Knit designer Ainur Berkimbayeva is expert at the clever and unique. Her Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks are both those things, but they are also ready to play!

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks | Purl Soho

A two-color rib serves as an ankle-hugging cuff, but the addition of a sweet, little bobble abandons practicality for a flourish so uplifting that hopping, skipping, and jumping may ensue.

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks | Purl Soho

Knit from top down, these socks bypass lengthy legs to get right to the heart of the matter: a fun-to-knit ankle, which is just a hop, skip, and a jump from the heel flap and gusset, then onto the foot and toe and ready for the next one!

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks | Purl Soho

Our hand-dyed Posy lends its super pretty colors to Ainur’s design. Machine washable and dryable, Posy is also designed for very soft and sturdy socks with its blend of superwash merino, cashmere, and a touch of nylon.

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks | Purl Soho

You’ll need just two or three skeins to cast on for any size from little toddler to big adult… But careful, Ainur’s Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks might just blast the top off your cuteness meter!

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks | Purl Soho

Designed for Purl Soho by Ainur Berkimbayeva.

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

Materials

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks | Purl Soho
  • Purl Soho’s Posy, 75% superwash merino, 15% cashmere, and 10% nylon. Each skein is approximately 159 yards/50 grams. (NOTE: We no longer offer Posy, but choose from one of our other fingering weight yarns.)
    • Main Color (MC): 1 (1, 2, 2, 2) skein(s); approximately 110 (160, 210, 255, 305) yards required
    • Contrast Color (CC): 1 skein; approximately 30 (35, 45, 50, 60) yards required

For our socks, we used…

  • MC: Mourning Dove; CC: Pink Nectar
  • MC: Lilac Mist; CC: Sour Gooseberry
  • MC: Cloudless Sky; CC: Heirloom White

You’ll also need…

NOTE: Looking to knit your socks in double-time? Check out our Magic Loop: Two At A Time Tutorial!

Gauge

32 stitches and 44 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on smaller needles

32 stitches and 44 rounds = 4 inches in corrugated rib on larger needles

Sizes

Toddler (Kid, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large)

Finished Foot Circumference: 6 (7, 8, 9, 10) inches unstretched, comfortably stretching 1-2 inches

Foot Length: Adjustable

Samples: We made the Toddler, Kid, and Adult Small sizes.

Notes

Slip Stitches

Slip stitches purlwise unless specifically directed otherwise. When working a right-side row or round, slip the stitch with yarn in back. When working a wrong-side row, slip the stitch with yarn in front.

Color Dominance

For best results, float the CC under the MC throughout. If you knit with one color in each hand, hold the CC in your left hand and the MC in your right hand.

Make Bobble

With CC, knit in front and back (kfb) of next 2 stitches, turn work, purl 4, turn work, knit 4, turn work, purl 4, turn work, slip, slip, knit (ssk), knit 2 together (k2tog).

Corrugated Rib

(Worked over a multiple of 4 stitches)

Round 1: *P2 with MC, k2 with CC, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 for Corrugated Rib.

Pattern

Cuff

With Contrast Color (CC), cast 48 (56, 64, 72, 80) stitches onto smaller needles, dividing the stitches among 3 double pointed needles or arranging them on circular needles for Magic Loop. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Place unique marker for end of round and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Round 1: Purl to end of round.

Switch to larger needles and join Main Color (MC).

Round 2: *K2 with MC, k2 with CC, repeat from * to end of round (see Notes: Color Dominance for tips on carrying yarns).

Rounds 3-11: Work 9 rounds in Corrugated Rib (see Notes).

Round 12: *P2 with MC, make bobble with CC (see Notes), repeat from * to end of round.

Cut CC leaving a 6-inch tail.

Switch to smaller needles.

Round 13: *P2, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Rounds 14–18: Knit to end of round.

Heel Flap

Row 1 (right side): K24 (28, 32, 36, 40).

These 24 (28, 32, 36, 40) stitches are the beginning of the Heel Flap. For this section, you will work back and forth on just these stitches.

Arrange the Heel Flap stitches on one needle, and place the remaining 24 (28, 32, 36, 40) instep stitches on hold on two other needles or a stitch holder or scrap yarn. Work the following rows back and forth.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Notes), p22 (26, 30, 34, 38), slip 1.

Row 3: K24 (28, 32, 36, 40).

