Everyday Socks: How to Knit Classic Ribbed Socks

Are you ready to turn your first heel? It may seem scary, but just trust those instructions– and you’ll feel like a proper wizard when you’re done! The Everyday Socks pattern includes two different ribbing options, plus it’s sized for the whole family AND comes in three yarn weights. You can knit up a pair in sock weight for everyday use or a worsted pair to keep your toes cozy around the house…so grab your favourite skein, and let’s go!

First step: get yourself a copy of the Everyday Socks pattern (or better yet, get the whole Basics Collection!). This in-depth tutorial guides you through everything you need to know to follow the pattern.

Let’s knit some Everyday Socks! Click these links to jump right to the section you need:

1. Select your materials
   • Yarn
   • Needles
2. Choose your size (and skip the swatch!)
3. Preview the sock construction
4. Cast on!
5. Turn that heel
   • heel flap
   • heel turn
   • gusset
6. Work the foot
7. Toe: decrease and grafting the toe closed
8. Finish it up!

Select your materials: choose yarn and needles to suit you!

Choosing a yarn

There are pros and cons to each yarn weight in the pattern. If you’re looking to make a pair of nice, thin socks to wear all day in and out of the house, you’ll probably want to go with a sock or maybe a DK weight. But, for a cozier slipper sock, or something to keep your feet warm in gumboots, you’ll want to go with the worsted. The sock-weight socks are definitely a slower knit, but you’re going to wear these socks for a long time – so worth it! The worsted socks will whip up in a jiffy, but they can be a little less versatile.

Yarns with a bit of nylon in them will be sturdier for socks. These knits tend to get some hard wear, so even though I’m a hand washer, I went with superwash yarns for this project. You can knit up these socks in a single colour or, like I’m going to do for this tutorial, add a contrast heel and toe for fun!

In the pattern, instructions that apply to different yarn weights have coloured backgrounds. Each yarn weight has a different background colour: blue for worsted/aran, pink for DK, and yellow for sock. You’ll follow one of those instructions, so be sure to look for the highlight colour that applies to you. For example, the background colour for DK weight yarn is pink, so every time I get to a pattern section that has instructions that vary by yarn weight, I’ll use the PINK instructions.

Which needles?

Socks are essentially a small diameter tube, so they can be worked a variety of ways. Some knitters use tiny 8″ circular needles or two circular needles to knit socks. The two most popular ways are DPNs or a long circular needle for the magic loop method. For these socks, you’ll only need one set of needles.

Choose your size and skip the swatch…trust us!

For over a decade, we’ve been sizing our knitting patterns inclusively, from baby to big. That means our Everyday Socks pattern has a size to suit anyone you want to knit for! We’ve included seven sizes: Newborn (Baby, Toddler, Child, Adult S, M, L), which will fit feet approximately: 5.5 (6.5, 7.25, 8, 8.75, 9.5, 10.5)” in circumference. Pick the foot size closest to yours (or your little one’s), and that’s the set of instructions you’ll follow throughout the pattern. If multi-size patterns are new to you, check out our pattern-reading tutorial here.

Maybe you’ve heard that it’s dire and dangerous to skip the swatch, but this project might just be your moment to go for it!

It’s tricksy to measure gauge over ribbing. Ribbing is stretchy (that’s what it’s all about), so how much does one stretch it before measuring? It’s a bit subjective to say the least. It’s also the same amount of effort to make a sock swatch as it is to cast on and get going. Once you’ve got a couple of inches…well that’s a swatch, isn’t it? You can try it on over your foot to make sure it fits and decide if the fabric is too tight or too loose (it should be rather tight for a sock). If you’re finding your little tube is too tight or too loose, simply unravel it and try again!

Preview the sock construction

These socks are knit top-down from cuff to toe. First, the cuff/leg is worked in rounds. Next, the heel flap and short row heel are worked back and forth in rows. Finally, the gusset and foot are worked in the round through to the decreases at the toe, which is then grafted closed.

Let’s cast on!

