Knit Layette Socks
Nothing is quite so cute as the teeny tininess of a newborn baby’s plump, little feet. In ode to those precious paws, we’ve used our softest, finest merino yarn to knit these teeny socks adorned with tiny cables.
Although small, these Knit Layette Socks are filled with pretty details, and in Line Weight’s beautiful colors, they also pack a punch. This project is so mini, you can pick a handful of colors like you’re picking flowers. The more the merrier!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Knit Layette Socks are the perfect gift for all those expecting a newcomer this spring. Like tulips on their stems, top off a new babe’s stalks with these pretty, little socks! -Laura
PS: Our Knit Layette Socks are just one of three patterns included in our Knit Layette Pattern. You’ll also find a matching cardigan and hat, each made from our Line Weight yarn and accented with timeless cables. Want to make the whole set in classic Heirloom White with mother-of-pearl buttons? Buy the Kit!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoKnitLayette, and #PurlSohoLineWeight. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Purl Soho’s Knit Layette Pattern
- 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Line Weight, 100% merino wool yarn. Each skein of this fingering weight yarn is 494 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 60 yards required. We used the colors Heirloom White, Wheat Flour, Honey Pink, Ginger Orange, Peony Pink, and Super Pink, shown above clockwise from top left.
- A set of US 2 (3mm) double pointed needles
- A set of US 1 (2.5mm) double pointed needles
- A few yards of scrap yarn and a crochet hook to match, for Provisional Cast-Ons
Gauge
36 stitches and 44 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch with larger needles
Sizes
0-3 (3-6) months
- Finished Foot Circumference: 4 1⁄4 inches
- Finished Leg Circumference: 4 1⁄4 inches
- Finished Foot Length: 3 1⁄2 (3 3⁄4) inches
- Finished Height from Heel to Top of Cuff: 3 3⁄4 inches
Samples: The socks pictured here are Size 0-3 months.
Pattern
You can find this sock pattern in our Knit Layette Pattern, available as either a hard copy or PDF download. The pattern also includes instructions for the little cardigan and hat, pictured above!
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
How do you launder these?
Hello Emily,
Great question! For our Line Weight yarn, which these are knit with, the recommended care is hand wash and lay flat to dry. We use Soak to wash all of our hand knit samples in the shop.
Warmly,
Marilla
What skill level is this pattern?
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for writing in to us! This pattern is more of an intermediate-level pattern. It involves cables, increasing and short rows on a fingering weight yarn. If you are up for the challenge of these techniques, I say go for it. Let us know how it goes!
-Adam
How should you bind off?
Hi Julia,
For the socks a Long Tail Tubular Bind Off was used, on our web sight, there is a Tutorial for this specific bind off. If you go under create, then go to knit, click on tutorials and scroll down to bind off.
I hope this helps,
Melissa
I’d like to make this in a washable yarn. I have a bunch of different yarns from Anzula. Do you know which type would be comparable? Thanks.
Hi Katrina,
Thanks for writing in! I think that these lovely little socks would be great using Anzula Squishy!
Best,
Cassy
I love these so much! I would do just about anything for these to be in my size (woman’s sz. 9-10) My feet are crippled, and my ankle joints (bones) have died. These socks are the only socks/slippers that I’ve ever seen that are wide at exactly the right places, and shaped just like my feet! I’m almost in tears right now. They look so comfortable. Is there any way the creator could make a pattern larger? How much would it cost? Please let me know…
Thank you,
-Rose-
Hi Rose,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m sorry to say that these baby socks are constructed identically to ordinary adult toe-up socks. I believe the appearance of the large ankle area is an illusion caused by the fact that there is no “foot” to these socks – the toe increases go directly into the heel gusset increases without any space in between. Fortunately, knitting your own socks is the best way to customize them to your feet! I would suggest searching for “modifying knit socks for large ankles” to find several articles on how to change the dimensions of various parts of socks – the easiest way to create a more generous fit in the ankle is to knit a longer heel flap on a top down sock and then pick up more stitches for the gusset. I would also recommend trying on your sock as you go so you can make sure it will fit!
Best of luck, and I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi, first of all I want to say – love your website patterns and yarns both! I bought this pattern and yarn quite a while ago to knit the hat and socks. I’ve tried nearly a dozen times however when I get to the last part of binding off the socks – the toe part by using the kitchener’s stitch, I am unable to complete it successfully. The two issues that I had were, 1. difficulty with unraveling the cast on and placing them back onto the needle to bind off due to the weight of the yarn as well as not finding explainable instructions on how to do so correctly; and 2. the cast on method tells you to cast on a few extra stitches off the needle to leave a tail; that tail caused me to have extra yarn when binding off and I did not know how to fix that into the sock. Is there any helpful advice that you can give about that? Thank you
Hi Ester,
Thanks for reaching out! It’s very helpful, both for ease of unraveling the provisional cast on and to make it easier to see the live stitches that need to be picked up, to work the cast on in a plain cotton yarn in a color that contrasts strongly with your main yarn – cotton crochet thread is one of my favorite yarns to use for a provisional cast on. When you are ready to return to the stitches, you can either pick up the main yarn stitches with your needle before unravelling the crochet chain or pick up each one as you pull out the cast on. To unravel the cast on, you will unpick the knot at the end of the crochet chain, and as long as you start at the correct end, it should “unzip” very easily revealing the live stitches in the main yarn. Since the provisional cast on should come out of the sock completely, you will only be left with the 10 inch tail of the main color, which will be plenty to work the kitchener stitch and weave in your end. Any excess can then be trimmed off.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Could these be knit on a size 3 or 4? My arthritis is so bad that holding a size 1 or even a size 2 needle had become almost impossible.I know that this would result in a larger size sock,but could this pattern be used in the smallest size to accommodate?
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out, and I’m so sorry to hear that your hands are giving you some troubles with your knitting! You could knit the smallest size on a US 3 or 4 for a slightly larger sock, but since Line Weight is very fine, the fabric might turn out a bit lacey. You may want to consider our Baby Socks pattern instead, which is designed for sport weight Season Alpaca on a US 4 needle.
Best of luck and I hope that helps!
Julianna