks. Happy knitting!