Nubby Socks (for men)

These socks were made for my husband who likes to wear socks with his sandals, even in winter. Socks are knit from the top down and utilize a simple rib pattern over the top of the foot which allows for extra padding/comfort because that part of the foot is exposed while wearing sandals. The “Nubby Texture” pattern stitch is from Nancy Bush’s Knitting Vintage Socks.

Needle Size: US 4 / 3.5 mm (use dpns or circulars)

Yarn: 3 balls Patternworks Bretton (70% superwash wool, 25% nylon, 5% alpaca), 145 yd / 133 m per 1.75 oz / 50 gr ball.

Gauge: 26 sts & 32 rows Stockinette stitch = 4” / 10 cm

Sizes: CYCA Men’s Sock Sizes 10 / 11 / 12 / 14

Finished Measurements of Sample: 8” from top of sock to heel flap; 11” long; about 8” around (unstretched) –Men’s Sock Size 12.

Pattern Stitches:

NUBBY TEXTURE
Rnds 1 & 2 – K all sts
Rnd 3 – 1x1 rib

1X1 RIB
*K1, P1* repeat to the end

Start Knitting Here:

Cast On: 48 / 54 / 60 / 66 sts. Work 1x1 rib for 12 rounds.

Rnd 13: Begin Nubby Texture pattern stitch and work 15 / 16 / 18 / 19 times (45 / 48 / 54 / 57 rounds) – or as many as you prefer until sock is about 1” above where the heel flap is to begin.

Rnd 58 / 61 / 67 / 70: Work 2 rnds of K all sts (to balance the Nubby Texture pattern stitch).

Rnd 60 / 63 / 69 / 72: Work 8 rnds of 1x1 rib.

HEEL FLAP:
For sizes 10 and 12 only, move 1st stitch back to last needle (1st stitch of the round is now the last stitch of the round; 2nd stitch of the round is now the 1st stitch of the round). Work heel flap back and forth over first 23 / 27 / 29 / 33 sts as follows:

Row 1 (RS): *sl 1, K1* repeat to the last stitch, end K 1. (The slipped stitches are aligned with the purl stitches of the 1x1 rib just preceding). Turn work.

Row 2 (WS): sl 1, P to the end. Turn work. Work these two rows until there are 12 / 13 / 15 / 16 slipped stitches on each side of the heel flap. End after working a wrong side row.

TURN HEEL:

Set-up row 1 (RS): sl 1, K 14 / 16 / 17 / 19, ssk, K1. Turn work.

Set-up row 2 (WS): sl 1, P 6, P2tog, P1. Turn work. '

Now repeat the following two rows until all sts on each side have been worked, ending after a wrong side row:

Heel Turn Row 1 (RS): sl 1, K to 1 st before the gap, ssk (one st from ea side of the gap), K1. Turn work.

Heel Turn Row 2 (WS): sl 1, P to 1 st before the gap, P2tog (one st from ea side of the gap), P1. Turn work.

NOTE: On sizes 12 and 14 you will end the last two iterations of these rows as ssk and P2tog, respectively. That’s OK.

Sts rem after heel turn: 15 / 17 / 17 / 19

GUSSET & FOOT:

With right side (i.e., outside of the sock) facing, K all sts of heel flap, then pick up and knit 12 / 13/ 15 / 16 sts along the heel flap, then work 1x1 rib on the 25 / 27 / 31 / 37 sts of the instep/top of foot, then pickup and knit the same number of sts along the other side of the heel flap.

Arrange these 64 / 70 / 78 / 84 sts on needles as follows:

For dpns —
Needle 1 = 20 / 22 / 24 / 26 sts (sole)
Needle 2 = 25 / 27 / 31 / 33 sts (instep)
Needle 3 = 19 / 21 / 23 / 25 sts (sole)

For 2 circulars —
Needle 1 = 39 / 43 / 47 / 51 sts (sole)
Needle 2 = 25 / 27 / 31 / 33 sts (instep)

Working the sole/bottom-of-foot sts in stockinette stitch (K all sts) and the instep/top-of-foot in 1x1 rib, decrease 2 sts every other round as follows:

For dpns —

Rnd 1 (decrease round): K to 3 sts before the end of Ndl 1, K2 tog, K1; work 1x1 rib across all sts on Ndl 2; then K1, ssk, and K to the end of all sts on Ndl 3

Rnd 2 (regular round): K all sts on Ndl 1; work 1x1 rib across all sts on Ndl 2; K all sts on Ndl 3.

For 2 circulars —

Rnd 1 (decrease round, starting from the center of the sts on that needle): K to 3 sts before the end of Ndl 1, K2 tog, K1; work 1x1 rib across all sts on Ndl 2; then work the first half of the sts on Ndl 1 as K1, ssk, and K to the center.

Rnd 2 (regular round, starting from the center of the sts on that needle): K sts of Ndl 1; work 1x1 rib across all sts on Ndl 2; then K the first half of the sts on Ndl 1.

Work these 2 rounds until there are 25 / 27 / 31 / 33 sole sts (50 / 54 / 62 / 66 total sts).

NOTE: For sizes 10 and 12 you have 2 more sts total than you started with, but it’s OK because the ribbing on the instep/top-of-foot is pulling together any slack.

Then continue working the foot sts without decreases until it measures 7.5 / 8.5 / 9 / 9.5 inches from the beginning of the heel turn (or until it’s 2” – 2.5” less than the total length).

TOE DECREASES:

For dpns —

Rnd 1 (decrease round):
Needle 1: K to 3 sts before the end 1, K2 tog, K1
Needle 2: K1, ssk, K to 3 sts before the end 1, K2 tog, K1
Needle 3: K1, ssk, K to the end

Rnd 2 (regular round): K all sts.

For 2 circulars —

Rnd 1 (decrease round):
Needle 1: K1, ssk, K to 3 sts before the end 1, K2 tog, K1
Needle 2: K1, ssk, K to 3 sts before the end 1, K2 tog, K1

Rnd 2 (regular round): K all sts.

Work these 2 rounds until there are 26 / 26 / 30 / 34 sts remaining, then work only the decrease rounds until there are about 14 sts remaining.

Graft (kitchener stitch) the opening; work in ends.