____________Instructions for Basic Sock Chart  (circular needles)______________ 

These instructions go with the “Basic Sock Chart - circular.” Your gauge will vary, depending on the type of yarn you use. For suggested gauges, see Column U. Refer to Column V for suggested needle sizes.

You should be able to make any size sock with any size yarn.

You may copy these instructions and fill in the blanks with the size you are making to help follow the instructions. However, you may not reproduce these documents in any form except for your own personal use. You may not use the sock chart or instruction for a money-making endeavor.

CUFF: Choose the total number of stitches that you will use for your sock from Column A. You will be following that line down for numbers. Cast on the number of stitches shown ______ (A), placing the stitches as shown in Column B. You will have half of your stitches (“instep”, or top) on one needle, and half of your stitches (“heel”, or bottom) on the other needle throughout the entire sock.  Remember that you never work from needle to needle.  Each needle works on itself.  Work your cuff in any ribbing, or pattern, for any desired length. Be creative! Do stripes, cables, a color pattern, or an openwork pattern. Do several inches of ribbing for a ‘fold-down’ cuff.

HEEL: When the cuff is the desired length to the ankle, begin heel. Your stitches should still be in the same order as column B, however, if you have done a fancy stitch that requires a diffferent number of stitches, Column D will give you a reminder as to how your stitches should look before making the heel.  You always work your heel on one-half of your total sock stitches.  You knit back and forth on the heel needle to form the heel flap.
Work ______ (C) heel stitches for _______ (E) rows. End with a completed right side row.

Turn heel:
Row 1: P _______ (F), P2tog, P1, turn.
Row 2: Sl 1, K _______ (G), K2tog, K1, turn.
Row 3: Sl 1, P across to one stitch before the ‘gap’ (where you turned on the last row), P2tog, P1, turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, K across to one st before the ‘gap,’ K2tog, K1, turn.
Continue in the same manner repeating rows 3 & 4 until _______ (H) stitches remain, ending with a completed knit row.

GUSSET: You will now be going around the entire sock. With the left side end of the heel circular needle, go down the left side of the heel flap just worked. Pick up and knit _______ (I) stitches.  Now knit across the instep stitches with its own needle.  You will now work on the heel needle again.  Using the ends of the heel circular needle, pick up _______(I) stitches along the right side of the heel flap and continue knitting over the top of your turned heel and down the other side of the heel flap, (across the stitches you picked up on the previous row).  This may be a bit tricky, as it is knitting a straight line across a curved edge, but keep your stitches bunched together and it will be easier!  It will ease up as you add rows (trust me – hee hee).
Knit across your instep stitches, once more ~ with its own needle!
Now you are ready to begin your gusset decreases.  It is helpful to place a pin-on marker at this point (at the beginning of your heel needle) to remind you where you started your decrease rows.

When knitting socks on double-pointed needles, your “point of reference” – or where you start your rounds, is usually at the center back of the sock.  With this method, your “point of reference” – where you start your round -- is at the side of the sock!

Begin gusset decreases as follows:

Starting at the right side of the heel, knit one stitch, then work a decrease, working 2 stitches together so that they slant toward the center of the heel (bottom of the sock).   Continue to knit across the heel needle until you get to the last 3 stitches.  Now you will decrease the next two stitches so that they slant toward the center back of the heel also (opposite of your last decrease). See arrows in illustration below.  (This is how you will decrease on your heel needle every other row). Knit across your instep needle to complete your decrease round.    Next round: Work even, knitting across heel needle and instep needle with no decreases.

Continue to decrease in this manner: decrease on each end of heel needle every other round until _______ (M) decreases have been worked on each side. _______ (N) stitches remaining total. See Column O. You are back to your original set up and your original number of stitches (half the sock on one needle, half the sock on another needle).

FOOT: Now that you have _______ (P) stitches, continue in knit (or desired stitch) until _______ (Q) rows have been worked. This number (Q) is only a suggested amount. The sock needs to be about 1 ½  inches less than the desired finished length (for an adult sock) before starting the toe shaping.

TOE: Your sock stitches are in position for toe shaping, you don’t have to adjust them at all (as you do in double point needle knitting).  Decrease (one stitch from the end) on each side of both needles, every other row! (Where arrows point to in illustration below).

Example: 
Row 1: You are at the side of your sock.  Knit one stitch, decrease, knit across to last three stitches, decrease, knit last stitch.  Repeat this across second needle.  Now work one round even. Make sure your decreases slant in toward the center of the sock
Continue to decrease in this manner, decreasing 2 stitches at each side of the sock, every other row, _______ (T) times , until _______ (R) stitches remain. See Column S.



When all of the toe decreases have been worked, your stitches are in position to weave.  You do not need to adjust them, you should have half of your stitches on one needle (top of sock - instep) and half on the other needle (bottom of sock).  Cut the yarn, leaving a piece long enough to weave the remaining stitches together. You may bind them off and seam the toe, but it is worth the work to learn to weave them and have a seamless toe. Tuck in ends.

Abbreviations used:
K = knit
P = purl
tog = together
Sl = slip (move the next stitch to the next needle without working it)
st(s) = stitch(es)
psso = pass the slipped stitch over (over the stitch just knitted)
Letters in Boldface refer to the column in the Basic Sock Chart.