Two-Rib Socks - FREE PATTERN

OK, following the "Basic Sock Recipe" these are a pair of socks for a guy. They were knit on US 2 with Lisa Souza Superwash Sport Merino in the Mars Quake Colorway. The gauge is about 6 sts per inch in Stockinette Stitch. It's an easy pattern:

CO 64. Work 2 x 2 rib (K2, P2) for 12 rounds, then K all sts for the first round of 2 x 2 garter rib (K one round, then 2x2 rib on the next round; keep alternating these two rounds). Work garter rib for 52 rounds, then work straight 2 x 2 rib for 8 more rounds.

Before working the heel flap, shift sts to the right by 1 stitch so that stitch #2 becomes the first stitch of the round. This will balance the rib over the top of the foot (so, over the top of the foot you will work the Offset 2x2 Rib as follows: K1, P2, *K2, P2* repeat to last stitch, end K1).

Work heel flap, then, as follows:

Row 1: sl 1, P2, *sl 2, P2* repeat to last stitch, end K1. Turn work.

Row 2 (WS): sl 1, P to the end. Turn work.

Repeat these two rows until there are 16 slipped stitches on each side of the heel flap.

Turn heel, then pick up 16 sts on each side of the heel flap while working Offset 2x2 Rib (as noted above) over the top of the foot and stockinette stitch on the underside of the foot, and while working gusset decreases on either side of the instep sts until you're back to a total of 64 sts.

Continue working foot with Offset 2 x 2 Rib on the top/instep and St st on the bottom until you come to about 2" shy of the foot length. Begin toe decreases (all in St st). Decrease 4 sts every other row until there are 32 sts remaining, then work decreases every row until it's down to a number you don't mind grafting.