Beginner Black & Orange Cuff-Down Socks

Skill level: Beginner
Makes: A pair (2 identical socks)

A worsted-weight, cuff-down sock with k2, p2 rib, easy stockinette stripes, a traditional slipped-stitch heel flap, and a plain wedge toe. Black and orange are used as high-contrast stripes with a solid black heel (durable) and an orange cuff and toe. You can try the sock on as you go.

Sizes

Small (Medium, Large)
Instructions are written for Small with Medium and Large in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

Socks are designed with about 10% negative ease: the sock is slightly smaller than the foot so it stays up.

Finished Measurements

• Cuff + leg to start of heel: about 7" (18 cm), adjustable
• Foot length: custom; begin toe 2 (2, 2½)" / 5 (5, 6.5) cm before desired finished length

Typical finished foot lengths (heel to toe):
Women’s US 7–8: 9–9½" (23–24 cm) · Women’s US 9–10: 9¾–10¼" (25–26 cm) · Men’s US 10–11: 10½–11" (26.5–28 cm)

Yarn

Worsted weight (category 4), wool or wool-blend superwash preferred (stretch and recovery). Avoid 100% cotton.

Color A (Black): 110 (130, 160) yd / 100 (120, 145) m
Color B (Orange): 90 (110, 140) yd / 80 (100, 130) m

One 100 g skein of each color (about 200–220 yd / 180–200 m each) is enough for a pair.

Suggested yarns: Cascade 220 Superwash, Knit Picks Swish Worsted, Berroco Ultra Wool, Lion Brand Wool-Ease (wool blend).

Needles

US 5 (3.75 mm), or size needed to get gauge:

• A set of 4 or 5 double-pointed needles (DPNs), or
• One 32–40" (80–100 cm) circular needle for magic loop, or
• Two 16–24" (40–60 cm) circular needles

Notions

• 2 stitch markers (locking markers are handy)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Optional: spare needle or holder for instep stitches; measuring tape

Gauge

22 stitches and 30 rounds = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch in the round, after blocking.

That is 5½ stitches per inch. Gauge is critical for socks. Too loose: they slip and wear out. Too tight: they will not fit. Swatch in the round.

If you have too few stitches per 4", go down a needle size (try US 4 / 3.5 mm). If you have too many, go up a size (try US 6 / 4 mm).

Abbreviations (US)

CO cast on · k knit · p purl · st(s) stitch(es) · rnd(s) round(s) · RS right side · WS wrong side · sl slip stitch as if to purl · wyib with yarn in back · wyif with yarn in front · k2tog knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease) · ssk slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, knit those 2 tog through back loops (left-leaning decrease) · p2tog purl 2 together · St st stockinette stitch (knit every rnd in the round; k on RS / p on WS when flat) · rep repeat · pm place marker

Notes

• This pattern makes two socks. Complete one, then repeat everything for the second.
• Worked cuff down so you can try it on for length.
• Stripes: 4 rounds Color A, 4 rounds Color B. At each change, bring the new color up from inside the sock. Do not pull tight (that cinches the round). You may cut colors and weave tails later if you prefer fewer carried yarns.
• Needles: Instructions assume stitches are divided so half are instep (top of foot) and half are heel/sole. DPN and magic-loop setups are given at the cast-on.
• Slip the first stitch of every heel-flap row; this makes a chain edge that is easy to pick up.
• Do not join a new color at the start of a decrease round if you can help it; change on a plain knit round.

Pattern

Work both socks the same.

Cast On and Setup

With Color B (Orange) and US 5 (3.75 mm) needles, using a stretchy long-tail cast-on, CO 36 (40, 48) sts.

Do not twist. Join to work in the round. Place a marker for the beginning of the round (center back of leg).

Divide stitches:

• 4 DPNs: 9 (10, 12) sts on each of 4 needles. The join sits between needle 4 and needle 1.
• 3 DPNs: 12 (14, 16) sts on needle 1, 12 (12, 16) sts on needle 2, 12 (14, 16) sts on needle 3.
• Magic loop: 18 (20, 24) sts on the front needle, 18 (20, 24) sts on the back needle.

