House Socks | Purl Soho

You wake for the day, and there’s a chill to the air. This is the moment where handknit socks really shine. Our House Socks, designed by Fiona Alice, are a soft and cozy solution to the daily dilemma: it’s too cold to get out of bed!

House Socks | Purl Soho

Fiona knit these socks from the toe up, with a twisted rib that makes them extra stretchy and squishy. She adds in simple cables and fun wrapped stitches, resulting in a wonderfully engaging knit!

House Socks | Purl Soho

Our beautiful Morning is a special blend of 75% organically grown cotton and 25% yak. The cotton lends strength and extra moisture-wicking abilities, while the yak gives warmth and elasticity. Toss in the wonderful softness of both these fibers, and you have a super cozy pair of socks!

House Socks | Purl Soho

A light worsted (or DK) weight, this yarn makes for slightly thicker socks that don’t take an eternity to knit. Whip up a pair (or two!) in any of our up-with-the-sun colors, and solve your morning dilemma with Morning!

House Socks | Purl Soho

Designed for Purl Soho by Fiona Alice. Fiona is a knitwear designer, originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, who now calls Finland home. In between exploring Helsinki by bike and gardening at her local park, Fiona collaborates on her beautiful patterns with publishers, yarn companies, and independent dyers. More of her work can be found at www.fionaalice.com.

House Socks | Purl Soho
House Socks | Purl Soho

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

Materials

House Socks | Purl Soho
  • 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Morning, 75% organically grown cotton and 25% yak. Each skein is 191 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 250 (270, 300) total yards required. We used Grassland Gray and Yellow Apple.
  • US 1.5 (2.75 mm), 32-inch circular needles for Magic Loop OR a set of US 1.5 double pointed needles
  • US 2 (3 mm), 32-inch circular needles for Magic Loop OR a set of US 2 double pointed needles
  • A stitch marker
  • A small crochet hook and scrap yarn (for Provisional Cast On)
  • A cable stitch holder
  • Optional: A spare circular or double pointed needle for Long-Tail Tubular Bind Off

GAUGE

34 stitches and 36 rounds = 4 inches in Twisted Rib (see Notes) on smaller needles

26 stitches and 36 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on smaller needles

SIZES

Adult Small (Medium, Large)

Finished Foot Circumference: 7¼ (8½, 9½) inches, comfortably stretching up to 2 inches

Finished Foot Length: Adjustable

Samples: The Grassland Gray pair is an Adult Small, and the Yellow Apple pair is an Adult Medium.

NOTES

CONSTRUCTION

You will knit these socks from the toe up and in the round.

DOUBLE POINTED NEEDLES OR MAGIC LOOP

This pattern includes instructions for both double pointed needles and the Magic Loop technique. Choose whichever method you prefer, and for more help, visit either our Double Pointed Needles Tutorial or our Magic Loop one. Want to work both socks at once with Magic Loop? We have a tutorial for that, too!

TWISTED RIB (For Gauge Swatch)

Note: We accidentally posted this gauge swatch instruction with ‘p1 tbl’ instead of ‘p1’. We’re so sorry for any trouble this has caused!

Worked over an even multiple of stitches, in the round.

Round 1: *K1 through the back loop (tbl), p1, repeat from * to end of row.

Repeat Round 1 for pattern.

SLIP STITCHES

Slip all slip stitches purlwise unless directed otherwise.

CROSS STITCHES

1/2 RTC (RIGHT TWISTED CROSS)

Slip next 2 stitches onto cable stitch holder and hold to back of work, k1 through back loop (tbl) from left needle, then [p1, k1 tbl] from cable stitch holder.

1/2 LTC (LEFT TWISTED CROSS)

Slip next stitch onto cable stitch holder and hold to front of work, [k1 tbl, p1] from left needle, then k1 tbl from cable stitch holder.

PATTERN

UPDATE November 28, 2022: If you’ve previously cast on for the Adult Large size, please note that we have since made corrections to errors in the Gusset and Heel of that size. For the full errata, please visit our Knitting Errata page.

