Knit Cozy Socks: A Circular Needle Guide

If you're looking to knit socks with circular needles, you've got options! You can use one long circular needle, two circular needles, or even tiny circular needles. The magic loop method involves using one long circular needle, dividing your stitches in half, and placing a stitch marker in the middle. This method can be a bit fiddly, but it's a good option if you don't want to deal with multiple needles. If you're using two circular needles, you'll split your stitches into two groups and work with one group on each needle. This method is a bit easier to manage than the magic loop, and you won't have to worry about laddering. Tiny circular needles are another option, especially if you want to avoid the fuss and tugging that can come with other methods. However, keep in mind that tiny circular needles have very small tips, which may cause hand cramps for some knitters. Ultimately, the best method for knitting socks with circular needles is the one that works for you!

Casting on and knitting the cuff

To cast on and knit the cuff of a sock with circular needles, you'll first need to get your materials together. You'll need 300 yards (274 m) of fingering weight sock yarn and a US size 1 (2.25 mm) circular needle that's 12 inches (30 cm) long. You can use any colour of yarn as long as it's in a fingering weight.

Now, make a slip knot and put it on your circular needle. Then, cast on 60 stitches using your favourite casting-on method. This pattern will make a standard-sized sock that fits most adults.

Once you've cast on the stitches, smooth them all out so they're not twisted. They should be pointing in the same direction. Hold the needle with the working yarn in your right hand and insert it into the stitch that's on your left needle. Wrap the yarn around the needle and pull the stitch through. The first stitch you make should be a knit stitch. Your knitting is now joined in the round.

To make a ribbed cuff for the sock, knit 1 (K1) stitch and purl 1 (P1) stitch. Repeat K1 P1 for the entire row. Knit as many rows of K1 P1 as you need to get 1 inch (2.5 cm). The number of rows will vary from person to person depending on your gauge, yarn, and how tightly you knit. If you prefer a different style of cuff, you can use your favourite stitch for 1 inch (2.5 cm).

Working and turning the heel

Turning the heel is the part of sock knitting that scares most knitters away from ever knitting socks. The truth is that turning a heel isn't any more difficult than any other part of making a sock, it just requires a little more attention than the other parts. If this is your first time turning a heel, read the directions several times before you begin, and double-check each step before you go on to the next.

To turn the heel, you will be working back across the rows in the opposite direction. This will create a heel for your sock. You will knit a certain number of stitches and then turn the needles around. You will then purl a certain number of stitches in the opposite direction.

Row 1 (WS): sl1, p14, p2tog, p1, turn.

Row 2 (RS): sl1, k4, ssk, k1, turn.

Trust the pattern and follow the instructions as written, no matter how complicated they seem. If you were working a sock with the instructions above, you would slip the first stitch, purl 14 stitches, purl two together, purl one more, and then turn the work like you normally do at the end of a row.

Any stitches after the p1 on the needle remain unworked. With the work turned to the right side as you would in regular flat knitting, the needle with the unworked stitches is now in your right hand and the needle with the stitches you worked in the last row will be in your left hand.

Knit back across these stitches as the pattern indicates. In the case of the example above, you'd slip the first stitch, knit 4, work an ssk (slip, slip, knit decrease), knit one more, and turn the work again.

Now you have unworked stitches on both needles, and just a few stitches that have been worked on both rows.

Continue working the short rows according to the pattern instructions. You would work progressively further and further away from the centre with each row. If you were knitting the sock in the example above, the next two rows would read:

Row 3: sl1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.

Row 4: sl1, k6, ssk, k1, turn.

The rows continue until eventually you have worked across all the stitches, and you have made a little knit cup that will hold your heel when you wear the sock.

Now, you will need to pick up stitches for the gusset. The gusset is the only truly difficult part of knitting a sock. That's because you have to pick up stitches, and a lot of beginners shy away from that. The process is pretty straightforward, though.

