Perfect-fit Newborn Socks

I promise to post some action shots as soon as I have a pair of tiny feet to model the socks.

These might not be the tiniest newborn socks ever, but they will fit!  I created this pattern to combat my personal pet peeve about commercially made newborn socks.  I've found that the feet of store-bought socks are too short and the heel doesn't line up with baby's heel.  (It's no wonder they get kicked off as soon as baby kicks those legs while demanding his midnight feeding!)  And I firmly believe that a pair of brand-new, adorably small feet deserve a pair perfectly fitting wool socks.  Wouldn't you agree?

So I started with a newborn-sized cuff and made the foot a bit on the long side to accommodate real-life baby feet.  I paired the added length with 2x2 ribbing that goes all the way to the toe for stretch and longer wearability.

Here's what I came up with. It's ribbed, it's cute and, best of all, it fits!  (And hopefully for longer than baby's first few weeks.)

 

 

 

Materials:

About 60 yards fingering weight wool (I used Knit Picks Stroll in Wonderland Heather)
Size 1 needles or size to get gauge

Gauge:

8.5 sts per inch in st st

Instructions: (make two)

Cuff:

CO 32 sts, distribute across 3 DPNs and join in the round without twisting. Work in 2x2 rib for 24 rounds.

 

Heel flap:

Work back and forth in st st on these 16 sts as follows:

 

Row 1 (RS): knit

Row 2: sl 1, purl to end

Row 3: sl 1, knit to end

 

Rep rows 2 and 3 six times (12 more rows worked), ending after a RS row.

 

Turn heel:

 

Row 1: (WS) sl 1, purl 8, p2tog, p1, turn

Row 2: (RS) sl 1, knit 3, k2tog, k1, turn

Repeat rows 1 and 2, decreasing across the gap, until all heel sts have been worked and 10 sts rem.

 

Gussett:

 

PU 7 sts along edge of heel flap, knit across instep sts cont in rib pattern, PU 7 sts along other edge of heel flap and knit 5 heel sts -- 40 sts.  The middle of the heel is now the beginning of the round.

Round 1: Knit one round plain (continuing rib pattern along instep sts)

Round 2: Knit to 3 sts before the end of needle 1, k2tog, k1; knit across instep sts in rib pattern; k1, ssk, k to end of round.

Rep rounds 1 and 2 until 32 sts rem.

Foot:

Continue knitting in the round, cont rib pattern, for 20 rounds.

Toe:

Stop working rib pattern on toe.

Round 1: k to 3 sts before end of needle 1, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of needle 2, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to end of round.

Round 2: knit

Rep rounds 1 and 2 until 12 sts rem, ending after round 1.

Graft toe closed with kitchener stitch and weave in ends.  Now slap 'em on the newest, freshest baby you can find!