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Tag: sock knitting tutorial

There are many ways to knit socks.
Are you sitting down? I’m going to talk you through the many ways to knit socks.
Last year I received a refund request from a customer. They weren’t happy with their sock knitting kit and wanted a refund on the needles. The customer’s words were something like “there’s circular needles in here. No good for knitting socks!”
Let’s ignore the fact that the contents of the kit will have been clearly listed before purchase and that I am a knitwear designer and hopefully know a thing or two about knitting socks. Let’s focus on the “no good for knitting socks!” How do you know? Have you tried?
After talking the customer round (excuse the pun) they were willing to give the circulars a try. I introduced them to the method of magic loop knitting. They had never heard of this before. If you knit, every day is a school day. There are many, many ways to do something that achieves the same results as something else. Magic loop is just one method.
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Long circular needles (magic loop)
Long circular needles aren’t just for hats and garments. You can use them for knitting flat as they are lighter and more compact than traditional straight knitting needles. What knitters do to make socks with long circulars is to choose circulars with a very long cable. I usually recommend 80cm or 100cm for socks. This cable is then pulled through to provide a loop on either side of the work.
In these photos I’m using Addi lace circulars with an 80cm cable.
I seem to find that if I was to join in the round at cast on (by pulling the cord through the halfway point of the stitches) I end up with a tangled mess and twisted stitches. This can be avoided entirely by knitting the first round in one flat row. When you have established the first row, simply pull the cord through the halfway point of stitches and carry on knitting. You will be left with the smallest of gaps at the top of the cuff but you can easily seam it closed at the end.
Louise Tilbrook has a really handy tutorial for magic loop here
Knitting on short circular needles
There are also short circulars. They’re brilliant for knitting the legs and the feet but you will need to switch to other circulars or DPNs for toe shaping. That’s not a preference thing- it’s just not physically possible to shape toes on 9 inch circulars.
What I will say about the 9in circulars is that they create a tighter knit in my opinion. You definitely need to review your tension compared to when you use other methods.
Louise Tilbrook has a tutorial on knitting with tiny needles here. It can be hard to get to grips with them at first but if you can, it’s worth it.
Knitting with niche needles
There are also these funky little things called CraSyTrio. I think they’re awesome because they have the flexibility of the circular needle but a similar setup to double pointed needles.
Double pointed needles
Your experience with these will vary from “knitting ninja” to “fighting with a hedgehog” but if you persevere, I think you’ll be all right. I was wary of double pointed needles for a long time. I feared the complicated set up and when I started out, I would get myself into a tangle or lose my patience when one of the needles kept slipping off.
You may want to consider starting your DPN journey with something bigger like a sleeve or a hat. This will help you to practice and there’s more chance of you noticing dropped stitches with thicker yarn.
DPN hack: Cast on all of your stitches on one slightly larger needle. Using your smaller DPN needles, knit the set amount of divided stitches onto each needle. You will then have all stitches accounted for without having dropped your DPNs during cast on. Some patterns even tell you how many stitches to have on each needle e.g. there may be more stitches on the 3rd needle as that is the heel needle.
If you need help choosing DPNs to knit with I have a blog post here.
You can knit socks flat
Even though knitting socks in the round is incredibly popular, there will always be knitters who prefer knitting them flat. I believe that these knitters are often left behind when it comes to sock design. Luckily, you can get a good range of flat knit socks thanks to the internet. I have a pattern for flat knit socks here that avoids all the requirements for stitch holders and multiple seams. Just sew up one seam at the end and you’re done.
I hope you can find the time to explore all methods or practice a favourite.
Hanna
Sock knitting patterns to try!
Easy flat knit, two needle socks.
The Andalusian Stitch Socks
Simple cuff-down beginner socks.
June 17, 2025
How to turn a square heel. Sock knitting tutorial for beginners: the Dutch heel.
If you’ve been looking at sock knitting patterns and techniques lately, you may have noticed that as well as several styles of sock, there are also different styles of heels!
I’m going to show you how to make and turn the square (Dutch) heel which is my favourite sock heel of all time. It’s such a convenient type of heel that I use it in all of my sock knitting patterns.
In this tutorial, we’ll cover:
- What a square heel is.
- How it fits.
- Why it’s a good choice for beginners.
- Where you can practice it.
- How to make it.
The flock socks (above) have a square heel.
How is the square heel shaped and constructed?
The square heel is shaped by making some simple increases, short row shaping and decreases. Don’t be put off by ‘short rows’ as it is simply knitting to a gap, turning around and knitting back to the next gap. It’s very easy to do once you understand the basics. I use M1R and M1L to increase the stitches.
Where does a square heel sit? Is it comfortable?