Once you’ve got your yarn and needles, it’s time to cast on! Before you do, though, you’ll have to decide if you’ll be knitting your socks with a 1×1 rib or 2×2. There are pros and cons to both, just like the yarn weights. 2×2 tends to be a little faster, but maybe you prefer the simplicity of 1×1…there’s no wrong answer!

The key to casting on for socks is casting on LOOOOOOSELY… Remember, the sock has to not only fit over the toe and circumference of the foot itself, but it also has to stretch to fit around the widest part, where your heel is all chunky. It can be stretched to the max to fit over this point, but it must GO… or the sock will not be a sock (for you).

For tips on casting on with DPNs, check out our tutorial here. For how to cast on with magic loop, check out our tutorial here.

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Distributing those stitches

For DPNs, I like to put about 1/2 of my stitches on the first needle, about 1/4 of the stitches on the second needle, and 1/4 of the stitches on the third needle. Then I use my fourth needle to work the stitches. This way I know that the beginning of round (BOR) is located at the start of the ‘full’ needle, and I don’t have to place any markers.

For magic loop, I divide my stitches about in half and use the tail as an indicator of where the BOR is in relation to my stitches. This way I don’t have to use a marker.

Turn that heel

Once your cuff tube measures the length for your size, it’s time to turn the heel… because feet aren’t tubular; they’ve got a turn in them!

There are three steps to working the heel turn:

1. Heel flap (knit back and forth in rows)
2. Heel turn (knit back and forth with some short rows and decreases)
3. Gusset (pick up along the heel flap, then start knitting around again, and decrease, too)

Just take it step by step. A heel turn feels magical… but it’s not difficult if you follow the instructions!

Heel flap (knit back and forth in rows)

Here we go! First, work across the top of the foot and put those stitches on hold (you’ll come back to them later). You can put these stitches on hold on waste yarn or just ignore them (that’s what I do). You’ll work back and forth in rows across the heel flap, which is just a little rectangle of fabric that covers your heel. If you’re working a contrast heel and toe like I am, switch colours where indicated.

Distributing those stitches

If you’re working with DPNs, you can keep the stitches for the top of the foot on one needle, and work the heel flap and heel turn back and forth with two more DPNs. For magic loop, I just ignore those top-of-foot stitches and work back and forth on the heel stitches, pulling out the cords on either side of the top of the foot.

Because this pattern compresses the fabric vertically, the stitch pattern for the heel flap alternates between slipped stitches and regular knit stitches, for a little added durability at the hardworking heel section.

Heel turn (knit back and forth with some short rows and decreases)

Now you’ll work a few short rows and decreases, which create a tiny little pocket of stitches right at the back / underside of the sock heel.

Steps to turning the heel:

1. Slip the first stitch and then knit the number of stitches for your size and yarn weight, ssk, k1. You’ll notice you haven’t finished the row, but you’ve still got stitches on your left hand needle. That’s okay – we’re working incomplete (or short) rows for this heel turn! Now turn you work.
2. Slip the first stitch and then purl the number of sts for your size and yarn weight, p2tog, k1. Same deal here – you’ve still got stitches on your left hand needle, and that’s okay. Turn your work.
3. Slip the first stitch and knit to one stitch before the gap. What’s the gap?! It’s a little extra space that is created between the stitch you turned at in the last row and the one beside it. You’re going to close this little gap by working an ssk, combining the stitches on either side. Now K1 and turn your work.
4. Slip the first stitch and purl to one stitch before the gap. Close the gap by working a p2tog, combining the stitches on either side. P1 and turn your work.

You’ll keep repeating steps 3-4 until all your stitches have been worked. Then you’ll have a tidy little triangle/half moon shaped bit of fabric – a perfect little pocket for your heel!

Turning a heel video:

Gusset (pick up along the heel flap, then start knitting around again, and decrease, too!)

If you’re working a contrast heel and toe, you’ll switch colours back to the main colour before you begin the gusset.

1. Knit across half your decreased number of heel stitches, place a marker (this will be your new BOR), and then knit across the other half of the heel stitches.
2. Pick up and knit along one side of the heel flap and place a marker.
3. Work across the held stitches (top of foot) in pattern and place a marker.
4. Pick up and knit down the other side of the heel flap. This will bring you back to the start of those heel stitches.
5. Knit to your BOR marker located at the centre of the bottom of the foot.

