Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

These simple socks will warm the feet and heart of any recipient, but most especially of one whose gifts are few. Please consider making a pair for someone in your community who doesn’t have much. You’ll both be glad you did! -Whitney

UPDATE: THREE NEW SIZES IN NIGH DK

JANUARY 2024

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

Hand-knit socks in incredible Nigh DK might be designed to keep feet cozy, but when you make them for someone you love, these Socks For Giving are particularly good at warming hearts, too! One hundred percent of the very best cashmere there is, Nigh DK is amazingly, wondrously soft and warm. In twenty-four beautiful colors, Nigh DK has the perfect hue whoever your socks are for. Pick up your favorites and make some very special socks for someone very special!

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoMensSocksForGivingAway. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

  • 3 skeins of Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe in the Main Color (I used #2229) Each skein is 114 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 342 yards required.
  • 1 skein of Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe in the Contrast Color (I used #1303)
  • A set of four US 5 (3.75 mm) double pointed needles

Gauge

26 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Size

To fit average man’s feet

8½ inches in circumference and a variable length

Pattern

The Cuff and Leg

With the Main Color (MC), cast on 56 stitches to three double-pointed needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On. (For help using double-pointed needles please check out our Double Pointed Needles Tutorial).

Join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Round 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 until ribbing measures 1½ inches.

Knit every round until piece measures 2½ inches from the cast on edge.

With the Contrast Color (CC), knit 3 rounds.

Carrying the yarn up the back of the work, change to the MC and knit 2 rounds.

Change to the CC and knit 5 rounds.

Change to the MC and knit 2 rounds.

Change to the CC and knit 3 rounds. Cut the CC yarn.

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

With the MC, knit until the piece measures 8½ inches from the cast on edge.

The Heel Flap

Knit 14 stitches and turn the work so the purl side of the fabric is facing you.

Purl 28 stitches. (These 28 stitches are the beginning of the heel flap. For this section, you will be working back and forth on just these 28 stitches.)

Arrange the stitches so that the 28 heel flap stitches are on one needle. Put the remaining 28 stitches on hold on another needle.

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

Row 1 (right side): *Slip 1 purlwise, k1, repeat from * to end of 28 stitches.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 purlwise, purl to end of 28 stitches.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 eight more times.

Repeat Row 1 one more time.

With the CC and while carrying the MC yarn up the side of the heel flap, repeat Rows 2 and 1 three times.

Repeat Row 2 one more time.

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

Turning the Heel

Still using the CC yarn and working just the heel flap stitches:

Row 1 (right side): K16, ssk, k1, turn the work so the wrong side is facing you and there are 18 stitches on the left needle and 9 stitches on the right needle.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 purlwise, p5, p2tog, p1, turn the work. (17 stitches on the left needle and 9 stitches on the right needle)

Row 3: Slip 1 purlwise, knit to 1 stitch before the gap, ssk (with the stitch before the gap and the stitch after the gap), k1, turn.

Row 4: Slip 1 purlwise, purl to 1 stitch before the gap, p2tog, p1, turn.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until all the heel stitches have been worked and 16 stitches remain on the needle. (For the last repeat, Row 3 will end with an ssk and Row 4 will end with p2tog.)

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

The Gusset

Knit across the 16 heel stitches. Cut the CC yarn.

With the MC (which you carried up the side of the heel) and the same needle (now called “needle #1”), pick up 15 stitches along the heel flap. (31 stitches)

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

With a new needle (needle #2), knit across the 28 stitches that have been on hold.

With another new needle (needle #3), pick up 15 stitches along the other side of the heel flap.

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

And, still with needle #3, knit 8 stitches from needle #1.

Now there are 23 stitches on needle #1, 28 stitches on needle #2 and 23 stitches on needle #3. Needle #1 is the beginning of the round (at the middle of the heel).

Round 1: Needle #1 – knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. Needle #2 – knit all the stitches. Needle #3 – k1, ssk, knit to end.

Round 2: Knit.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until 56 total stitches remain.

NOTE: You now have 14 stitches on needle #1, 28 stitches on needle #2 and 14 stitches on needle #3. Keep the stitches arranged like this throughout the Foot section so that they will be properly situated for the Toe section!

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

The Foot

Knit evenly until the piece measures 2 inches less than the desired final length, measuring from the back edge of the heel.

Here’s a guideline for men’s shoe lengths (remember to knit the sock 2 inches shorter than the shoe length!):

US size 9 shoe (European 42) = 10½ inches

US size 10 shoe (43) = 10¾ inches

US size 11 shoe (44) = 11inches

US size 12 shoe (45) = 11½ inches

US size 13 shoe (46) = 11¾ inches

I’m making socks to fit a size 10 shoe, so I knit the foot until it measures 8¾ inches.

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

The Toe

Cut the MC yarn and join the CC yarn.

Round 1: Needle #1 – knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. Needle #2 – K1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. Needle #3 – k1, ssk, knit to end.

Round 2: Knit.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until 28 total stitches remain.

Then, repeat just Round 1 until 8 total stitches remain.

With Needle #3, knit the 2 stitches from Needle #1 so that there are 4 stitches on each of two needles.

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

Cut the yarn and graft the toe together using the Kitchener Stitch.

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho

Weave in all the loose ends and block (they get really soft!).

Men’s Socks for Giving Away | Purl Soho