Fun Striped Socks

Striped sock people have more fun… And striped socks are more fun to knit, too! Live it up with our aptly named Fun Striped Socks pattern in our new printed sock yarn, Fine Print!

Super straightforward, you’ll knit these cheery socks from the top down, all in two-row stripes except for the cuff, heel, and toe. The shift from the ribbed calf and ankle to the stockinette foot is a bit of form-meets-function… Stretchy ribbing keeps your socks from sliding down your leg, while smooth stockinette is more comfortable on your feet!

The heel is a simple little flap and gusset number, with cushy, durable slipped stitches to hug your foot. If you’re new to sock knitting, you’re in for some knitting magic, and our clear instructions will make sure you get the trick!

A classic sock yarn, Fine Print is springy, durable, and incredibly soft. It’s 75% superwash wool and 25% nylon, with a round, 4-ply structure strong enough to last through daily wear and many trips through the washer and dryer without wearing out or pilling. Nice!

The semi-solid quality of the vibrant, fruity colors comes from hand printing the dye onto the base. With lovely variations in the color, each stitch is a delightful, little surprise, and different colors of Fine Print melt together beautifully!

Comfy and practical? Check. Easy to knit? Check. Totally joyful to make and wear? Absolutely! Combine two 50-gram balls of Fine Print to make your own pair of Fun Striped Socks… So many happy pairings await!

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, Gianna Mueller. See more of Gianna’s designs on her Instagram!

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

Materials

• Purl Soho’s Fine Print, 75% superwash wool and 25% nylon. Each ball of this fingering-weight yarn is approximately 218 yards/ 50 grams.
  • Main Color (MC): 1 (1, 1, 2, 2) ball(s); approximately 105 (160, 205, 245, 305) total yards required
  • Contrast Color (CC): 1 ball; approximately 60 (105, 145, 175, 215) total yards required
• A set of US 1 (2.5 mm) double pointed needles
• Stitch markers, including one unique
• Stitch holders or scrap yarn

We knit the following sizes and colors…

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SMALL KID: MC Bright Turquoise + CC Sunflower Yellow

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BIG KID: MC Candy Apple + CC Tropical Pink

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ADULT SMALL: MC Cricket Green + CC Pink Apricot

GAUGE

36 stitches and 48 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

SIZES

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

• Finished Foot Circumference: 5 (6, 7, 8, 9) inches unstretched, comfortably stretching 1–2 inches
• Finished Leg Circumference: 3¾ (4½, 5, 5¾, 6½) inches unstretched, comfortably stretching 2–4 inches
• Finished Foot Length: Adjustable

NOTES

CARRYING UP YARN

For tips on carrying up the non-working yarn while working stripes in the round, please visit our Stripes In The Round Tutorial and scroll down to the Carrying Up The Yarn video. (Note that we do not recommend working Jogless Stripes for this pattern, which is also featured in our Stripes In the Round tutorial. This is because jogless stripes shift the end of the round, which needs to stay stationary for this pattern.)

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

LEG

With Main Color (MC), cast 46 (54, 64, 72, 82) stitches onto three double pointed needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Distribute the stitches as equally as possible on the needles, and place a unique marker for end of round. Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

NOTE: Prefer to use Magic Loop? Distribute the stitches equally between 2 needles instead! Just remember that the front needle holds the Needle 1 stitches, and the back needle holds the Needle 2 and 3 stitches. You can place a stitch marker in the middle of the back needle stitches to distinguish between Needles 2 and 3. For more help, visit our Magic Loop Tutorial (or our Magic Loop: Two At A Time Tutorial for how to work 2 socks at a time)!

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

Continue in 1×1 rib, repeating last round 11 more times.

Join Contrast Color (CC).

Continuing in 1×1 rib as established and carrying up non-working yarn (see Notes) between stripes…

With CC, work 2 rounds even.

With MC, work 2 rounds even.

Repeat last 4 rounds until piece measures approximately 4 (5½, 6½, 7, 7½)  inches from cast-on edge, or to desired length, ending with one round of MC.

Cut CC.

HEEL FLAP

Continuing with MC…

Row 1 (right side): K12 (14, 16, 18, 20), turn work.