A square heel sits just under the heel of your foot. As the skin is usually harder here, I wouldn’t say that you can feel the edges of the heel underfoot. This experience could be different for you though! Some people who have a higher instep might prefer a bigger heel such as the flap and gusset heel but I’d still recommend trying all heels before your write any of them off.
This square heel is a neat convenient sock heel and is quite hard wearing too. If you just want a pair of classic knit socks that are a workhorse through cooler months, you have to try this heel.
Is there a heel flap and gusset?
Not quite. Increasing for the heel takes place as you are knitting the sock leg. That’s the gusset part! There is some flat knitting involved (knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side) when actually turning the heel but you never come away from the rest of the sock. There is no need to pick up any stitches along the sides of the heel. It is integrated into the sock. When it comes to decreasing back down to your original stitch count, you just make some decreases and some careful slipping of stitches to ensure that you don’t create any holes.
Is the square heel adjustable?
Yes, it is. Just add a stitch either side until you get to the desired width or if you have narrower heels, don’t increase as often as the pattern tells you to.
Here’s how to do a square heel. This example is from the advent mini sock pattern which can be found here.
This example heel is from my free sock knitting pattern here.
Increasing for heel:
Round 1: M1R, PM (marker 1), K16, PM (marker 2), M1L, Knit to end of round. (2 sts increased)
Round 2: Knit all sts.
Round 3: Knit to marker 1, M1R, SM, Knit to marker 2, SM, M1L, Knit to end of round. (2 sts increased)
Repeat rounds 2 and 3 another 2 times, until 8 new stitches have been created.
You now have 24 sts for the heel, 16 sts for the instep and 40 sts in total.
Decreasing for the heel
Row 1: Knit to marker 1, SM, K11, SKP, turn, leaving the remaining stitches unworked.
Row 2: P7, P2tog. Turn.
Row 3: Knit to 1 stitch before gap, SKP. Turn.
Row 4: Purl to 1 stitch before gap, P2tog. Turn.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 another 2 times.
There you have it- a square heel.
You have decreased back to the original stitch count: 16 sts for both the heel and the instep, and 32 sts in total. You should be right side facing, with marker 1 on your right-hand needle.
‘Fixing gaps’ round: Remove marker 1, insert needle into gap as if to make a M1R and slip the bar onto the right-hand needle, K1, PSSO, Knit to marker 2, remove marker, insert needle into gap as if to make a M1L and slip the twisted bar onto the right-hand needle, K1, PSSO, Knit to end of round.
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Mini sock knitting tutorial here:
June 14, 2025
Easy 2 needle flat knit socks pattern
Do you love the idea of cosy, hand-knit socks but dread the complicated process of using four or five double-pointed needles? Knitting socks can be intimidating for even the most experienced knitter. If you’re looking for something that will build your confidence, look no further!
In this article, we will explore the method of knitting socks flat on just two straight needles. Yes, you read that right – no circular needles or DPNs required! Whether you are a beginner knitter or an experienced one looking for a new challenge, this method will revolutionise your sock-making game. Say goodbye to pesky stitches falling off the needles and hello to a simpler, more manageable knitting experience. Get ready to dive into the world of flat-knit socks and discover the endless possibilities.
This simple two needle flat knit socks pattern is a straightforward, simple way to learn the basic construction of a sock. Many knitters are hesitant to try socks on double pointed or circular needles, so I designed this pattern as a confidence builder. This pattern also covers the square heel, which is my favourite type of sock heel: The Square heel. Here’s a video showing you how to knit this heel:

This is a free pattern for two needle socks knit flat. You can either use the blog pattern for free, or if you’d like, here’s the easy PDF for your own convenience.
Whether you are looking to try a different construction for socks or you simply prefer knitting flat, these socks are for you. No side, toe or heel seams are required; just one simple seam up the front of the sock. The heel is worked using short rows and the toe consists of a drawstring finish.
Materials required to make these flat knit socks:
60g (70g, 90g) of 4ply sock yarn.
Yarn used in socks pictured is Gamer Crafting Sock 4-ply [75% Merino, 25% Nylon, 400m per 100g] in ‘Pride Was A Riot’.
2mm and 2.5mm needles (or size needed to obtain gauge) for working flat.
4 stitch markers.
Darning needle.
Gauge:
32 sts and 38 rows to 10cm/4 inches in stocking stitch on larger needles.
Finished Foot/Leg Circumference:
Size 1: 17.5cm/7 inches
Size 2: 20cm/8 inches
Size 3: 22.5cm/9 inches
Sample shown in size 2.
Length of leg from cuff to heel is 24cm/9.5 inches.
Foot length from back of heel to toe is 24cm/9.5 inches.
