Socks Knit FLAT!
These socks are knit flat from the cuff down to the toe, with a German short row heel. The sock is then folded in half lengthwise and seamed using mattress stitch.
Since this pattern is knit flat it can be knit with straight knitting needles or circular knitting needles. It can be difficult to find a US 1 straight knitting needle, so I recommend using a circular knitting needle for this project.
This pattern is available in 3 sizes: Small(Medium)[Large] based off of foot circumference 7”(8”)[9”] or in metric 18cm(20cm)[23cm]
Materials
• US 1 (2.25 mm) 32” or longer circular knitting needles Metal Amazon Wood Amazon
• Tapestry needle Amazon
• 2 Stitch Markers Amazon
• 200 - 400 yds (183 – 366 m) Fingering weight yarn. Exact amount of yarn required will depend on size knit, cuff length, and foot length.
Disclaimer: Some links provided are affiliate links and I receive a small commission when used. These commissions help to support the free content I offer!
Shoe Size To Foot Measurement Guides
Kate Atherley: https://www.knitgrammer.com/blog/foot-size-chart-for-sock-knitting/
Knit Grammer: https://www.knitgrammer.com/blog/foot-size-chart-for-sock-knitting/
Craft Yarn Council Shoe: https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/foot-size-charts
Free Knitting Pattern
Sizes, Materials & Gauge
Small (Medium) [Large], to fit 7” (8”) [9”] foot circumference, or 18 (20) [23] cm.
200–400 yards (183–366 m) fingering yarn; US 1 (2.25 mm) circular needle at least 32” long; 2 stitch markers; tapestry needle; ruler; scissors. Gauge: 22 rows × 18 stitches = 2” × 2” in stockinette.
Abbreviations
SSK: Slip 2 stitches one at a time as if to knit, return them to the left needle, then knit them together through the back loops. K2T: Knit 2 together. P2T: Purl 2 together. RS: Right side. WS: Wrong side.
MDS (make a double stitch): On a wrong-side purl row, slip one stitch to the right needle, pull the working yarn up over the right needle, then bring it between the needles to the front. On a right-side knit row, bring the yarn to the front, slip one stitch to the right needle, then pull the yarn up and over the needle to the back.
P2Ttbl: Purl 2 together through the back loops, inserting the right needle into the back of the next two stitches from left to right.
Cast On, Cuff & Leg
Cast on 58 (66) [74] stitches with a stretchy cast-on.
Ribbing row 1: Repeat (purl 1, knit 1) until 2 stitches remain; purl 2.
Ribbing row 2: Knit 2, then repeat (purl 1, knit 1) across.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for 2” (5 cm), finishing after row 1. Then alternate a knit row and a purl row for the desired leg length, finishing after a purl row.
Heel: First Half
For the original right sock, knit 29 (33) [37] and turn. For the matching left sock with the seam on the opposite side, knit 57 (65) [73] and turn. The remaining heel instructions are the same for both.
Small: work rows I–Y. Medium: work rows E–Y. Large: work rows A–W.
Row A: MDS, purl 35; turn.
Row B: MDS, knit 34; turn.
Row C: MDS, purl 33; turn.
Row D: MDS, knit 32; turn.
Row E: MDS, purl 31; turn.
Row F: MDS, knit 30; turn.
Row G: MDS, purl 29; turn.
Row H: MDS, knit 28; turn.
Row I: MDS, purl 27; turn.
Row J: MDS, knit 26; turn.
Row K: MDS, purl 25; turn.
Row L: MDS, knit 24; turn.
Row M: MDS, purl 23; turn.
Row N: MDS, knit 22; turn.
Row O: MDS, purl 21; turn.
Row P: MDS, knit 20; turn.
Row Q: MDS, purl 19; turn.
Row R: MDS, knit 18; turn.
Row S: MDS, purl 17; turn.
Row T: MDS, knit 16; turn.
Row U: MDS, purl 15; turn.
Row V: MDS, knit 14; turn.
Row W: MDS, purl 13; turn.
Row X: MDS, knit 12; turn.
Row Y: MDS, purl 11; turn.
MDS, knit 10 (10) [12], place a marker, knit across the rest of the sock. Work each double stitch together as a knit two together.
Purl to the marker, slip it, purl 10 (10) [12], place a marker, purl across the remaining stitches, working each double stitch together as a purl two together.
Heel: Second Half
Knit to the second marker, slip it, knit 1 and turn. MDS, remove the marker, purl to the remaining marker, purl 1 and turn.
Small: work rows A–P. Medium: work rows A–T. Large: work rows C–X.
Row A: MDS. Remove the marker. Knit 12; turn.
Row B: MDS. Purl 13; turn.
Row C: MDS. Large only: remove the marker. Knit 14; turn.
Row D: MDS. Purl 15; turn.
Row E: MDS. Knit 16; turn.
Row F: MDS. Purl 17; turn.
Row G: MDS. Knit 18; turn.
Row H: MDS. Purl 19; turn.
Row I: MDS. Knit 20; turn.
Row J: MDS. Purl 21; turn.
Row K: MDS. Knit 22; turn.
Row L: MDS. Purl 23; turn.
Row M: MDS. Knit 24; turn.
Row N: MDS. Purl 25; turn.
Row O: MDS. Knit 26; turn.
Row P: MDS. Purl 27; turn.
