Block Party Socks

Our Block Party Socks bring the party right down to your toes! Knit with our new Daily Wool Sport, a very soft and hardworking yarn made to be worn on repeat, these fun color-block socks are an open invitation to play.

Everyone will get a great fit from these crew-length socks, with 4 sizes to choose from, an adjustable foot length, and springy 3×1 ribbing that hugs every contour of calves, ankles, and insteps.

You knit the Block Party Socks from the top down, the steady rhythm of the ribbing carrying you through a color remix partway down the leg. Easy to knit and thoughtfully designed, every detail contributes to an effortless, clean finish—from cleverly camouflaged gusset shaping to a heel flap and instep that maintain the ribbing without missing a beat.

With a joyful bounce to its step, Daily Wool Sport is 100% incredibly soft superwash wool, which yes, means you can machine wash and dry it! And its slender sport weight and tidy 4-ply spin make super comfy socks that knit up at a lively pace without feeling bulky.

Choose a pair of colors from a palette of 24 heathered shades and let them mix and mingle. You’ll need a skein or two of your main color, plus just a little bit of your contrast color. Depending on the size you make, you might have enough yarn left over to make another pair in reverse!

Find a reason to celebrate and cast on for your own Block Party Socks in Daily Wool Sport, a cheerful pick-me-up you’ll reach for day after day!

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!

Pattern designed and written by Purl Soho designer, Gianna Mueller. See even more of Gianna’s work on her Instagram!

Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.

Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!

Materials

• Purl Soho’s Daily Wool Sport, 100% superwash wool yarn. Each skein of this sport-weight yarn is 300 yards/ 100 grams.
  • Main Color (MC): 1 (1, 1, 1–2) skein(s); approximately 85–120 (170–195, 230–250, 295–320) total yards required. We used Teal Storm for one pair of socks and Red Violet for the other.
  • Contrast Color (CC): 1 skein; approximately 35 (55, 75, 90) total yards required. We used True Teal with Teal Storm and Ube Purple with Red Violet.
• US 2 (3 mm), 32-inch circular knitting needles for Magic Loop OR a set of US 2 double pointed needles
• Stitch markers, including one unique

GAUGE

36 stitches and 40 rounds = 4 inches in 3×1 rib stitch

28 stitches and 42 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

SIZES

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

• Finished Foot Circumference: 4 (5, 6, 7¼) inches, comfortably stretching 2 inches
• Finished Leg Length, from Top of Heel: 5 (7, 8, 8) inches
• Finished Foot Length: Adjustable

Samples: We knit the Adult Small/Medium to fit a women’s US size 7.5.

NOTES

STITCH MULTIPLE

This stitch pattern works over a multiple of 4 stitches.

DOUBLE POINTED NEEDLES OR MAGIC LOOP

This pattern includes instructions for working on either double pointed needles or long circular needles, using the Magic Loop method. We have tutorials for both techniques, so just pick the approach you prefer!

To help decide, visit our How To Knit With Double Pointed Needles Tutorial and our Magic Loop Tutorial.

SLIP STITCHES

On right-side rows: Slip stitches purlwise with yarn in back (wyib).

On wrong-side rows: Slip stitches purlwise with yarn in front (wyif).

PATTERN

LEG

With Contrast Color (CC), loosely cast 32 (40, 48, 56) stitches onto needles, dividing the stitches
among 4 double pointed needles or arranging them on circular needles for Magic Loop (see Notes). We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

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

Round 1: *K3, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 until Leg measures 2½ (3½, 4, 4) inches from cast-on edge.

Cut CC.

Join Main Color (MC).

Repeat Round 1 until Leg measures 5 (7, 8, 8) inches from cast-on edge.

HEEL

WORK HEEL FLAP

Set-Up Row 1 (right side): [K3, p1] 2 (3, 3, 4) times, turn work so wrong side is facing you.

Set-Up Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Special Instructions), [p3, k1] 4 (5, 6, 7) times, removing end-of-round marker as you come to it; turn work so right side is facing you.

Arrange stitches so 17 (21, 25, 29) Heel stitches are on one needle, then working over just these stitches…

Row 1 (right side): Slip 1 (see Special Instructions), *k3, p1, repeat from * to last 4 Heel stitches, k4.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, *p3, k1, repeat from * to last 4 Heel stitches, p4.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 ten (12, 14, 16) more times.

TURN HEEL

NOTE: The “gap” we refer to in this section is the visible space between the stitches caused by having turned the work at that point in the previous row.

Still just working the Heel stitches …

Row 1 (right side): K1, knit 2 together (k2tog), k7 (9, 11, 13), slip slip knit (ssk), k1, turn work so wrong side is facing you. [15 (19, 23, 27) Heel stitches remain]

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, p3, purl 2 together (p2tog), p1, turn work. [14 (18, 22, 26) Heel 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 one (2, 3, 4) more time(s). [10 (12, 14, 16) Heel stitches remain]

Next Row (right side): K1, make 1 right (m1R), knit to end of Heel stitches. Do not turn work. [11 (13, 15, 17) Heel stitches]

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.

Pick-Up Round (right side): Pick up and knit 12 (14, 16, 18) stitches along Heel Flap selvage, place marker (pm); working across on-hold instep stitches, [k3, p1] 3 (4, 5, 6) times, k3, pm; pick up and knit 12 (14, 16, 18) stitches along other selvage of Heel Flap; working across Heel stitches, k6 (7, 8, 9) and place unique marker for new end of round at approximate center of sole. [50 (60, 70, 80) total stitches: 15 (19, 23, 27) instep stitches; 35 (41, 47, 53) stitches for Gussets and sole]

Round 1: Knit to 2 stitches before next marker, p2tog, slip marker (sm), [k3, p1] 3 (4, 5, 6) times, k3, sm, slip slip purl (ssp), knit to end of round. [2 stitches decreased]

Round 2: Knit to one stitch before next marker, p1, sm, [k3, p1] 3 (4, 5, 6) times, k3, sm, p1, knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 eight (9, 10, 11) more times, ending with Round 2. [32 (40, 48, 56) stitches remain: 15 (19, 23, 27) instep stitches; 17 (21, 25, 29) sole stitches]

FOOT

Round 1: Knit to one stitch before next marker, p1, sm, [k3, p1] 3 (4, 5, 6) times, k3, sm, p1, knit to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 until Foot measures 1 (1¼, 1½, 1¾) inches less than desired final length, measuring from back of Heel.

Here are final Foot lengths for most sizes (remember to end 1 [1¼, 1½, 1¾] inches shorter than these lengths)…

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

Round 1: Knit to 3 stitches before next marker, k2tog, k1, sm, ssk, knit to 2 stitches before next marker, k2tog, sm, k1, ssk, knit to end of round. [4 stitches decreased]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 four (5, 6, 7) more times. [12 (16, 20, 24) stitches remain]

Repeat Round 1 one more time. [8 (12, 16, 20) stitches remain]

Partial Round: [Knit to next marker, remove marker] 2 times, k1.

Arrange remaining stitches on two needles, with next 4 (6, 8, 10) stitches on one needle and last next 4 (6, 8, 10) stitches on 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 Daily Wool Sport yarn, machine wash alone in cold water and tumble dry low

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

Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our knitting patterns (including tons of 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!