Step 1: Cut the yarn for the heel, pick up the colour you knit your last stripe with, place a stitch marker, and pick up one stitch from the gap between the heel flap and your (old) fourth needle with a crochet hook. This will prevent a hole from forming here at the top of your gusset.

The stitch marker marks your new beginning of your round.

Step 2: Then, pick up one stitch from every edge stitch. Try to tighten up the stitches now and then.

Step 3: Knit across the heel (you can join in a new needle in the middle).

Step 4: Pick up stitches from the other side of the heel flap. Pick up one stitch through every (slipped) stitch of the edge.

Step 5: Pick up one more stitch from the gap, and place a stitch marker. Check if you picked up an equal number of stitches on both sides, and that you didn't accidentally skip a stitch.

Step 6: Knit across the remaining stitches on your (old) third and fourth needle, and join in the round again.

Once you picked up all stitches, you can start knitting the gusset. Basically, it boils down to decreasing back to your original number of stitches.

Round 1: SSK, knit across until 2 stitches before the second stitch marker, k2tog, slip the marker, and finish knitting the round.

Repeat these two rounds until you are back to your original number of stitches.

Working the gusset

Now that you've made the heel flap, you'll need to begin working the remaining stitches. Start by knitting 9 stitches and then inserting a stitch marker. This will be the centre or beginning of the round. Knit 9 more stitches.

Pick up the long stitches on the heel flap's side. Insert your right needle into the stitch on the left needle and pull it up to slide it onto the right. Avoid working the stitch. Pick up the next 14 stitches from the left needle onto the right.

Knit 1 stitch and place a marker. Pick up an extra stitch by knitting 1 stitch. The stitch should be in the row that's right below the heel flap. Insert a stitch marker once you've knit the stitch.

Knit all the stitches. You should now be at the stitches that you didn't work when you made the heel flap. Knit all of these stitches and place a stitch marker.

Pick up 1 extra stitch and the long stitches on the other heel flap side. Knit 1 extra stitch in the row underneath the heel flap. Then, slide the next long stitches onto the right needle without working them.

Once you've finished this step, you'll be working the sock in the round again.

Decrease the gusset by alternating 2 rows. Work the gusset by alternating 2 rows of stitches until you have 60 stitches left on your needles. Alternate as follows:

Row 1: Knit up to 2 stitches before the second stitch marker, knit 2 stitches together, place a stitch marker, knit to the next marker, place a stitch marker, slip slip knit, and then knit to the beginning of the round marker.

Row 2: Knit all of the stitches.

Place a stitch marker and knit the sock until it's as long as you like. Slip the stitch marker to the start of the row and continue to knit all of the stitches in the round. Remove the other 2 stitch markers when you get to them. Knit until the sock is as long as you like or about 2 inches (5.1 cm) less than the desired length.

Working the toe

Now that you've mastered the cuff, body, heel and gusset, it's time to work on the toe. This is the part of the sock where you will need to decrease stitches until only a few remain on your needles. You will need to transfer the stitches to two double-pointed needles to do this.

To begin, knit 15 stitches on the circular needle, starting at the stitch marker that shows the centre of the heel. Then, knit 30 stitches onto one double-pointed needle. Put this needle aside for now. Knit the remaining 30 stitches onto another double-pointed needle. At this point, your circular needle should be empty.

Now, you will work the stitches on one needle. Insert the empty needle into the next stitch and knit one. Slip slip knit two stitches together, then knit all but the last three stitches on that needle. Knit the next two stitches together, then knit the last stitch on the needle. Pull the yarn tightly as you begin stitching on the next needle to prevent gaps.

Turn your work and work the stitches on the other needle in the same way. Insert the empty double-pointed needle into the next stitch and knit one. Slip slip knit two stitches together, then knit all but the last three stitches. Knit the next two stitches together and knit the last stitch. You should now be back at the stitch marker, having completed one row.