TOE

CAST ON

DOUBLE POINTED NEEDLES (DPNs)

With scrap yarn, use a Provisional Cast On to cast 26 (30, 34) stitches onto smaller double pointed needles, dividing the stitches among 4 double pointed needles. [7 (8, 9) stitches on Needle A; 6 (7, 8) stitches on Needle B; 7 (8, 9) stitches on Needle C; 6 (7, 8) stitches on Needle D]

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

MAGIC LOOP

With scrap yarn, use a Provisional Cast On to cast 7 (8, 9) stitches onto smaller circular needles, place marker (pm), cast on 13 (15, 17) stitches, pm, cast on 6 (7, 8) stitches, divide stitches in half onto ends of needles. [26 (30, 34) stitches total stitches: 13 (15, 17) stitches on each needle]

NOTE: The front needle holds Needle A and B stitches, separated by a stitch marker, and the back needle holds Needle C and D stitches, separated by a stitch marker. [Front Needle: 7 (8, 9) Needle A stitches and 6 (7, 8) Needle B stitches; Back Needle: 7 (8, 9) Needle C stitches and 6 (7, 8) Needle D stitches]

Get ready to join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

INCREASE: DPNS + MAGIC LOOP

Join main yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail, and with smaller needles…

Round 1: Knit to end of round.

Increase Round: For Needle A, k1, make 1 right (m1R), knit to end of needle; for Needle B, knit to last stitch, make 1 left (m1L), k1; for Needle C, k1, m1R, knit to end of needle; for Needle D, knit to last stitch, m1L, k1. [4 stitches increased]

Next Round: Knit to end of round.

Repeat last two rounds 6 (7, 8) more times. [54 (62, 70) total stitches; 14 (16, 18) stitches each on Needles A and C; 13 (15, 17) stitches each on Needles B and D]

FOOT

Round 1: For Needles A and B, *k1 through back loop (tbl), p1, repeat from * to last stitch on Needle B, k1 tbl; knit across Needles C and D.

Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 7¼ (8, 8¾) inches from cast-on edge, or 2 (2¼, 2½) inches less than desired length from Toe to back of Heel.

NOTE: It is always best to measure the foot length of the intended wearer. If you don’t have that measurement, here are some guidelines for the length from Toe to back of Heel, based on shoe size.

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

GUSSET

Increase Round: For Needles A and B, *k1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to last stitch on Needle B, k1 tbl; for Needle C, k1, m1R, knit to end of needle; for Needle D, knit to last stitch, m1L, k1. [2 stitches increased]

Next Round: For Needles A and B, *k1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to last stitch on Needle B, k1 tbl; knit across Needles C and D.

Repeat last two rounds 8 (9, 11) more times. [72 (82, 94) total stitches: 14 (16, 18) stitches on Needle A; 13 (15, 17) stitches on Needle B; 23 (26, 30) stitches on Needle C, 22 (25, 29) stitches on Needle D]

Next Row (partial row): For Needles A and B, *k1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to last stitch on Needle B, k1 tbl.

HEEL

NOTE: You will work the Heel back and forth in rows on Needles C and D only.

Row 1 (right side): K24 (30, 34), slip slip knit (ssk), k1, turn work.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Notes) with yarn in front (wyif), p4 (10, 10), purl 2 together (p2tog), p1, turn work.

Row 3: Slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), [k1 tbl, p1] 2 (5, 5) times, k1 tbl, ssk, k1, turn work.

Row 4: Slip 1 wyif, p1, [p1 tbl, k1] 2 (5, 5) times, p1 tbl, p2tog, p1, turn work.

Row 5: Slip 1 wyib, [p1, k1 tbl] 3 (6, 6) times, p1, ssk, k1, turn work.

Row 6: Slip 1 wyif, p1, [k1, p1 tbl] 3 (6, 6) times, k1, p2tog, p1, turn work.

Row 7: Slip 1 wyib, *k1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to 2 stitches before gap caused by last turn, k1 tbl, ssk (with stitch before and after gap), k1, turn work.

