Hand-knit socks in incredible Nigh DK might be designed to keep feet cozy, but when you make them for someone you love, these Socks For Giving are particularly good at warming hearts, too!

Socks For Giving | Purl Soho

Straightforward and super classic, this pattern is perfect for novice sock knitters, walking you through the most common construction for socks in sizes from kid to adult. Simple, but in 100% cashmere, these socks knit up into a beautiful heirloom for anyone you have in mind, an incredibly special gift they will treasure.

Socks For Giving | Purl Soho

One hundred percent of the very best cashmere there is, Nigh DK is amazingly, wondrously soft and warm.

Socks For Giving | Purl Soho

The gentle halo of fibers floating above the fabric’s surface is characteristic of fine cashmere, catching the light and making your socks glow.

Socks For Giving | Purl Soho

In twenty-four beautiful colors, Nigh DK has the perfect hue whoever your socks are for. And you need just two skeins for the three smallest sizes or three skeins for the largest. Pick up your favorites and make some very special socks for someone very special!

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!

Socks For Giving | Purl Soho

Originally designed by Purl Soho designer Whitney Van Nes.

Please Note: If you’re looking for a woolier option for your socks, try our 100% Falkland Merino Wigeon for another beautiful choice!

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

Materials

Socks For Giving | Purl Soho
  • 2 (2, 2, 3) skein(s) of Purl Soho’s Nigh DK, 100% cashmere yarn. Each skein of this light worsted/dk weight yarn is approximately 199 yards/ 55 grams; approximately 230 (290, 385, 435) total yards required. We used Silver Dust, and Lilac Bloom.
  • A set of US 5 (3.75 mm) double pointed needles
  • A stitch marker

NOTE: Looking for a woolier option for your socks? Try our soft and squishy Wigeon, 100% fine Falkland merino wool. You will need approximately 1 (1-2, 2, 2) ball(s) of Wigeon, depending on the length of your socks, and a set of US 4 (3.5 mm) double pointed needles!

GAUGE

25 stitches and 34 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

SIZES

Kid/ Youth (Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large)

  • Finished Foot Circumference: 7 (8, 9, 10) inches
  • Finished Foot Length: Adjustable

NOTE: Choose a size that is approximately 1–2 inches smaller than the circumference of the wearer’s foot.

Samples: The Silver Dust pair are the Kid/ Youth size, and the Lilac Bloom pair (modeled) are an Adult Small.

NOTES

CONSTRUCTION

You will knit these socks from the Cuff down to the Toe. You will work in the round for the Cuff and Leg, and then work back and forth for the Heel Flap. You will shape the Heel with simple short rows, then pick up along the Heel Flap for the Gusset. Working in the round again, you will shape the Gusset and then knit the Foot, finishing with decreases for the Toe, which you close with Kitchener Stitch.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

SLIP STITCHES

Right-Side Rows: Slip stitches purlwise with yarn in back.

Wrong-Side Rows; Slip stitches purlwise with yarn in front.

PATTERN

CUFF

Cast on 44 (50, 56, 62) stitches and divide evenly among 3 double pointed needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Place 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 until Cuff measures 1½ inches from cast-on edge.

LEG

Knit every round until piece measures 7½ (7½, 8½, 8½) inches from cast-on edge.

HEEL FLAP

Set-Up Row 1 (right side): K11 (13, 14, 16), turn work.

Set-Up Row 2 (wrong side): P22 (26, 28, 32), removing end-of-round marker as you come to it, turn work.

Slip last 22 (26, 28, 32) stitches onto one needle for Heel Flap. Place remaining 22 (24, 28, 30) stitches on hold on another needle.

NOTE: You will now be working back and forth on just the 22 (26, 28, 32) Heel Flap stitches.

Row 1 (right side): *Slip 1 (see Special Instructions), k1, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Special Instructions), purl to end of row.

Repeat last two rows 10 (11, 12, 13) more times.

TURN HEEL

Still working back and forth in rows on Heel Flap stitches only . . .