Now you’re back to knitting in the round! You’ll be decreasing before the first gusset marker and after the second gusset marker, until you have the same number of stitches you had at the cast-on. Then you’ll be ready to go back to simply knitting the tube!

Picking up for the gusset video

Distributing those stitches

Once you’ve got all your stitches picked up, you might want to do a little rearranging to make your life simpler. The pattern calls for markers, but you might not actually want to use them. You might want to use the start and end of your needles as markers (that’s what I do).

For DPNs, you’ll want the top-of-foot stitches on one needle. At the bottom of the foot, you’ll want the stitches from the start of the round to the top of the foot on one needle, and the stitches from the top of the foot to the BOR on the other, as shown above. Then you’ll know the BOR is located at the centre of the bottom of the foot – and the other ‘markers’ are on either side of the needle with the top-of-foot stitches on it.

For magic loop, you’ll want the top-of-foot stitches on one needle and the bottom-of-foot stitches together on the other, with a marker indicating the BOR. Then you’ll know the ‘markers’ are at the start and end of the bottom-of-foot stitches.

Work the foot

How long are your feet? The foot is a place where you can make a decision about length. All you’re really doing here is knitting around and around – just like at the leg – and the stitch count stays the same.

Once you’re satisfied with the length, it’s time to work that toe!

Toe: decrease and graft the toe closed

If you’re working a contrast toe, change colours as indicated. To start the toe, the first step is to move that BOR marker from the middle of the bottom of the foot to the side of the foot. This allows you to work symmetrical decreases on each side in a simple way. Here’s how you move a BOR: remove the marker, work the number of sts indicated in the pattern, and then replace the marker. Once that’s done, you’ll place a second marker, and this will divide your stitches in half – half for the top of the foot and half at the bottom. The decreases will occur on either side of these markers.

Distributing those stitches

For DPNs, I like to rearrange my stitches at this point, so that the top of the foot (the stitches between the BOR and the second marker) are on one needle, and the other half of the stitches are on the other two needles.

For magic loop, I keep it simple, with stitches between the BOR and the second marker (the top of the foot) on one needle and the cords out at either side of the foot.

Decrease at the start and end of the top ½ of the sts, and at the start and end of the bottom ½ of the sock sts. There’ll be an equal number of stitches at the top and the bottom (you’ll see why soon!). 

Finish it up!

When you’ve done all the decreases called for, it’s time to graft the toe closed! Grafting is a seaming method that joins two sets of live stitches together with a row of knitting that’s the same shape as a regular row of knitting… that’s why it’s called a ‘seamless’ seam… cause it’s so seamless! Looks like there’s no seam at all – just consistent fabric that turns the corner.

Grafting Video

What to do next? Well, you’ll need to weave in the ends, and then give your socks a bath. If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can block your socks on some sock blockers.

Pompoms, stripes, contrast heels, and twinkle toes

There are LOTS of fun things you can do with this basic sock pattern! Stripe it up! Add stripes at the cuff or just a dipped cuff (start with a contrast colour and then transition after a few rounds). The pattern includes instructions for adding a contrast heel and toe. You can also add the most adorable pompoms! We’ve got a tutorial on pompom basics here, or if you’re ready to take your pompoms to the next level, check out our pompom advanced techniques here.

Basic basic basic basic… you get the idea, right?!

The Everyday Socks pattern is one of four in our Basics Collection that is, like the name says, BASIC. But when we do a basic, we try to REALLY do that basic. That’s why we’ve included multiple yarn weights AND our inclusive baby-to-big size range in all these patterns. We believe they’re just what you need: a classic cardigan, a simple sweater, a basic beanie, and, of course, some everyday ribbed socks. Each pattern has its own in-depth tutorial to guide you through any and all sticking points, so you can FINISH THAT KNIT and start enjoying some seriously cozy vibes!

Great Tin Can Knits Basics