Little Cable Knee Highs in Posy
Hand knit socks are such a joy, why should they stop at the ankles? Cast on our Little Cable Knee Highs and keep on knitting… all the way up to your knees!
Using a provisional cast on at the toes, we knit these socks from there up, working a short row heel and adding a charming cable up the back of the leg. Then we top it all off with a healthy dose of ribbing to help keep these beauties in place!
A wonderful first-cable project, there’s nothing complicated about these, and to give your confidence a little boost, we even have a cable tutorial to walk you through it step-by-step!
The most beautiful sock yarn to cover your legs in? Our hand-dyed Posy, of course! A super soft blend of 75% superwash merino, 15% cashmere, and 10% nylon, Posy is machine wash- and dry-able… And can withstand sliding in and out of boots all winter long!
For all its strength and durability, Posy sacrifices not a jot of beauty. It’s petal-soft and every color glows, each with the subtle variation we love in a hand-dyed yarn.
Pick Snapdragon Pink like we did and think ahead to the blooms of spring, or relish winter’s chill with the cool blues of Posy’s palette. Either way, cast on and your feet (and legs) will thank you!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoLittleCableKneeHighs, and #PurlSohoPosy. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 4 (5, 5) skeins of Purl Soho’s Posy, 75% superwash merino, 15% cashmere, and 10% nylon. Each skein is approximately 159 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 605 (700, 795) total yards required. We used Snapdragon Pink.
- A set of US 2 (3 mm) double pointed needles (or long US 2 circular needles for Magic Loop)
- A cable stitch holder
- A small crochet hook and scrap yarn (for Provisional Cast On)
GAUGE
33 stitches and 42 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZES
Adult Small (Medium, Large)
- Finished Foot Circumference: 7¼ (8¼, 9¼) inches (unstretched)
- Finished Calf Circumference (at widest): 9¼ (10¼, 11¼) inches (unstretched)
- Finished Foot Length: Adjustable
- Finished Height from Heel to Top of Cuff (unfolded): 22 inches (unblocked)
SAMPLE: We knit the Adult Medium.
NOTES
CONSTRUCTION
You will work these socks from Toe up, starting with a provisional cast on. You will increase for Toe, work Foot even, increase for Gusset, turn the Heel, work Heel Flap flat, work Leg even, and finally work Cuff in 2×2 rib.
YARN OVERS
Work all yarn overs (yo) through the back loop as you come to them.
SHORT ROWS: WRP-T (WRAP AND TURN)
NOTE For our step-by-step video tutorial of how to work this technique, including how to work wrapped stitches with their wraps, please visit our Short Rows: Wrap + Turn Tutorial.
On the right side: Keeping yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to front. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to back. Turn work so wrong side is facing you.
On the wrong side: Keeping yarn in front, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to back. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to front. Turn work so right side is facing you.
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.
C2F (Cable 2 Front)
Slip 2 stitches purlwise onto cable stitch holder and hold in front of work, k2, then k2 from cable stitch holder.
Our Cable Tutorial shows you the basic steps of working a cable. The cable in the tutorial requires you to slip 3 stitches instead of 2, but the concept is the same!
PATTERN
TOE
Using a Provisional Cast On, and leaving a 10-inch tail for finishing, cast 8 (8, 8) stitches onto one double pointed needle.
Set-Up Row: K4 onto Needle 1, k2 onto Needle 2, k2 onto Needle 3.
NOTE: Prefer to use Magic Loop? Distribute the stitches equally between the two ends of your circular needles instead! Just remember that the front needle holds the Needle 1 stitches, and the back needle holds the Needle 2 and 3 stitches. Place a stitch marker in the middle of the back needle stitches to distinguish between Needles 2 and 3. For more help with Magic Loop, visit our tutorial here (or here for how to work 2 pieces at a time)!
Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Increase Round: For Needle 1, k1, yarn over (yo), knit to last stitch, yo, k1; for Needle 2, k1, yo, knit to end of needle; for Needle 3, knit to last stitch, yo, k1. [4 stitches increased]
NOTE: Remember in next rounds and throughout pattern to work yarn overs through the back loop as you come to them.
Repeat Increase Round 4 (8, 12) more times. [28 (44, 60) total stitches]
Next Round: Knit to end of round.
Next Round: Repeat Increase Round. [4 stitches increased]
Repeat last two rounds 7 (5, 3) more times. [60 (68, 76) total stitches: 30 (34, 38) stitches on Needle 1; 15 (17, 19) stitches each on Needles 2 and 3]
FOOT
Knit every round until piece measures 6 (6¾, 7½) inches from cast-on edge, or 2½ (2¾, 3) 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 to 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
Round 1: For Needle 1, knit to end of needle; for Needle 2, k1, yo, knit to end of needle; for Needle 3, knit to last stitch, yo, k1. [2 stitches increased]
Round 2: Knit to end of round, remembering to knit the yarn overs through the back loop.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 eight more times. [78 (86, 94) total stitches: 30 (34, 38) stitches on Needle 1; 24 (26, 28) stitches each on Needles 2 and 3]
Next Row (partial row): For Needle 1, knit to end of needle.