Cuff

With Color B, work k2, p2 rib (*k2, p2; rep from * to end of rnd) until cuff measures 2" (5 cm) from the cast-on edge, about 14–16 rounds.

Leg (stripes)

Join Color A (Black). Do not cut Color B unless you prefer to; carry it loosely up the inside at the beginning-of-round marker.

Work in stockinette (knit every round) in 4-round stripes:

• Rounds 1–4: Color A (Black)
• Rounds 5–8: Color B (Orange)

Repeat these 8 rounds until the piece measures 7" (18 cm) from the cast-on edge, or desired length to the ankle, ending after a completed 4-round stripe. Note which color you just finished so you can resume the same sequence on the foot.

Cut Color B. The heel is worked in Color A only.

Heel Flap

The heel flap is worked flat, back and forth on half the stitches: 18 (20, 24) sts. The remaining 18 (20, 24) sts are the instep; leave them on a spare needle, holder, or the cable of your circular, unworked.

Setup: Place the 18 (20, 24) heel sts on one needle. With Color A (Black), begin on the RS.

Row 1 (RS): *Sl 1 wyib, k1; rep from * to end of heel sts.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1 wyif, purl to end.

Repeat Rows 1–2 until you have worked 18 (20, 24) rows total, ending with a WS (purl) row. You will see 9 (10, 12) chain-edge stitches along each side of the flap.

(18 (20, 24) rows on 18 (20, 24) sts ✓)

Heel Turn

Still with Color A, work short rows to wrap the heel. You will turn in the middle of the row; a small gap appears at each turn. Each ssk or p2tog closes one gap.

Size Small — 18 heel sts, 12 sts remain

• Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k10, ssk, k1, turn. (4 sts left unworked)
• Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn. (4 sts left unworked)
• Row 3: Sl 1, k6, ssk, k1, turn.
• Row 4: Sl 1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn.
• Row 5: Sl 1, k8, ssk, k1, turn.
• Row 6: Sl 1, p9, p2tog, p1. Do not turn.

12 sts remain (18 − 6 decreases = 12 ✓).

Size Medium — 20 heel sts, 12 sts remain

• Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k11, ssk, k1, turn.
• Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.
• Row 3: Sl 1, k6, ssk, k1, turn.
• Row 4: Sl 1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn.
• Row 5: Sl 1, k8, ssk, k1, turn.
• Row 6: Sl 1, p9, p2tog, p1, turn.
• Row 7: Sl 1, k10, ssk, turn (no k1 after the ssk).
• Row 8: Sl 1, p10, p2tog. Do not turn.

12 sts remain (20 − 8 decreases = 12 ✓).

Size Large — 24 heel sts, 14 sts remain

• Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k13, ssk, k1, turn.
• Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.
• Row 3: Sl 1, k6, ssk, k1, turn.
• Row 4: Sl 1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn.
• Row 5: Sl 1, k8, ssk, k1, turn.
• Row 6: Sl 1, p9, p2tog, p1, turn.
• Row 7: Sl 1, k10, ssk, k1, turn.
• Row 8: Sl 1, p11, p2tog, p1, turn.
• Row 9: Sl 1, k12, ssk, turn (no k1 after the ssk).
• Row 10: Sl 1, p12, p2tog. Do not turn.

14 sts remain (24 − 10 decreases = 14 ✓).

All sizes: 12 (12, 14) heel sts are on the needle.

Gusset

Resume working in the round. Pick up stitches along the chain edges of the heel flap (one stitch in each chain). Keep Color A for the pickup round; then resume stripes.

Pickup round (Color A):

1. Knit across the 12 (12, 14) heel sts.
2. Pick up and knit 9 (10, 12) sts down the left side of the heel flap (the RS left edge as you look at it).
3. Knit across the 18 (20, 24) held instep sts.
4. Pick up and knit 9 (10, 12) sts up the right side of the heel flap.

Stitch count: 12 + 9 + 18 + 9 = 48 (Small) · 12 + 10 + 20 + 10 = 52 (Medium) · 14 + 12 + 24 + 12 = 62 (Large) ✓

If a small hole appears where the flap meets the instep, pick up one extra bar and knit it together with the next stitch on the following round so the count above stays the same.