Glossary:
K: Knit
K2tog: Knit two stitches together. (1 stitch decreased)
M1L: Pick up the bar between the stitch you have just knitted and the next stitch, bringing the needle from the front to the back. Knit into the back. (1 stitch increased)
M1R: Pick up the bar between the stitch you have just knitted and the next stitch, bringing the needle from the back to the front. Knit into the front. (1 stitch increased)
P: Purl
P2tog: Purl two stitches together. (1 stitch decreased)
PM: Place marker
PSSO: Pass slipped stitch over
RS: Right side of work
SKP: Slip one stitch knitwise, knit one stitch, pass slipped stitch over knitted stitch. (1 stitch decreased)
SM: Slip marker
SSK: Slip two stitches separately knitwise to right-hand needle, knit them together through the front of the stitches. (1 stitch decreased)
St(s): Stitch(es)
WS: Wrong side of work
Cast on your flat knit socks.
Leg
With smaller needles, cast on 56 (64, 72) sts.
Rib row: [K1, P1] to end of row.
Repeat Rib row to work 1×1 rib until cuff measures 5cm/2 in, ending after a WS row.
Switch to larger needles.
Work stocking stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS) until leg measures 18.5cm/7.25 in from cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.
Next, it’s time to shape the heel. Pay close attention to this part because if you don’t have the right amount of stitches, your heel won’t sit right.
RS: K14 (16, 18), PM (marker 1), M1R, PM (marker 2), K28 (32, 36), PM (marker 3), M1L, PM (marker 4), K to end.
WS: P all sts.
RS: K to marker 1, SM, K to marker 2, M1R, SM, K to marker 3, SM, M1L, K to marker 4, SM, Knit to end.
WS: P all sts.
Repeat last 2 rows another 8 (9, 10) times, until you have increased 10 (11, 12) sts on either side of the heel markers, ending after a WS row. 76 (86, 96) sts in total.
Now, turn the heel with short rows. See the video above if you’re still unsure about this part.
RS: K to marker 1, SM, K to marker 2, SM, K17 (20, 23), SKP. Turn work.
WS: P7 (9, 11), P2tog. Turn.
RS: K to 1 stitch before the gap which has formed, SKP. Turn.
WS: P to 1 stitch before gap, P2tog. Turn.
Repeat last 2 rows another 8 (9, 10) times, until there are 28 (32, 36) heel sts between markers 1 and 4, ending after a WS row. This is the number of heel stitches you started with; your work will be RS facing with marker 2 on your right-hand needle.
Knitting the foot of your flat knit sock.
Remove marker 2. Insert needle as though making a M1R but instead of knitting, slip the twisted stitch on to right-hand needle. K1 and PSSO. K to marker 3, remove marker, insert needle as though making a M1L but slip the twisted stitch onto left-hand needle and K2tog. K to marker 4, SM, K to end.
You can remove markers 1 and 4 while you work the foot; you will need them again when you reach the toe.
Work rest of foot in stocking stitch until it measures 5 (6, 6.5)cm/2 (2.25, 2.5) in less than desired length.
It’s time to shape the toe of your sock.
RS: K12 (14, 18), SSK, PM, K2tog, K22 (28, 28), SSK, PM, K2tog, K to end. (4 sts decreased)
WS: P all sts.
RS: K to 2 sts before marker, SSK, SM, K2tog, K to 2 sts before marker, SSK, SM, K2tog, K to end.
(4 sts decreased)
WS: P all sts.
Repeat last 2 rows another 8 (10, 11) times, until there are 16 (16, 20) sts in total.
Finishing your sock
Cut a long tail of yarn and, with a darning needle, thread tail through remaining sts and pull tight to close. Then, using mattress stitch, seam up the front of the sock. Weave in yarn ends.
I hope you enjoy your new, flat knit socks. Let me know how you get on in the comments.
Feeling confident?
You can stay here if you’re feeling happy with your flat knit socks. However, there is the option to progress to knitting in the round! I have a pattern for an adult size sock or a smaller, novelty sock that can also be used for babies. If you’d like to try, you can have a go at knitting socks in the round.

In conclusion, knitting socks flat on two needles may seem intimidating at first, but with the right techniques and practice, anyone can master this traditional method. We have explored the benefits of knitting socks flat, including the ability to customize and adjust sizing, as well as the convenience of not needing double-pointed needles. By following the step-by-step instructions and tips shared in this article, you can create a comfortable and stylish pair of socks that will keep your feet warm and cozy. As writer Elizabeth Zimmermann once said, “Knit on with confidence and hope, through all crises.” So go ahead and give it a try, and see the magic of knitting unfold right before your eyes. Keep learning and experimenting, and embrace the joy of creating something unique and handmade. Happy knitting!
January 12, 2025