All party and no pomp, our Pom Pom Socklets are happy to walk a mile in your shoes!

Pom Pom Socklets In New Yarn + Sizes | Purl Soho

To knit these cuties, you follow a basic cuff-down sock pattern, getting right to the action of turning the heel after just a few rounds of ribbing and stockinette for the ankle. A hop, skip, and a jump and it’s time for those colorful little pom poms that add panache but also prevent your socks from slipping down inside your shoes… plucky, pretty, and practical, too! 

Pom Pom Socklets In New Yarn + Sizes | Purl Soho

We knit up these socklets in our hand-dyed Posy, a super soft machine washable blend of 75% superwash merino, 15% cashmere, and 10% nylon. Posy’s ten new colors are an earthy rainbow that adds depth and complexity to our existing palette, so mix and match to your heart’s content! 

Pom Pom Socklets In New Yarn + Sizes | Purl Soho

For adult sizes, you’ll need just one skein of your contrast color and two of the main, and for toddler and kid sizes, just one of each. If it’s the little things in life that bring happiness, our Pom Pom Socklets are just the little thing to put some spring in your step this spring!

Pom Pom Socklets In New Yarn + Sizes | Purl Soho

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

Materials

Pom Pom Socklets In New Yarn + Sizes | 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 (159, 210, 260, 315) yards required
    • Contrast Color (CC): 1 skein; approximately 82 (85, 87, 89, 91) yards required
  • A set of US 2 (3 mm) double pointed needles
  • Stitch markers, including one unique
  • Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, size Small + Large

For our socks, we used…

  • Toddler size: MC, Winter Sky, CC, Blue Bayou
  • Kid size: MC, Pink Nectar, CC, Pink Smoke
  • Adult Small size: MC, Tawny Gold, CC, Amber Orange

GAUGE

32 stitches and 40 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

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.

NOTE

SLIPPED STITCHES

On right side rows, slip stitches purlwise with yarn in back.

On wrong side rows, slip stitches purlwise with yarn in front.

PATTERN

CUFF

With Contrast Color (CC), cast on 48 (56, 64, 72, 80) stitches and divide among 3 double pointed needles. 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: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 five more times.

Change to Main Color (MC) and knit 3 rounds even.

HEEL FLAP

Row 1 (right side): K12 (14, 16, 18, 20) and turn so purl side of work is facing you.

Row 2 (wrong side): P24 (28, 32, 36, 40), removing marker as you come to it.

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

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

Row 3: *Slip 1 (see Notes), k1, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 4: Slip 1 (see Notes), purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 eleven (13, 15, 17, 19) more times, until piece measures approximately 3½ (4, 4¼, 4¾, 5) inches from cast-on edge.

TURN HEEL

Row 1 (right side): K13 (15, 17, 19, 21),  slip slip knit (ssk), k1, turn work. [23 (27, 31, 35, 39) Heel Flap stitches remain]

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, p3, 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 three (4, 5, 6, 7) more times. [14 (16, 18, 20, 22) 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 (right side): K14 (16, 18, 20, 22), with right side facing you, pick up and knit 13 (15, 17, 19, 21) stitches along edge of Heel Flap, place marker (pm), knit 24 (28, 32, 36, 40) on-hold instep stitches, pm, with right side facing you, pick up and knit 13 (15, 17, 19, 21) stitches along second edge of Heel Flap, place unique marker for end of round. [64 (74, 84, 94, 104) 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 seven (8, 9, 10, 11) 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 Foot measures 1½ (1¾, 2, 2½, 2¾) 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, sm, k1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before marker, k2tog, k1. [4 stitches decreased]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 five (6, 7, 8, 9) more times. [24 (28, 32, 36, 40) total stitches remain]

Repeat Round 1 three (4, 5, 6, 7) more times. [12 total 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.

POM POMS

MAKE POM POM

If you’re using Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, use the Small Pom Pom Maker and the 1½ inch Trim Guide to make a pom pom with CC yarn. Follow the basic instructions for a Solid Pom Pom found in our Pom Pom Tutorial.

ATTACH POM POM

Thread each pom pom tail separately through the sock to the inside at the base of the ribbed cuff. Tie the tails into a knot, thread the tails back through the sock and up through the pom pom itself, and trim them flush with the pom pom.

FINISHING

Weave in the ends, and then make another sock.

Gently wet block, flat.

Pom Pom Socklets In New Yarn + Sizes | Purl Soho
Pom Pom Socklets In New Yarn + Sizes | Purl Soho