Sock Knitting Calculator
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Sock Knitting Calculator

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Cuff-Down Sock Knitting Calculator

More options & toe-up to come eventually!
Kat Zimmermann
Open the “Sock Information” section by clicking on the black triangle below to get started!

Sock Information

Use your needles and yarn of choice to get your gauge, then enter the information about the size the sock needs to be.
Pro-tip: Once you’ve made your decisions, you can collapse this section by clicking on the triangle next to “sock information.”
Let’s get your gauge:
What’s your horizontal gauge?
⁠
15
⁠
stitches =
2
⁠
inches
What’s your vertical gauge?
⁠
​
⁠
rows =
​
⁠
inches
Your gauge is:
7.5
⁠
sts per inch AND
[ ]
⁠
rows per inch

What size sock are you making?
Choose the size category:
Women’s Medium
⁠
⁠
Choose the size:
9
⁠
⁠

How much negative ease do you want to include?
0%
⁠
⁠
→ Negative ease affects the fit of the sock. The higher the negative ease, the tighter the fit.
→ A lot of the time, 0% ease is just fine. Choose higher percentages if you think the yarn will stretch out over time OR the sock-wearer has historically had issues with loose socks.
→ Note that the first part of the pattern will round to the nearest multiple of 4, so a small amount of negative ease may be included that way, regardless of the choice here.

Pattern Choice:
2x2 Ribbing
⁠
⁠
Not sure what you want? Check out the image cards below to see the options!
Pattern Options
1
2x2 Ribbing
Basket Rib Stitch
Fleck Stitch
Skinny Cables
⁠




Abbreviations

CO - cast on
sts - stitches
dpns - double pointed needles
k - knit
ktbl - knit through back loop
k2tog - knit 2 together
p - purl
pm - place marker
pw - purl wise
sl - slip (knit wise unless otherwise stated)
ssk - slip slip knit
p2tog - purl 2 together
wyif - with yarn in front
wyib - with yarn in back
1/1 RC - sl 1 st onto cn, hold in back, k1, k1 from cn OR k2tog but do not drop sts from left needle, k1, drop both sts from left needle

🧶 Your Custom Cuff-down Sock Pattern 🧶

Cuff

CO
64
⁠
sts and distribute over 3 or 4 dpns OR circular needles for magic loop method.
For magic loop:
32
⁠
sts per needle
For 3 dpns:
21.333333333333332
⁠
sts per needle
For 4 dpns:
16
⁠
sts per needle

pm to indicate the end/beginning of each round.
K2, p2 around for each row until the cuff reaches the desired length (I like 2 inch cuffs).

Leg

⁠
R1: (k2, p2) around
R2: (k2, p2) around
R3: (k2, p2) around
R4: (k2, p2) around
⁠
⁠
Repeat R1 - R4 until sock measures
7
⁠
inches (or desired length) from top of cuff. Move on to heel flap after completing a R2.

Heel Flap

Put half of stitches (
32
⁠
sts) on hold. Working on remaining active stitches:
R1:
sl 1, k1, (p2, k2) across
⁠
.
R2:
sl 1, knit your knits and purl your purls across
⁠
.
Repeat R1 - R2 until you have
32
⁠
rows on the heel.

Heel Turn

R1: k
19
⁠
, ssk, k1, turn.
R2: sl 1, p
7
⁠
, p2tog, p1, turn.
R3: sl 1, k
8
⁠
, ssk, k1, turn.
R4: sl 1, p
9
⁠
, p2tog, p1, turn.
Continue, adding one more worked st per row until all sts have been worked.
⁠
20
⁠
sts remaining on needle.

Gusset

Pm to indicate new beginning of the rounds.
Note: For magic loop method, put 1st and 2nd needle sts on your first needle and 3rd and 4th needle sts on your second needle. Pm between the 1st and 2nd needle sts and the 3rd and 4th needle sts to indicate where these changes are as it will be important for placing the decreases on the gusset.
1st needle: K across the back of the heel (
20
⁠
sts).
2nd needle: pick up and k 1 st between the heel and the heel flap to help avoid a gap, pick up
16
⁠
sts along the side of the heel flap (one per slipped st), pick up and knit 1 st between the heel flap and the instep to avoid a gap.
3rd needle: Continue in pattern across the instep -
k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2
⁠
.
4th needle: Pick up and k 1 st between the instep and the heel flap to help avoid a gap, pick up
16
⁠
sts along the side of the heel flap (one per slipped st) pick up and knit 1 st between the heel flap and the heel to avoid a gap.
There should be
88
⁠
sts in total on your needles.

Gusset Decrease

Note: The pattern here is written out for up to 4 pattern rounds. for patterns with fewer rounds, there may be some repetition.
R1:
1st needle: k across heel back
2nd needle: ktbl of picked up gusset sts
3rd needle:
k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2
⁠
across instep
4th needle: ktbl of picked up gusset sts

R2:
1st needle: k across heel back
2nd needle: K until 3 sts before end of needle, k2tog, k1
3rd needle:
k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2
⁠
across instep
4th needle: k1, ssk, k to end of round

R3:
1st needle: k across heel back
2nd needle: k across
3rd needle:
k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2
⁠
across instep
4th needle: k to end of round

R4:
1st needle: k across heel back
2nd needle: K until 3 sts before end of needle, k2tog, k1
3rd needle:
k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2
⁠
across instep
4th needle: k1, ssk, k to end of round

R5:
1st needle: k across heel back
2nd needle: k across
3rd needle:
k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2
⁠
across instep
4th needle: k to end of round

Repeat R2 - R5 until there are
64
⁠
sts remaining -
32
⁠
sts on the instep and on the heel portion of the sock.
Note: If you want to rearrange to 3 needles, this is a good time to do it. Be sure to place markers on either side of the instep (3rd needle) as you will need them for the foot and toe.
Note: For magic loop method, check that you have the instep sts on one needle and the heel sts on the other. Where it says “marker” below, it will be the end of each needle.

Foot

⁠
R1: k to marker, k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2 across instep, k to end of round.
R2: k to marker, k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2 across instep, k to end of round.
R3: k to marker, k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2 across instep, k to end of round.
R4: k to marker, k2, (k2, p2) across to last 2 sts, k2 across instep, k to end of round.
⁠
⁠
Repeat R1 - R4 until foot measures
8
⁠
inches (or desired length) from back of heel.

Toe

R1: [k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k1] twice around.
R2: k around.
Repeat R1 - R2 until
32
⁠
sts remain.
Repeat R1 until
16
⁠
sts remain.
Graft using Kitchener stitch and weave in ends.
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