Row Q: MDS. Knit 28; turn.
Row R: MDS. Purl 29; turn.
Row S: MDS. Knit 30; turn.
Row T: MDS. Purl 31; turn.
Row U: MDS. Knit 32; turn.
Row V: MDS. Purl 33; turn.
Row W: MDS. Knit 34; turn.
Row X: MDS. Purl 35; turn.
All sizes: MDS, knit across the rest of the sock, then purl one row.
Foot
Alternate a knit row and a purl row until the foot reaches your desired length. Finish after a purl row.
Toe Decreases
Small: work rows I–M. Medium: work rows E–M. Large: work rows A–M. SSK and K2T each decrease one stitch.
Row A: Knit 2, SSK, knit 30, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 30, K2T, knit 2 (70 stitches remain).
Row B: Purl across.
Row C: Knit 2, SSK, knit 28, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 28, K2T, knit 2 (66 stitches remain).
Row D: Purl across.
Row E: Knit 2, SSK, knit 26, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 26, K2T, knit 2 (62 stitches remain).
Row F: Purl across.
Row G: Knit 2, SSK, knit 24, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 24, K2T, knit 2 (58 stitches remain).
Row H: Purl across.
Row I: Knit 2, SSK, knit 22, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 22, K2T, knit 2 (54 stitches remain).
Row J: Purl across.
Row K: Knit 2, SSK, knit 20, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 20, K2T, knit 2 (50 stitches remain).
Row L: Purl across.
Row M: Knit 2, SSK, knit 18, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 18, K2T, knit 2 (46 stitches remain).
Note: Row K uses knit 20 on both sides to match the 50-stitch count. The original right-sock PDF prints knit 18 on the second side.
Small Only
Row N: Purl. Row O: Knit 2, SSK, knit 16, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 16, K2T, knit 2 (42 stitches remain).
Row P: Purl. Row Q: Knit 2, SSK, knit 14, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 14, K2T, knit 2 (38 stitches remain).
Row R: Purl. Row S: Knit 2, SSK, knit 12, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 12, K2T, knit 2 (34 stitches remain).
Row T: Purl. Row U: Knit 2, SSK, knit 10, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 10, K2T, knit 2 (30 stitches remain).
Row V: Purl. Row W: Knit 2, SSK, knit 8, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 8, K2T, knit 2 (26 stitches remain).
Medium Only
Row N: Purl. Row O: Knit 2, SSK, knit 16, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 16, K2T, knit 2 (42 stitches remain).
Row P: Purl. Row Q: Knit 2, SSK, knit 14, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 14, K2T, knit 2 (38 stitches remain).
Row R: Purl. Row S: Knit 2, SSK, knit 12, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 12, K2T, knit 2 (34 stitches remain).
Row T: Purl. Row U: Knit 2, SSK, knit 10, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 10, K2T, knit 2 (30 stitches remain).
Large Only
Row N: Purl 2, P2T, purl 16, P2Ttbl, purl 2, P2T, purl 16, P2Ttbl, purl 2 (42).
Row O: Knit 2, SSK, knit 14, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 14, K2T, knit 2 (38).
Row P: Purl 2, P2T, purl 12, P2Ttbl, purl 2, P2T, purl 12, P2Ttbl, purl 2 (34).
Row Q: Knit 2, SSK, knit 10, K2T, knit 2, SSK, knit 10, K2T, knit 2 (30).
Graft & Seam
Slide the remaining 26 (30) [30] stitches onto the cord, divide them evenly onto the two needle points, and graft with Kitchener stitch. Fold the sock lengthwise and seam the side using mattress stitch. Make the matching sock using the opposite heel placement above.
Kitchener Stitch
Set up: Thread the tapestry needle purlwise through the first stitch on the front needle, leaving it on the needle. Thread the tapestry needle knitwise through the first stitch on the back needle, leaving it on the needle.
Repeat these four steps until the stitches have been grafted: (1) thread knitwise through the first front stitch and slide it off; (2) thread purlwise through the new first front stitch and leave it on; (3) thread purlwise through the first back stitch and slide it off; (4) thread knitwise through the new first back stitch and leave it on.
Newly Added: Now you can modify the original pattern to move the seam to the other side! Learn more about it in Part 2, below!
Part 2: Making a pair of sock FLAT with the seams on OPPOSITE sides!
The original socks knit flat video included only one sock pattern. That means that the seam for both the left and right sock was on the same side. After posting I received many requests for a separate left and right sock pattern so that the seam of each sock would be on opposite sides, and you could wear the pair with both of the seams facing towards center.
Note: You do not need to use this Part 2 tutorial or patten - you can knit two of the socks that were shown in the original pattern and video to make a pair! This is just an added option if you would prefer to have the seams of each sock face towards the center.
Throughout the Part 2 tutorial I am going to refer to the original pattern as the Right Sock because the seam ends up on the left (the inside of the right foot) and this new additional pattern as the Left Sock where the seam will be on the right side (the inside of the left foot).
The Left Sock the pattern is exactly the same all the way up until the heel. So follow the original Right Sock pdf pattern up through where it says Heel (Video Time 15:37), then work the PDF for Part 2 with the associated YouTube tutorial, and lastly finish the sock using the original Right Sock pdf patten starting at the Sock Foot (Video Time 28:49).
