However, the downside of being a sock knitter is that unless you wear your socks with sandals or see-through boots like these ones, it's much harder to recognise you than, say, someone who knits hats.
So, to solve the problem, it's been suggested that Sockalongers meeting up should wear something recognisable. I think it's best to avoid any cliches of red carnations and The Guardian newspaper so my contribution to the discussion is ... of course ... a tiny sock. A teeny tiny sock that could be worn either as a brooch, attached to a bag as a charm or perhaps even become a keyring. Or for whatever other use you can think of. (I think it's quite Christmassy so could imagine it as a decoration, although it's a bit too tiny to put gifts in.) And ta-dah ... here it is!
It really is rather teeny tiny, just 6 1/2 cm from cuff to toe ...
which makes it a great size to wear without looking like you're ... well ... wearing a sock!
Oh, I do like this little sock! It's a bit big for a Barbie and a bit small for the cat (who wouldn't thank me for trying it on him anyway) but just right what I had in mind. It also wasn't nearly as fiddly as I expected it be, which I'm sure you will be very relieved about!
I've enjoyed watching how it's evolved from really too tiny to nearly right to being just how I wanted it to be. It's taken a few incarnations, as you can see, but I'm really very pleased with it!
and as you know, socks always come in pairs! The one on the left was knitted with a long circular needle and the one on the right with DPNs; obviously I knit more tightly with a long circular as the pattern is exactly the same!
Now, I'm sure you can think of plenty of better ways to display your teeny tiny socks than hastily pinning them on whilst persuading your daughter to take photos, but just so that you can get an idea of the size of them, you can wear them as single socks ...
or as a pair ...
or attach one or more of them to your bag.
At this point, it's important for me to say that whether you are meeting up with Sockalongers or not, it is in no way obligatory for you to have a teeny tiny sock to belong to the Sockalong, and neither it is obligatory for said sock, should you wish to make one, to be knitted. I have simply suggested that a teeny tiny sock would be a good symbol for Sockalongers to recognise each other, and if you wanted to crochet one, felt one, model one from clay or make one in another way - that's absolutely fine by me, as is whether you want to wear one or not!
I created this sock as a top-down sock, just like the Sockalong sock, but instead of a heel flap I have used a short row heel so there's no picking up of stitches or gussets to deal with. I decided that with a sock this small, it would be Beyond Fiddly and life's just too short for that kind of thing. I used the no wrap, no gap method rather than attempting to wrap and turn - I've recently discovered this method of creating short row heels and like it very much. You can read more about it here. The other good thing, as you will have already realised, is that there is no need for a tension swatch and no worrying about whether it's going to fit perfectly. It will be perfect just as you knit it!
So, would you like the pattern, then? OK, here goes! You can find a PDF of the pattern here.
Teeny Tiny Socks
You will need:
1 set of size 2.5mm DPNs or 1 circular needle (I used my 80cm one)
spare 4ply yarn
safety pin
wool needle
scissors
I made my first sock with DPNs so we'll start with those first. You only need 4 DPNs to make this sock.
Cast on 16 stitches and knit in K1, P1 rib for two rows. I always cast on and knit my first two rows on straight needles before joining into the round because I think it's much easier to do it that way. You can get a reminder of how to do this here.
Split your stitches across three of the needles - 5 on needle 1, 5 on needle 2 and 6 on needle 3.
Knit each round for the next 10 rounds, then you're ready to start the heel. You're going to work on the next 8 stitches, and you'll find it's easiest to slip the other 8 stitches onto a safety pin rather than try to keep the DPN in place.
Heel
Row 1: Sl1 purlwise, K6, leave 1 stitch on needle,
turn
Row 2: Sl1
purlwise, P5, leave 1 stitch on needle, turn
Row 3: Sl1
purlwise, K4, leave 2 stitches on needle, turn
Row 4: Sl1
purlwise, P3, leave 2 stitches on needle, turn
Row 5: Sl1
purlwise, K2, leave 3 stitches on needle, turn
Row 6: Sl1 purlwise, P1, leave 3 stitches on needle, turn
You should have 3 "side" stitches on each needle (circled in this picture) and 2 stitches at the "top" of the heel.
Now we are going to create the rest of the heel. This might look complicated but if you follow the instructions you'll find that it all works!
Row 7: Sl1
purlwise, K1, sl1 purlwise, pick up bar between slipped stitch and next stitch
on left hand needle (shown by the wool needle) ...
place on right hand needle and k2tog through back of
stitches, turn
Row 8: Sl 1
purlwise, P2, sl1 purlwise, pick up bar between slipped stitch and next stitch
on left hand needle (shown by the wool needle) ...
place on right hand needle and p2tog, turn
Row 9: Sl 1
purlwise, K3, sl1 purlwise, pick up bar between slipped stitch and next stitch
on left hand needle, place on right hand needle and k2tog through back of
stitches, turn
Row 10: Sl 1
purlwise, P4, sl1 purlwise, pick up bar between slipped stitch and next stitch
on left hand needle, place on right hand needle and p2tog, turn
Row 11: Sl1
purlwise, K6, turn ** this is deliberate, I haven’t missed anything out! **
Row 12: Sl1
purwise, P7, turn
Row 13: K8
Now we're going to join the rest of the stitches back in to complete the foot.
