Toe-up whelk stitch socks
ABOUT
Skill Level:
Intermediate
Pattern Notes:
Stitches that appear between * and * should be worked until the end, unless otherwise indicated.
These socks are worked from the toe-up and the length can be easily adjusted to fit the average woman’s foot.
COMPONENTS
Materials:
1 skein Loops & Threads Perfect Pair in Born to Run
Size 1 double pointed needles
Scrap yarn
Yarn Substitute: Stroll
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Size:
Adult
Gauge:
28 sts x 36 rows = 4 inches
STITCH ABBREVIATIONS
K – knit
P – purl
Sl – slip unworked stitch from left needle to right needle
SSK – slip unworked stitch from left needle to right needle knitwise. Slip a second unworked stitch from the left needle to the right needle knitwise. Slip those two unworked stitches separately back to the left needle purlwise. Knit those two stitches together in the back of the stitches (decrease).
K2tog – knit two stitches together (decrease).
P2tog – purl two stitches together (decrease).
Inc – knit into the front and back of the same stitch (increase).
Welk Stitch Pattern:
Row 1: *K1, sl1, K2*
Row 2: *P1, sl1, P2*
Rows 3-4: *K3, sl1* 
INSTRUCTIONS
Toe Shaping:
Using provisional cast on method and the scrap yarn, cast on 12 stitches
Row 2: Purl across
Row 3: Knit across
Row 4: Purl across
Remove live stitches from scrap yarn and place them on a double pointed needle. You should have 24 sts on two needles. Begin knitting in the round.
Round 5: *K2, Inc, K4 (add a needle) K4, Inc, K2.* Repeat from * to *
Round 6: Needle 1 – K2, Inc, K across needle
Needle 2 – K across needle to last 3 sts, Inc, K2
Needle 3 – K2, Inc, K across needle
Needle 4 – K across needle to last 3 sts, Inc, K2
Repeat Round 6 until you have 40 sts total, or 10 sts per needle
Round 7: K across
Round 8: Needle 1 – K2, Inc, K across needle
Needle 2 – K across needle to last 3 sts, Inc, K2
Needle 3 – K2, Inc, K across needle
Needle 4 – K across needle to last 3 sts, Inc, K2
Repeat Rounds 7-8 until you have 52 sts total, 13 sts per needle
Rounds 9-10: K across
Round 11: Needle 1 – K2, Inc, K across needle
Needle 2 – K across needle to last 3 sts, Inc, K2
Needle 3 – K2, Inc, K across needle
Needle 4 – K across needle to last 3 sts, Inc, K2
Repeat Rounds 9-11 until you have 60 sts total, 15 sts per needle
Rounds 12-14: K across
Round 15: Needle 1 – K2, Inc, K across needle
Needle 2 – K across needle to last 3 sts, Inc, K2
Needle 3 – K2, Inc, K across needle
Needle 4 – K across needle to last 3 sts, Inc, K2
You should now have 64 sts total, 16 sts per needle
Foot:
Round 16: Needle 1 – work Whelk Stitch pattern
Needle 2 – work Whelk Stitch pattern
Needle 3 – K across needle
Needle 4 – K across needle
Repeat Round 16 until the sock fits from your toes to the bend in the top of your foot where your ankle starts.
Heel Flap:
Turn and work across Needles 3 and 4 only (worked flat), leaving Needles 1 and 2 unworked.
Row 17: Sl1, P across, turn
Row 18: Sl 1, K across, turn
Repeat Rows 17 and 18 for a total of 22 rows total.
Heel Shaping:
Row 19: Sl1, P17, P2tog, P1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 20: Sl1, K5, SSK, K1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 21: Sl1, P6, P2tog, P1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 22: Sl1, K7, SSK, K1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 23: Sl1, P8, P2tog, P1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 24: Sl1, K9, SSK, K1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 25: Sl1, P10, P2tog, P1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 26: Sl1, K11, SSK, K1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 27: Sl1, P12, P2tog, P1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 28: Sl1, K13, SSK, K1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 29: Sl1, P14, P2tog, P1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 30: Sl1, K15, SSK, K1, turn (leave remaining sts unworked)
Row 31: Sl1, P16, P2tog, turn
Row 32: Sl1, K across until last 2 sts, SSK. Split the 18 heel flap sts evenly across 2 needles (9 sts per needle). The first needle now becomes Needle 4 and the second needle now becomes Needle 1. Begin working in the round again.
Round 33: On Needle 1, pick up and K 11 sts along heel flap edge, work across Needles 2 and 3 in Whelk Stitch pattern, on Needle 4, pick up and K 11 sts along heel flap edge, K across last 9 sts on the same needle.
Gusset Shaping: (decrease)
Round 34: Needle 1 – K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1
Needles 2-3 – Work Whelk Stitch pattern
Needle 4 – K1, SSK, K to end
Round 35: K across Needles 1 and 4, Whelk Stitch pattern across Needles 2 and 3.
Repeat Rounds 34-35 until there are 16 sts per needle
Ankle:
Round 36: Work Whelk Stitch pattern across all needles until you reach 1 inch below desired length
Round 37: *K1, P1*
Repeat Round 37 for 1 inch.
Bind off using Icelandic Bind Off (video tutorial available here).
Repeat pattern for second sock.