TURN HEEL
NOTE In this section you will be working back and forth in short rows, turning the work partway through each row. For extra help, see Notes. Remember in this section to knit yarn overs through the back loop!
Short Row 1 (right side): For Needle 2, knit to end of needle; for Needle 3, k7 (9, 11), yo, k1, wrap and turn (wrp-t, see Notes).
Short Row 2 (wrong side): P16 (20, 24), yo, p1, wrp-t.
Short Row 3: K14 (18, 22), yo, k1, wrp-t.
Short Row 4: P12 (16, 20), yo, p1, wrp-t.
ADULT LARGE ONLY
Short Row 5: K18, yo, k1, wrp-t.
Short Row 6: P16, yo, p1, wrp-t.
ADULT MEDIUM + LARGE ONLY
Next Short Row: K14, yo, k1, wrp-t.
Next Short Row: P12, yo, p1, wrp-t.
ALL SIZES
Next Short Row: K10, yo, k1, wrp-t.
Next Short Row: P8, yo, p1, wrp-t.
Next Short Row: K6, yo, k1, wrp-t.
Next Short Row: P4, yo, p1, wrp-t.
NOTE You will now briefly resume working in the round.
Next Round (right side): Knit to end of Needle 3, working wrapped stitches with their wraps (see Notes); do not turn. For Needle 1, knit to end of needle; for Needle 2, knit to end of needle. [86 (96, 106) total stitches: 30 (34, 38) stitches on Needle 1; 28 (31, 34) stitches each on Needles 2 and 3]
HEEL FLAP
NOTE You will work the Heel Flap using short rows, but not wrap and turns. Here, you will simply turn the work before the end of each row. You will be working back and forth on Needles 2 and 3 only, starting at the beginning of Needle 3.
Set-Up Row (partial row, right side): For Needle 3, k14 (16, 18), slip slip knit (ssk), turn work so wrong side is facing you. [55 (61, 67) stitches]
Short Row 1 (wrong side): Working just the stitches on Needles 2 and 3, slip 1 (see Notes), p28 (32, 36), purl 2 together (p2tog), turn. [54 (60, 66) stitches]
Short Row 2 (right side): *Slip 1, k1, repeat from * to 2 stitches before the gap (the gap is where you turned the work on the previous right-side row), slip 1, ssk (the 2 stitches on either side of the gap), turn work. [1 stitch decreased]
Short Row 3: Slip 1, purl to 1 stitch before the gap (the gap is where you turned the work on the previous wrong-side row), p2tog (the 2 stitches on either side of the gap), turn work. [1 stitch decreased]
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 eleven (12, 13) more times. [30 (34, 38) Heel Flap stitches remain: 15 (17, 19) stitches each on Needles 2 and 3]
Next Row (right side): For Needle 2, *slip 1, k1, repeat from * to last stitch on needle, slip 1; for Needle 3, *k1, slip 1, repeat from * to last stitch on needle, k1.
Join, again, for working in the round.
LEG
Set-Up Round 1: For Needle 1, knit to end of needle; for Needle 2, knit to last 3 stitches, p1, k2; for Needle 3, k2, p1, slip these 3 stitches to Needle 2, knit to end of round. [60 (68, 76) total stitches: 30 (34, 38) stitches on Needle 1; 18 (20, 22) stitches on Needle 2; 12 (14, 16) stitches on Needle 3]
Set-Up Round 2: For Needle 1, knit to end of needle; for Needle 2, knit to last 6 stitches, p1, k4, p1; for Needle 3, knit to end of round.
Round 1 (Cable Round): For Needle 1, knit to end of needle; for Needle 2, knit to last 6 stitches, p1, C2F (see Notes), p1; for Needle 3, knit to end of round.
Round 2: For Needle 1, knit to end of needle; for Needle 2, knit to last 6 stitches, p1, k4, p1; for Needle 3, knit to end of round.
Rounds 3 and 4: Repeat Round 2.
Repeat Rounds 1–4 eight more times.
**Increase Round (Cable Round): For Needle 1, knit to end of needle; for Needle 2, knit to last 7 stitches, make 1 right (m1r), k1, p1, C2F, p1; for Needle 3, k1, make 1 left (m1l), knit to end of round. [2 stitches increased]
Repeat Round 2 three more times.
Repeat Rounds 1-4 twice.
Repeat from ** 7 more times. [76 (84, 92) total stitches: 30 (34, 38) stitches on Needle 1; 26 (28, 30) stitches on Needle 2; 20 (22, 24) stitches on Needle 3]
Repeat Rounds 1-4 four more times, then repeat Rounds 1-3 one more time.
CUFF
Round 1: *K2, p2, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Round 1 until ribbing measures 5 inches.
Bind off loosely in pattern.