You have 8 stitches on your needle. Counting from the right, you want to leave 5 of those stitches on that needle, slip the next three off onto a new needle and then add another two from the safety pin and finally slip the rest of the stitches
on the safety pin back onto another DPN. This will give you 5, 5 and 6 stitches split across your needle again. The start of the round will be at the end of the 5 heel stitches.
Knit 8 rounds.
Toes
Round 1: SSK, K4, K2tog, SSK, K4, K2tog
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: SSK, K2, K2tog, SSK, K2, K2tog
Leave a tail of about 5-10 cm to finish off your toes. Thread the yarn onto the wool needle, then slip the stitches off the needles onto the wool needle ...
and draw the yarn through stitches, pulling them tight.
Fasten off your yarn by putting the needle back into one or two stitches first to hold it secure, then weave the end into your sock.
And that's all there is to it! Easy, eh?
Want to knit with a long circular? No problem!
The loop will be very big but it's not unmanageable. You can cast on and join into the round as you would do with a normal-sized sock - if you need a reminder you can get one here.
When it comes to the heel, you can just leave your spare stitches safely on the cable.
And when you need to create your toes then your needles are already in the right position.
Want to knit with a short circular? Now, that's not so easy. I did try just so that I could say that I'd done it, and it is possible - just about - but not with anything shorter than a 30cm needle. I didn't find it very comfortable, I have to say, and soon swapped back to DPNs. You can see here just how small the loops are.
So there you have it - one teeny tiny sock for the wearing of! If you want to add your sock to the Ravelry gallery, the link is here. I love it that people are meeting up and hope to meet some of you up at Yarndale in September. You should recognise me - I'll be wearing my teeny tiny socks, although not on my feet!
This sock pattern is free and will always remain so, but if you have enjoyed using it and would like to make a donation towards future projects, it will be gratefully received! You can find the donation button on the sidebar on the left hand side. Thank you! xx
Oh that's brilliant. Thank you for taking the time. Will have to make some of these x
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome, Ann - I've had a lovely time doing this! :-) xx
DeleteThanks Christine, I love it, I'll just have to make it and use it as regular brooch. xo
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it, Liz, thanks! xx
DeleteAww.. they are so cute ! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Pragti! xx
DeleteThey're so cute! I'll have to make a pair of those soon! I have a few WIP's to finish first! :D Thanks Christine! :D
ReplyDeleteThey're so quick to make they'll fit in very nicely around your WIPs, Joan! ;-) xx
DeleteThey're so cute and dinky. I think they'd look great knit in red and white and dangling from the Christmas tree.
ReplyDeleteOoh yes, they would, Jo! Great idea! :-) xx
DeleteHeehee! I love this! Well done Christine! I think I'll attach mine to my bag :) x
ReplyDeleteOh good - I'm hoping to see lots of these little socks around! Won't it be fun spotting them?! xx
DeleteI absolutely love this pattern and you are an absolute genius to have worked it out. I have just finished mini sock number one and will be posting a photo on facebook shortly. Thank you so much for sharing this with us and I love, love, love it xx
ReplyDeleteOoh, looking forward to seeing the pictures! It's really just a very small version of the sock from the Sockalong (with a changed heel to make it easier) so if you can knit a big sock, you can knit this one - and vice versa! :-) xx
Deleteadorable, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Martine, glad you like it! xx
DeleteThis is so cute Christine. I've made my 'big' sock with a circular needle but I'm determined to give this one a go with the dpns. Something for this afternoon I think and if successful, I'll wear it with pride at Yarndale xx
ReplyDeleteIf you've knitted a big sock you should manage this one no problem, Sarah, even on DPNs. I'll look forward to seeing it at Yarndale! xx
DeleteThese little, tiny socks are adorable! What a great idea. I'm going to get out my needles and thread and start knitting. I hope you are having a lovely weekend in your beautiful garden. My best to you, Pat xx
ReplyDeleteI've been cutting the hedges today, Pat, not as much fun as I'd like it to be - I'd much rather be knitting socks! :-) xx
DeleteThese are really sweet - what a good idea! As you suggest, they'd look great on a Christmas tree (can't believe I'm thinking about Christmas in July!) :)
ReplyDeleteCathy x
I know that feeling, Cathy, but then all of sudden it really is Christmas and I'm never ready! :-) xx
DeleteSuch a cute little sock I will make a pair for sure, I love the handbag charm idea I will be flashing them with pride for Yarndale. :) x
ReplyDeleteOoh, fab - I'm looking forward to meeting lots of people at Yarndale! xx
DeleteOh they look great, Christine, don't they look cute? I'm in agreement with Jo and Cathy, they would make a fab Christmas decoration, wouldn't they, Christmas stocking bunting in red and white! xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alison! There's a Christmas version on the Ravelry pattern page (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/teeny-tiny-sock) which a member of the Facebook Sockalong group has made - it looks really sweet! I think I might have to make a few of them myself! xx
DeleteThank you! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting! xx
DeleteVery cute and clever idea! X
ReplyDeleteGlad you like them - they're a bit of fun! :-) xx
DeleteThese are so cute!
