Monica Knits

Dad's SocksMy grandmother had knitted several pairs of socks for my dad that lasted for 10 years, in part because they were knitted with a double sole, giving them extra durability. I had already knitted socks for all the girls in the family, but had not yet made a pair for my father. When I offered to knit my father a pair of socks in any style and color for father's day, he selected the basic sock pattern, in a dark blue yarn to match his jeans. My father is a tall man with a size 13 foot.

Yarn: Knit Picks - Essential, color Dusk (Mallard blue), 3 x 50 gm, Fingering Weight, (75%:25% wool:nylon)
Straight Needle: one 3.25 mm needle for casting on (optional)
Circular Needles: 2 sets each of 3.0 mm, 2.5 mm and 2.0 mm needles.
DPNs: two 1.75 mm needles for grafting the toes (plus 1 for swapping stitches).
Darning Needle

Pattern: For a large sized man's sock, use the Basic Sock pattern with the following changes. If you are new to the basic socks series of articles, they have been compiled in a master article, Basic Socks, and can also be accessed from the Index.

1. Cast on 72 stitches using a 3.25 mm straight needle. Divide the stitches evenly between two 3.0 mm circular needles and join in the round. Knit 2 x 2 ribbing on 3.0 mm needles for 3".
2. Using the 3.00 mm needles, knit 2" of leg with a stocking stitch. Switch to 2.5 mm needles. Continue the stocking stitch pattern until the sock measures 10" from the start.
3. Work the heel flap with half the stitches (36) using a 2.0 mm circular needle.
4. The turning heel starts with the following rows. Refer to the Basic Sock - Turning Heel for full details.
   Row 1: (RS) K20, ssk, K1, PM, turn
   Row 2: (WS) Sl 1 purlwise, P5, P2tog, P1, PM, turn
   Row 3: (RS) Sl 1 purlwise, K6, ssk, K1, PM, turn
   Row 4: (WS) Sl 1 purlwise, P7, P2tog, P1, PM, turn
   Rows 5-12: Repeat the pattern of rows 3 & 4, moving the decreases outwards (straddling the marker) until all heel stitches have been worked and 20 sts remain on the needle.
   Click here for photos, tips and additional detail: "Basic Sock - Turning Heel."
5. 18 gusset stitches, not 15 stitches are picked up (with a 2.5 mm needle) along the heel flap as well as an additional stitch at the intersection of the heel flap and instep.
6. The gusset decreases are worked on two 2.5 mm circular needles until 36 stitches remain on each needle.
7. Once the gusset is complete, the sock is knitted face front on the 2.5 mm needles until 2" before the end of the longest toe.
8. The toe decreases are identical to the Basic Sock instructions, except that you start with 36 stitches on each needle and continue until 12 stitches remain on each needle.
9. Grafting the toe. Follow the instructions as written, the only difference being the initial number of stitches (12) on each needle. Finish by weaving in yarn ends.