FINISHING
Carefully unravel Provisional Cast-On and slip live stitches onto two needles, 4 stitches per needle (top-of-foot stitches on one needle and sole stitches on the other). Graft toe closed using cast-on tail and Kitchener Stitch.
Weave in all ends, and then make another sock. Gently wet block both socks, and you’re done!
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Looks like a heel flap and not a short row heel.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for writing in! This sock does indeed have a heel flap as part of its construction, but that heel flap is actually created using short rows! If you’d like to get a sense of how this is done, I’d recommend taking a look at the HEEL FLAP section in the pattern. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Piekne są, bardzo. Chętnie bym zrobila ale nie wiem czy zrozumiem opisy.
Hi Alina,
Thanks for reaching out, although I’m sorry to hear that you’re having trouble understanding the pattern! I’d recommend taking a look at our Reading A Knitting Pattern tutorial, which includes many helpful tips. If you’re still running into trouble, you can also reach out to us at [email protected], and we can give you more detailed assistance!
All the best,
Lili
Hi,
This knee sock is gorgeous! I have loved knee socks since I was a child & have wanted to learn how to make my own.
Are there any suggestions for making the calves larger? I have always had large calves & most knee socks won’t fit. :- (
Hi Lu,
Thanks for reaching out. To make the calves larger, I would recommend working more increase rounds as you knit up the leg! The great thing about socks is that you can always try them on as you go, so I’d recommend trying it on periodically to tailor the fit to your own legs. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
What size should I knit for a size 7 shoe? Small? Medium?
Thanks for your advice!
Hi Randa,
Thanks for writing in! We recommend going by the recipient’s foot and calf circumference if you can find out what that is for the most accurate fit. If you aren’t able to get that number though, the average foot circumference of a size 7 shoe looks to be about 9 inches. I would recommend the adult medium in this case.
I hope that helps, but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Zha Zha
I have a question about the needle size. The pattern says US 2, which is 2.75mm, but the mm listed is for a US 2.5. Which should I use?
Thank you!
Hi Nichole,
Thanks so much for your question! Actually, both 3.0mm and 2.75mm technically count as size US 2 needles, so I would recommend going with what the pattern suggests for this yarn. It looks like the recommended needles for this project are 3.0mm so I would suggest using those! I hope this helps!
All the best,
Cat
I am having a difficult time with the pattern. I have some residual problems from a head injury and can’t seem to comprehend the toe up. How can I convert this pattern to a top down which I don’t seem to have an issue with. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Kristi,
Thanks for reaching out. I’m afraid that we don’t have the time and resources to rewrite this pattern, but I’d recommend instead checking out some of our two-down sock patterns! Our Perfect Fit Socks are a great simple top-down pattern, and you could modify them by adding a cable down the back.
All the best,
Lili
I have reached the Turn Heel section of the sock. I don’t understand why there are so many “yo”s. Why am I asked to make these extra stitches? I don’t think that I want/need more stitches than I had in the foot section. And I don’t see a line in the pattern where these extra stitches are decreased. Can you clarify please?
I look forward to your help. Thanks.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out. The yarn overs in this part of the pattern are used to increase the width of the heel as you turn it! Because this sock pattern is knit toe-up, you’ll need to add stitches in this section (rather than decreasing, like you might be used to from top-down sock patterns), so that the heel shaping comes out correct. I hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Any recommendations for yarn since the Posy is no longer available?
Hi Melia,
Thank you for reaching out! I’d recommend Quartz for this pattern instead. One thing I do want to mention though is that Quartz is not machine washable, so that’s something to keep in mind. While we unfortunately don’t have a yarn very similar to Posy at the moment, I want to assure you that new sock yarns are in development! Our hope is to have a replacement soon that everyone will love just as much (if not more!) than Posy. I hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
Hi! I would really like to make these socks for my granddaughter. Do you know how I could modify the pattern?
Thanks’
Hi Angela,
Thanks for reaching out. I’m afraid that modifying this pattern for a smaller size would be pretty difficult, and we don’t have the time and resources to do so. Instead though, I’d recommend instead checking out some of our other sock patterns that do include children’s sizes!
All the best,
Lili
What degree of negative ease do these have? I have a 9″ circumference foot but a calf circumference of 14″, so I am a little torn between a medium and a large. Or, make a medium foot and increase the calf to the large?
Hi Aimee,
Thanks for writing in! I’d say that socks should generally fit with just a few inches of negative ease. It’s definitely better to have more negative ease around the calf though, so that they don’t fall down! I think that you can knit the Large size with no modifications, since it will still fit with a small amount of negative ease around the foot. Or if you want a tighter sock, then you can knit the Medium and increase the width of the calf. Either way will be a good fit, just slightly different!
All the best,
Lili
I have a 9 1/2 inch at the ball of my foot and 15 inches ( just Shy) Recommended size to knit?
Hi Mendy,
Thanks for writing in! Can you please let me know what the 15-inch measurement is?
All the best,
Lili