Row 4: Slip 1, p22 (26, 30, 34, 38), slip 1.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 eight (10, 11, 13, 14) more times.

Turn Heel

Row 1 (right side): K14 (16, 19, 21, 23), slip slip knit (ssk), k1, turn work. [23 (27, 31, 35, 39) Heel Flap stitches remain]

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, p5 (5, 7, 7, 7), purl 2 together (p2tog), p1, turn work. [22 (26, 30, 34, 38) Heel Flap stitches remain]

Row 3: Slip 1, knit to 1 stitch before gap, ssk (with stitch before and stitch after gap), k1, turn work. [1 stitch decreased]

Row 4: Slip 1, purl to 1 stitch before gap, p2tog (with stitch before and stitch after gap), p1, turn work. [1 stitch decreased]

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 two (3, 4, 5, 6) more times. [16 (18, 20, 22, 24) Heel Flap stitches remain]

Toddler + Kid Sizes Only

Next Row (right side): Slip 1, knit to 1 stitch before gap, ssk, turn work. [1 stitch decreased]

Next Row (wrong side): Slip 1, purl to 1 stitch before gap, p2tog, turn work. [14 (16, -, -, -) Heel Flap stitches remain]

Gusset

NOTE: To learn how to pick up and knit, visit our tutorial and scroll down to the Along A Vertical Edge: Stockinette Stitch section.

Set-Up Round: Slip 1, k13 (15, 19, 21, 23), with right side still facing you, pick up and knit 11 (13, 14, 16, 17) stitches along edge of Heel Flap at the rate of approximately 1 stitch for every 2 rows, place marker, knit 24 (28, 32, 36, 40) on-hold instep stitches, place marker, pick up and knit 11 (13, 14, 16, 17) stitches along second edge of Heel Flap, place unique marker for end of round. [60 (70, 80, 90, 98) stitches]

Round 1: Knit to 2 stitches before first marker, knit 2 together (k2tog), slip marker (sm), knit to next marker, sm, ssk, knit to end of round. [2 stitches decreased]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 five (6, 7, 8, 8) more times. [48 (56, 64, 72, 80) stitches remain]

Next Round: Remove marker at end of round, knit to next marker and replace it with unique marker for new end of round.

Foot

Work in stockinette stitch until sock measures 1½ (1½, 1¾, 2, 2¼) inches less than desired finished length, measuring from back of heel. Here are final Foot lengths for most sizes.

TODDLER SIZES

  • US size 3 shoe (European 18) = 4⅜ inches
  • US size 6 shoe (21) = 5¼ inches
  • US size 9 shoe (26) = 6¼ inches
  • US size 11 shoe (28) = 6⅞ inches
  • US size 121/2 shoe (31) = 7¼ inches
  • US size 131/2 shoe (32) = 7½ inches
  • US size 1Y shoe (32) = 7⅝ inches

KID SIZES

  • US size 2Y shoe (European 34) = 8 inches
  • US size 3Y shoe (35) = 8⅜ inches
  • US size 4Y shoe (36) = 8⅝ inches
  • US size 5Y shoe (37) = 9 inches
  • US size 6Y shoe (39) = 9¾ inches

WOMEN’S SIZES

  • US size 6 shoe (European 37) = 9 inches
  • US size 7 shoe (38) = 9¼ inches
  • US size 8 shoe (39) = 9⅝ inches
  • US size 9 shoe (40) = 10 inches

MEN’S SIZES

  • US size 9 shoe (European 42) = 10½ inches
  • US size 10 shoe (43) = 10¾ inches
  • US size 11 shoe (44) = 11 inches
  • US size 12 shoe (45) = 11½ inches
  • US size 13 shoe (46) = 11¾ inches

Toe

Round 1: *K1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before marker, k2tog, k1, repeat from * one more time. [4 stitches decreased]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 five (5, 6, 6, 7) more times. [24 (32, 36, 44, 48) stitches remain]

Repeat Round 1 only four (5, 6, 7, 8) times. [8 (12, 12, 16, 16) stitches remain]

Arrange remaining stitches on two needles, with instep stitches on one needle and sole stitches on the second needle. Graft remaining stitches with Kitchener Stitch.

Finishing

Weave in all ends, and then make another sock!

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks | Purl Soho
Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks | Purl Soho
Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks | Purl Soho