Rearrange:

• Needle 1 (sole/gusset): first half of heel sts + left pickup — 15 (16, 19) sts
  (Small 6 + 9 = 15; Medium 6 + 10 = 16; Large 7 + 12 = 19 ✓)
• Needles 2 and 3, or front needle (instep): 18 (20, 24) sts
• Last needle (sole/gusset): right pickup + remaining heel sts — 15 (16, 19) sts

Place a marker at the beginning of the round (center of the sole, between the two sole needles) if you like. The two decreases sit at the “corners” where sole meets instep.

Resume 4-round stripes, starting with whichever color continues your leg sequence (or start a clean Color A stripe). Change colors at the beginning of the sole.

Gusset decrease round:
Knit to 3 sts before the instep, k2tog, k1; knit across all instep sts; k1, ssk, knit to end of round. (2 sts decreased)

Next round: Knit.

Repeat these 2 rounds 6 (6, 7) more times until 36 (40, 48) sts remain.

(Small: 48 − 12 = 36 in 6 decrease rounds ✓ · Medium: 52 − 12 = 40 in 6 decrease rounds ✓ · Large: 62 − 14 = 48 in 7 decrease rounds ✓)

You are back to the original stitch count. Try the sock on: it should hug the heel and sit smoothly over the instep.

Foot

Continuing even 4-round Color A / Color B stripes in stockinette, work even on 36 (40, 48) sts until the foot measures 2 (2, 2½)" / 5 (5, 6.5) cm shorter than the desired finished length, measuring from the back of the heel.

End with a completed stripe if you can. Cut Color A. Toe is worked in Color B (Orange).

Toe

With Color B, knit 1 round even.

The toe is a wedge: 4 stitches decreased on every decrease round, with a plain round in between.

Think of the stitches as two equal halves: 18 (20, 24) instep and 18 (20, 24) sole.

Decrease round:
*K1, ssk, knit to 3 sts before the end of the half, k2tog, k1; rep from * once more. (4 sts decreased)

Next round: Knit.

Repeat these 2 rounds until 8 (8, 12) sts remain.

(Small: 36 → 8 is 7 decrease rounds ✓ · Medium: 40 → 8 is 8 decrease rounds ✓ · Large: 48 → 12 is 9 decrease rounds ✓)

Cut yarn, leaving a 12" (30 cm) tail. Arrange the remaining stitches so 4 (4, 6) instep sts face 4 (4, 6) sole sts, wrong sides together, ready to graft.

Finish (Kitchener stitch)

Graft the toe closed with Kitchener stitch. Do not pull so tight that the toe puckers; the grafted row should match stockinette tension.

Setup (once only):
Thread the tail on a tapestry needle.
Go through the first front stitch purlwise, leave it on the needle.
Go through the first back stitch knitwise, leave it on the needle.

Repeat until all stitches are grafted:

1. Front stitch: go knitwise, slide that stitch off.
2. Front stitch (new first st): go purlwise, leave it on.
3. Back stitch: go purlwise, slide that stitch off.
4. Back stitch (new first st): go knitwise, leave it on.

Memory aid: front = knit off, purl on; back = purl off, knit on.

When two stitches remain, work steps 1 and 3 only (knit off the front, purl off the back). Weave the tail to the inside and snug the last stitch.

Weave in all ends on the wrong side. Block lightly: dampen, shape, and dry flat. Make the second sock the same way.

Beginner Tips

• Count at every landmark. After the heel turn you must have 12 (12, 14) sts. After pickup, 48 (52, 62). After the gusset, 36 (40, 48). If a number is off, stop and find the missed pickup or extra decrease before you keep going.
• Try on after the gusset and again before the toe. Worsted socks grow a little when worn and after blocking.
• Yarn tails at stripes: leave 6" (15 cm) tails and weave each in along its own color on the WS.
• Second sock: copy stripe counts from sock 1 (how many full 8-round repeats on the leg, how many on the foot) so the pair matches.
• Non-slip option (slippers): after finishing, add a few dots of puff paint or a commercial sock-stopper on the sole and let them cure fully before wearing.