Row 1 (right side): K12 (14, 16, 18), slip slip knit (ssk), k1, turn work. [21 (25, 27, 31) stitches remain for Heel Flap]

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, p3 (3, 5, 5), purl 2 together (p2tog), p1, turn work. [20 (24, 26, 30) stitches remain for Heel Flap]

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

Row 4: Slip 1, purl to 1 stitch before gap, p2tog, p1, turn work. [1 stitch decreased]

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 two (3, 3, 4) more times. [14 (16, 18, 20) stitches remain for Heel Flap]

Next Row: Slip 1, knit to 1 stitch before gap, ssk.

Next Row: Slip 1, purl to 1 stitch before gap, p2tog. [12 (14, 16, 18) stitches remain for Heel Flap]

Partial Row (right side): K6 (7, 8, 9) place marker for end of round. Do not turn.

GUSSET

NOTE: You will now resume working in the round.

Set-Up Round: With a new needle (Needle 1), k6 (7, 8, 9), pick up 13 (14, 15, 16) stitches along Heel Flap (including an extra stitch before and after Flap); with another new needle (Needle 2), knit across 22 (24, 28, 30) on-hold stitches; with another new needle (Needle 3), pick up 13 (14, 15, 16) stitches along other side of Heel Flap (including an extra stitch before and after of Flap) and k6 (7, 8, 9) to end of round. [60 (66, 74, 80) total stitches: 19 (21, 23, 25) stitches each on Needles 1 and 3; 22 (24, 28, 30) stitches on Needle 2]

Round 1: For Needle 1, knit to last 3 stitches, knit 2 together (k2tog), k1; for Needle 2, knit to end of needle; for Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to end of round. [2 stitches decreased]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 seven (7, 8, 8) more times. [44 (50, 56, 62) stitches remain: 11 (13, 14, 16) stitches each on Needles 1 and 3; 22 (24, 28, 30) stitches on Needle 2]

FOOT

Knit evenly until piece measures 1½ (1¾, 2¼, 2½) inches less than desired final length, measuring from back edge of Heel.

Here’s a guide to Foot lengths based on shoe size . . .

KID/ YOUTH SIZES

  • US size 4Y shoe (36) = 8¾ 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
  • US size 10 shoe (41) = 10⅜ 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: For Needle 1, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1; for Needle 2, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1; for Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to end of round. [4 stitches decreased]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 three (4, 6, 7) more times. [28 (30, 28, 30) stitches remain]

Repeat Round 1 five more times. [8 (10, 8, 10) stitches remain]

KID/ YOUTH + ADULT MEDIUM SIZES ONLY

With Needle 3, knit 2 stitches from Needle 1, so there are 4 stitches each on Needles 2 and 3.

ADULT SMALL + ADULT LARGE SIZES ONLY

With Needle 3, knit 2 stitches from Needle 1, then slip last stitch from Needle 1 to Needle 2, so there are 5 stitches each on Needles 2 and 3.

FINISHING

NOTE: For help with Kitchener Stitch visit our tutorial at purlsoho.com/create/kitchener-stitch-video

Cut yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail, and graft Toe together using Kitchener Stitch.

Weave in all ends, then make another identical sock and gently wet block them both!

Socks For Giving | Purl Soho
Socks For Giving | Purl Soho

Learn About Nigh DK + All Our Beautiful Yarns

Cast on for this project in Nigh DK and knit an heirloom! The most amazingly soft and incredibly feather-light fiber you can imagine, this 100% Mongolian cashmere yarn is spun in four even plies that knit into a beautiful, even fabric with a soft halo that floats above the fabric’s surface, a distinctive characteristic of fine cashmere yarns. A light worsted/DK-weight yarn, Nigh DK is thin enough to feel streamlined and elegant and thick enough to feel substantial. Pick up a gorgeous color (or two!) and have a truly extraordinary knitting experience!

More Free Knitting Patterns

More Light Worsted/ DK-Weight Yarns

More Yarns With Similar Fiber

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!