ReplyDeleteThey are very sweet, aren't they - even if I do say so myself! :-) xx
DeleteJust came across this and wonder if I could utilise it for a tree Xmas stocking???? Our village are all making a decoration for the village Christmas tree and I've been search for a variety of things they can knut, crochet, sew or do with wood. I may give it a whirl and use double knit to get a bigger size.😁
ReplyDeleteYou could certainly give it a go, Sue - do let me know how you get on! xx
DeleteThese are adorable - and your website is wonderful! I want to knit them while I'm on holiday, though - could you put a pdf up, please? I've tried to copy the pattern into a word document but it won't let me! Thanks :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Emma, I'll add it to my list of things to do, though can't promise it will be done before you go away. Have a great holiday! xx
DeleteI am so sorry for the delay in getting back to you - you put us all to shame! My lovely husband managed to cut and paste the pattern into a Word document and I spent some happy hours knitting these dinky socks when we were away. I have now made some red ones for Christmas which will decorate boxes of homemade cookies, and then (hopefully!) go on to be tree decorations using the loops I've added. Thank you again for a fabulous little pattern - they are adorable! xx
DeleteHi Emma, I'm so glad you managed to get yourself a copy of the pattern to use. As you'll have spotted, I still haven't created the PDF but it's definitely on my list! I think your cookies will look fabulous with tiny socks attached and to be able to keep them as tree decorations later is a lovely idea xx
DeleteHi Winwick Mum! I just finished my first Teeny Tiny sock and love it! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Deborah in Georgia USA
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm so glad you found the pattern useful! xx
DeleteHi Winwik Mum,
ReplyDeleteFirst, I just want to say thank you for the pattern, I love it! I've just finished my first teeny sock and am in the process of making my second one. I'm going to link the two together and use as my keychain.
Second, unless I'm looking at the pattern incorrectly, I believe there's two typos on the PDF version. The first one is on the heel decrease for rounds 5 and 6. You have to P2 and then P1 respectively when really it should be K2 for round 5 and P1 for round 06. The second one is on the toe decrease. You have SSK, K4, K2tog then K around then the same SSK, K4, K2tog for the last round when it really should be K2. Ok, just wanted to let you know that. 🙄
Once I finish my second sock I will post pics on your FB page.👣
Hi! You're quite right and thanks so much for spotting the typos - that will teach me to create a PDF in a hurry! I've updated it now so it'll be right for anyone in the future :) xx
DeleteThese are too cute!
ReplyDeleteThank you! xx
DeleteHi am enjoying making this sock but am a bit confused how to join the rest of the stitches in once you have completed the heel.When you count the 5 stitches from the right do you have the right or wrong side facing? Heidi
ReplyDeletethank you for any help you can give.
Hi Heidi, you should have the right side of your heel facing you so it should look like the picture in the tutorial :) xx
DeleteHi i tried that but then the yarn end starts in middle of dpn not at end of 5 stitches. HELP!!
DeleteThat should still work out OK - all you're doing at this point is splitting the stitches across 3 needles so that you can work the foot. If the yarn is in the middle of the DPN, simply make sure that you have 5 stitches on the needle with the working yarn on it then knit the next 3 stitches plus 2 from the top of the foot on the next needle and then knit the last 6 stitches onto a new needle so you've got 3 needles with 5, 5 and 6 stitches on them. Does that help?
DeleteThanks for your help
DeleteHi, I don't know why I'm having trouble with the decreases on the heel. My numbers aren't coming out right. I have made lots of socks, but I usually do a short row heel. I have done your Easy Lace socks pattern, but it's been a while. Maybe if I review the heel I will see why. Are we supposed to have extra stitches when we pearl two together the first time? It doesn't look like it in the photos. I can't remember. These are so cute, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI just went back and watched your videos and figured it out. I finished my first tiny sock and it is adorable. Thank you so much! I will be making more of these for gifts. They are so sweet and dainty.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you worked it out! xx
DeleteLovely to meet you at Yarndale today! I've just finished my tiny sock and can't wait to get started on my next pair of socks - they'll feel enormous - in your lovely new yarn of course! x
ReplyDeleteHa ha, there's quite a difference between the tiny sock and a "normal"-sized pair - but luckily, the bigger ones are far less fiddly! It was lovely to meet you at Yarndale as well! xx
Delete