Make Your First Pair Of Socks From The Cuff Down

Learn sock-making from cast-on through bind-off in this comprehensive step-by-step tutorial.

- Tabetha Hedrick

To make a simple pair of cuff-down socks, you will need sock-weight yarn, a set of four double-point needles (dpns), a few locking stitch markers (optional) and a tapestry needle.

Using one dpn, cast on the number of stitches called for in the pattern, as shown in Photo 1.

When working in the round, start by dividing the stitches over three dpns. To do this, simply slip 1/3 (or so) of the stitches onto a second dpn, then slip another 1/3 of stitches onto a third dpn, as shown in Photo 2. The remaining 1/3 of the stitches are left on the first needle.

It is common to see the phrase “being careful not to twist the stitches” when joining in the round. This simply means that the chain of cast-on stitches should not spiral around the needle.

After making sure all of the stitches are properly aligned, hold the needle tips so that the first cast-on stitch is to the left and the last stitch (with the tails hanging from it) is on the right. To join in the round, make sure that the tail is hanging to the front and the working yarn is moved to the back, on top of the needles. Slip the first stitch from the left-hand dpn to the right-hand dpn (Photo 3).

 

Then, lift the old first stitch on the right-hand dpn (the one with tails hanging from it) up and over the just slipped stitch to the left-hand dpn. The stitches at each end have changed places with this special join, creating a circle (Photo 4).

Use the yarn tail to act as the beginning-of-round marker. Each time you work to it, one round has been completed.

Now, insert a new needle (Photo 5)— the fourth dpn—into the first stitch and work as the pattern states for the cuff and leg.

Each time you finish the stitches on one needle, use the newly emptied needle to work across the stitches on the next needle in the round, creating a long tube for the leg (Photo 6).