Knit Bright Colorful Socks — Free Striped Sock Pattern & Step-by-Step Guide (S–L)

Bright, colorful knitted socks are an easy way to add personality to any outfit. This pattern offers both a striped, multi-color version and a plain turquoise version in Women's sizes S [M, L]. The instructions below include materials, gauge, detailed directions for leg, heel and toe shaping, plus tips for avoiding the "jog" in stripes and for managing ends.

Size

Women's S [M, L]. For large, go up a needle size.

Materials

• Striped: Regia 4-fadig (75% wool, 25% polyamide; 210 meters per 50 g ball): 1 ball each of white [2080], yellow [612], green [1254], fuchsia [1258] and turquoise [1255] (with large leftovers).
• Solid: Regia 4-fadig: 2 balls turquoise plus small quantities of white, green and fuchsia.
• [S/M] 1 set US #2 (2.75 mm) double-pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge.
• [L] 1 set US #3 (3.25 mm) double-pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge.
• Tapestry needle to graft the toe with Kitchener stitch and to weave in ends.

Gauge

S, M: 30 sts/40 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch. L: 28 sts/40 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch.

Directions — Leg

Using fuchsia for the striped version, or white for the plain version, CO 64 sts and divide onto three needles. Mark beginning of round and join without twisting. Work in K2, P2 rib for at least 2 inches.

Begin the stripe pattern (or continue plain): Although the striping may look complex, it is a repeat of color order and stripe widths (four colors and five widths give a random-looking effect). Use the stripe chart below for the sequence, or design your own on the blank side of the chart. Prefer at least 2-row stripes so the jogless-jog technique works well and so weaving in ends is manageable.

With white, start the leg and knit every round, changing colors according to the chart. For the plain version, change to turquoise and carry on.

Avoiding the jog

If you simply change colors and knit around, your stripes will appear slightly offset at the join (a spiral). To reduce this: when you change colors and knit the first round in the new color, then at the first stitch of that new color pick up the stitch from the row below (which will be the old color), place it on the left needle in front of the first stitch of the top row, and knit these two together. Continue normally. If you are not changing colors, nothing extra is needed. Search "jogless jog" online for illustrations and further explanations.

Avoiding weaving in ends

If you dislike weaving ends, two options:

1. Carry colors up the back without breaking the yarn, twisting them together once each color change. This is quick but the carries can be long and catch toes if stripes are wide.
2. Knit in the ends as you go: break the yarn for the color you finished, then as you knit, hold the tail up for one stitch (working yarn goes under the tail) and down for the next stitch (working yarn goes over the tail), weaving it up and down for about 12 sts; cut the remainder. This yields tidy results. Search "knitting in ends" for techniques.

Stripe charts

Pattern repeats after section 20. Follow the chart for the striped version through section 14. For the plain version, knit until the leg measures 7 inches. In both versions, break the turquoise yarn at the indicated point.

Preparing for the heel

Put the last 16 sts and the next 16 sts (either side of your seam up the back) onto one needle. Working on these 32 sts, join white at the beginning of this needle and, starting with a knit row, work the Heel Chart.

Turn the heel

Continuing with green: sl1, k17, SSK, k1, turn. [SSK = slip 2 sts knitwise, knit both together]

Sl1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.

Sl1, k6, SSK, k1, turn.

Sl1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn.

Continue in this fashion: slip the first stitch, work to one stitch before the gap, work 2 sts together over the gap, then k1 (or p1) until the heel sts are finished. 18 sts remain.

Foot

Change to yellow and resume the stripe pattern at section 15 for the striped version, or change back to turquoise for the plain version.

1st needle: K heel sts, pick up 16 sts up the side of the heel.
2nd needle: K 32 for the top of the foot.
3rd needle: Pick up 16 sts down the side of the heel, then k the first 9 heel sts. (82 sts total.)

Decreases

1st round:

1st needle: K to 3 sts before the end of the needle, k2tog, k1.
2nd needle: K all.
3rd needle: K1, SSK, k to end.

2nd round: Knit plain.

Repeat these 2 rounds until you have 64 sts (divided 16, 32, 16). Continue in stripe pattern or plain turquoise until the foot measures 4 [5, 6] inches from the picked-up sts, according to size.

Make the toe

1st round:

1st needle: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
2nd needle: K1, SSK, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
3rd needle: K1, SSK, knit to end.

2nd round: Knit plain.

Repeat these two rounds until 16 sts remain. Graft two sets of 8 sts together using Kitchener stitch.

Enjoy your colorful socks! If you want to experiment, use the blank side of the stripe chart to design wider or narrower stripes—just remember at least 2-row stripes work best with the jogless-jog technique.