Row 8: Slip 1 wyif, p1, *p1 tbl, k1, repeat from * to 2 stitches before gap, p1 tbl, p2tog (with stitch before and after gap), p1, turn work.

Row 9: Slip 1 wyib, *p1, k1 tbl, repeat from * to 2 stitches before gap, p1, ssk, k1, turn work.

Row 10: Slip 1 wyif, p1, *k1, p1 tbl, repeat from * to 2 stitches before gap, k1, p2tog, p1, turn work.

Repeat Rows 7-10 two (2, 3) more times. [27 (33, 37) stitches on Needles C and D]

Repeat Rows 7 and 8 one more time. [25 (31, 35) stitches on Needles C and D]

ALL SIZES

Next Round (partial round, right side): Slip 1 wyib, *p1, k1 tbl, repeat from * to end of Needle D, m1L in gap between end of Needle D and beginning of Needle A. [1 stitch increased]

LEG

Continuing in the round with the right side facing you…

Round 1: For Needles A and B, *k1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to last stitch on Needle B, k1 tbl, m1R in gap between end of Needle B and beginning of Needle C; for Needles C and D, *k1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to end of round. [54 (64, 72) total stitches: 14 (16, 18) stitches each on Needles A and B, 13 (16, 18) stitches on Needles C and D.]

Round 2: *K1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 2 until Leg measures 1 inch from top of Heel.

Change to larger needles.

SMALL + LARGE SIZES ONLY

Odd Rounds 1-13: K1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 2: *[K1 tbl, p1] 2 times, 1/2 RTC (see Notes), p1, k1 tbl, p1, 1/2 LTC (see Notes), [p1, k1tbl] 2 times, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 4: *K1 tbl, p1, 1/2 RTC, [p1, k1 tbl] 3 times, p1, 1/2 LTC, p1, k1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 6: *[1/2 RTC, p1] 2 times, k1 tbl, p1, [1/2 LTC, p1] 2 times, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 8: Repeat Round 4.

Round 10: Repeat Round 6.

Round 12: Repeat Round 4.

Round 14: *1/2 RTC, [p1, k1 tbl] 5 times, p1, 1/2 LTC, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 15: *Slip 1 wyib, bring yarn forward, slip stitch back to left needle, slip same stitch wyib, [p1, k1 tbl] 7 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, bring yarn forward, slip stitch back to left needle, slip same stitch wyib, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

MEDIUM SIZE ONLY

Odd Rounds 1-13: *K1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 2: *[K1 tbl, p1] 2 times, 1/2 RTC (see Notes), p1, 1/2 LTC (see Notes), [p1, k1tbl] 2 times, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 4: *K1 tbl, p1, 1/2 RTC, [p1, k1 tbl] 2 times, p1, 1/2 LTC, p1, k1 tbl, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 6: *[1/2 RTC, p1] 2 times, [1/2 LTC, p1] 2 times, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 8: Repeat Round 4.

Round 10: Repeat Round 6.

Round 12: Repeat Round 4.

Round 14: *1/2 RTC, [p1, k1 tbl] 4 times, p1, 1/2 LTC, p1, repeat from * to end of round. 

Round 15: * Slip 1 wyib, bring yarn forward, slip stitch back to left needle, slip same stitch wyib, [p1, k1 tbl] 6 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, bring yarn forward, slip stitch back to left needle, slip same stitch wyib, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

CUFF

Switch to smaller needles.

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

Repeat Round 1 five more times.

Bind off using a Long-Tail Tubular Bind Off (and omitting Set-Up Round 2) or, for an easier finish, bind off loosely in pattern.

FINISHING

Carefully unravel Provisional Cast-On and slip live stitches onto two needles, with top-of-foot stitches on one needle and sole stitches on the other. [13 (15, 17) stitches per needle]

Graft Toe closed, using 10-inch tail and Kitchener Stitch.

Weave in ends, closing any gaps if necessary, and block as desired.

House Socks | Purl Soho
House Socks | Purl Soho