Row 2 (wrong side): P24 (28, 32, 36, 40), removing end-of-round marker as you come to it, turn work.

Arrange Heel Flap stitches on one needle, and divide remaining 22 (26, 32, 36, 42) stitches on two remaining needles. [24 (28, 32, 36, 40) stitches for Heel Flap; 11 (13, 16, 18, 21) stitches on hold on each of two needles]

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

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

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

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 twelve (15, 16, 17, 18) more times.

TURN THE HEEL

Row 1 (right side): K14 (16, 18, 20, 22), slip slip knit (ssk), k1, turn work. [23 (27, 31, 35, 39) Heel stitches remain]

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

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

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

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

Next Row (right side): Slip 1, knit to 1 stitch before the gap, ssk, turn work. [15 (17, 19, 21, 23) stitches remain]

Next Row (wrong side): Slip 1, purl to 1 stitch before the gap, p2tog, turn work. [14 (16, 18, 20, 22) stitches remain]

GUSSET

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

ALSO NOTE: In order to make sure shaping happens where it’s supposed to, from now on, make sure you keep the proper number of stitches on each needle.

Still with MC…

Partial Row (right side): K7 (8, 9, 10, 11), place unique marker for end of round.

Now working in the round…

Set-Up Round (right side): With same needle, k7 (8, 9, 10, 11), pick up and knit 13 (16, 17, 18, 19) stitches along edge of Heel Flap; with new needle, knit 22 (26, 32, 36, 42) on-hold stitches; with new needle, pick up and knit 13 (16, 17, 18, 19) stitches along second edge of Heel Flap, knit to end of round. [62 (74, 84, 92, 102) total stitches: 20 (24, 26, 28, 30 stitches on first needle; 22 (26, 32, 36, 42) stitches on second needle; 20 (24, 26, 28, 30 stitches on third needle]

Joining CC, and carrying up non-working yarn between stripes…

Round 1: Knit to end of round.

Round 2: Knit to 2 stitches before end of first needle, knit 2 together (k2tog), knit all stitches on second needle, for third needle, ssk, knit to end of round. [2 stitches decreased]

Continuing in stripe pattern, alternating MC and CC every 2 rounds, repeat Rounds 1 and 2 seven (9, 9, 9, 9) more times. [46 (54, 64, 72, 82) stitches remain]

FOOT

Maintaining stripe pattern, knit every round until piece measures 1½ (1¾, 2, 2¼, 2½) inches less than desired finished Foot length, measuring from back of Heel, and ending with 2 rounds of CC.

Here are final Foot lengths for most sizes. Note that lengths for Big Kid sizes 4Y–6Y overlap with some Women’s sizes.

SMALL KID 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 10C shoe (27) = 6½ inches
• US size 11C shoe (29) = 7 inches
• US size 13C shoe (31) = 7½ inches

BIG KID SIZES

• US size 1Y shoe (European 32) = 7¾ inches
• US size 2Y shoe (33) = 8 inches
• US size 3Y shoe (34) = 8½ inches
• 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

With MC…

Round 1: *Knit to 3 stitches before end of first needle, k2tog, k1; for second needle, k1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before end needle, k2tog, k1; for third needle, k1, ssk, knit to end of round. [4 stitches decreased]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

With CC, repeat Rounds 1 and 2. [38 (46, 56, 64, 74) stitches remain]

Cut CC.

Continuing with just MC, repeat Rounds 1 and 2 three (4, 5, 6, 7) more times. [26 (30, 36, 40, 46) stitches remain]

Repeat Round 1 four (5, 6, 7, 8) times. [10 (10, 12, 12, 14) stitches remain]

Divide remaining stitches on two needles, with instep stitches on one needle and sole stitches on the second needle.

Cut yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail.

FINISHING

NOTE: For help with Kitchener Stitch, please visit our Kitchener Stitch Tutorial!

Hold needles parallel to each other and use the 10-inch tail threaded onto a tapestry needle and Kitchener Stitch to close Toe.

Weave in ends, and then make another sock!

Block both socks by soaking them in soapy room temperature water, then rinse and squeeze out excess water and lay flat to dry. To wash socks after you wear them, do the same, or if you’re using Fine Print yarn, machine wash cold and tumble dry low!

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!