Yesterday I shared a bunch of men’s sock knitting patterns, and it got me thinking about how to adjust sock knitting patterns if you find one you like that doesn’t fit the foot you want to knit for (whether that foot is larger or smaller than the pattern calls for).
I have a lot of experience with this because I guess my foot (I wear a women’s size 7.5) combined with my standard gauge on sock knitting yarn and size 1 US knitting needles means that I typically want 60 stitches for my socks instead of the “standard” 64 commonly given in many sock knitting patterns meant to fit the average woman’s foot.
The key to making socks that fit you (or the foot you’re knitting for) is to measure the foot well if you have it available and also to make a good gauge swatch.
To measure the foot, you’ll need a flexible tape measure (you can also use a ruler to measure the length of the foot, but a tape measure is fine for that, too). You need to know the following measurements:
- Foot circumference: wrap the tape measure around the widest part of the foot (probably the ball of the foot, just back from the toes), making sure it is snug but not tight.
- Foot length: put your heel against a wall and stand on or next to a ruler or tape measure. Measure from the back of the heel to the end of the longest toe.
As for gauge, you will want to use the stitch pattern the pattern calls for (whether stockinette or something else) and work in the round, using the yarn and needles you plan to use for your socks. You need to make a big enough swatch that you can measure 4 inches worth of rounds and stitches. I usually do a fake round gauge swatch, where I knit a row then strand the yarn loosely across the back of the swatch so I can knit the stitches again without turning the work.
Once you have your gauge and know the size of the foot you’re trying to fit, you also need to consider negative ease. Socks are generally worked to be smaller than the foot they are covering, because yarn stretches and this allows the sock to hug your foot and leg so that it stays up without being too tight.
In general socks are about 10 percent smaller than the foot they cover for a good fit. That means for example if your foot is 8 inches around you would actually knit to 7.2 inches around or so unless you want your socks to be slouchy.
If the sock pattern you’re looking at doesn’t have a size that works for your foot and gauge, you can usually adjust the stitch count a bit to make a better fit. The pattern may tell you if a particular multiple of stitches is required for the pattern to work, so as long as you can fit that you’ll be fine. Sometimes you can use a slightly heavier or lighter yarn to get a different gauge that will make the sock fir your foot better. Or you can use a simple sock formula or calculator (here’s one for cuff-down and one for toe-up socks) and design your own!
How to Knit Socks: Three Methods Made Easy
Tiny Tree Socks Knitting Pattern
Book Review 52 Weeks of Socks: Beautiful patterns for year-round knitting
Clove Socks are Perfect for Yoga and Dance
I’ve never knitted a sock – somehow it’s just never been on my to-do list – but these tips are v handy for when the time rolls around!