Knit all of the stitches on the first double-pointed needle, then turn your work and knit all of the stitches on the other needle. Continue alternating rows in this way until you have 30 stitches left.

Keep working the stitches on both double-pointed needles, decreasing a few stitches each row, then knitting all of the stitches on the next row. Continue alternating rows until you have 15 stitches on each of the two double-pointed needles.

The two rows you should alternate are as follows:

Row 1: Knit 1, slip slip knit, knit to the last 3 stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn. Repeat for the stitches on the second needle.

Row 2: Knit all stitches on both needles.

Continue alternating these rows until you have 16 stitches left. Keep working the decreasing rows and alternating them with knit rows until you have 8 stitches left on both of the double-pointed needles.

Finally, cut the yarn and graft the toe. Leave a 2-foot tail of yarn that you can thread through a tapestry needle. Use the tapestry needle to seam together the stitches that are on your double-pointed needles. Pull the yarn through the final stitch and tighten it into a knot. Cut the yarn and weave in any ends.

Finishing the sock

Once you have worked the gusset, you will need to alternate two rows until you have 60 stitches left on your needles. The first row will involve knitting up to two stitches before the second stitch marker, knitting two stitches together, placing a stitch marker, knitting to the next marker, placing a stitch marker, slip slip knit, and then knitting to the beginning of the round marker. The second row will simply involve knitting all of the stitches.

After this, place a stitch marker and knit the sock until it is as long as you like. Slip the stitch marker to the start of the row and continue to knit all of the stitches in the round. Remove the other two stitch markers when you get to them. Knit until the sock is as long as you like or about 2 inches (5.1 cm) less than the desired length. Leaving a 2-inch gap allows you to finish the edge with a decorative stitch, such as a twisted or ribbed stitch.

Now, you will need to knit the toe and finish the sock. Starting at the stitch marker that shows the centre of the heel, knit 15 stitches. This will help you transfer the stitches to double-pointed needles. Take an empty double-pointed needle in the same size as the circular needle (US size 1 or 2.25 mm) and knit 30 stitches. Hold this double-pointed needle to the side and knit the remaining 30 stitches onto another double-pointed needle. The circular needle should now be empty.

Work the stitches on one needle by inserting the empty needle into the next stitch and knitting one. Slip slip knit two stitches to make one, then knit all but the last three stitches on that needle. Knit together two stitches to make one, then knit the last stitch on the needle. Pull the yarn tightly as you begin stitching on the next needle to keep the knitting tight and prevent gaps.

Turn and work the stitches on the other needle. Insert the empty double-pointed needle into the stitches on the other needle and knit the first stitch. Slip slip knit two stitches to make one, then knit all but the last three stitches on that needle. Knit together two stitches to make one, then knit the last stitch on the needle. You should now be back at the stitch marker since you've completed one row.

Knit all of the stitches for one row. Knit all of the stitches on the first double-pointed needle and then turn the work. Knit all of the stitches on the other needle so you return to the stitch marker in the centre. Alternate rows until 30 stitches are left. Work the stitches on both double-pointed needles to decrease a few stitches each row, then knit all of the stitches on the next row. Keep alternating rows until 15 stitches are on each of the two double-pointed needles.

These are the instructions for the two rows you should alternate:

Row 1: Knit 1, slip slip knit, knit to the last 3 stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1, and turn the work. Repeat this for the stitches on the second needle.

Row 2: Knit all on both needles.

Alternate rows until 16 stitches are left. Keep working decreasing rows and alternating them with knit rows. Continue until 8 stitches are left on both of the double-pointed needles.

Finally, cut the yarn and graft the toe. Leave a 2-foot (61-cm) tail of yarn that you can thread through a tapestry needle. Use the tapestry needle to seam together the stitches that are on your double-pointed needles. Pull the yarn through the final stitch and tighten it into a knot. Cut the yarn and weave in any ends.

Frequently asked questions