Monica Knits

If you prefer a seamless toe with subtle decreases along the sides, this short rows toe construction method meets the requirements. This beauty, however, takes longer to construct than either the rectangular or Kitchener stitch toe, and works best with 2 circular needles. Like the other two toe up methods, it starts with a provisional cast on. Like the Kitchener stitch toe it begins 2" from the toe tips, at the start of the foot. Like the rectangular toe, the provisional stitches are on one side only--so you could place them on the sole of the foot, leaving no apparent transition on the instep side. Read more .... for complete instructions.

This article is one segment of the "Basic Toe-Up Sock" series. The demonstration sock, a woman's medium size, is based on 64 leg sts. To link to other articles in this series, either: a) click on the index hyperlink in the masthead, then socks and select the desired article or, b) click on the Basic Toe Up Sock link at the bottom of this article, then click on the desired topic.

Materials and Supplies

1. 2.5 mm crochet needle
2. 2.5 mm dpn
3. 2.0 mm circular needles (2)
4. Stitch markers (2)
5. Stitch register or tally counter (optional)
6. Waste yarn, fingering weight (light blue in photo)
7. Sock yarn, fingering weight (natural)

Basic Toe Up Sock - Short Rows Toe
For the provisional cast on, it is important to use a high contrast color yarn of the same weight as the sock yarn. The sock is actually begun on the foot 2" up from the toes. I used natural color yarn so that the stitch definition is easily seen in photographs, however I also worked a sample in the variegated green yarn to make comparison with the rectangular toe easier.

This toe is adapted from "Eastern European Footlets," by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts¹. If you want to try a toe up sockette, rather than a full sock, this is a good looking one to try, with or without the color work. Instructions for additional sizes are given in her article.

1. Using the Basic Toe Up Sock - Provisional Cast On instructions, the waste yarn, a 2.5 mm crochet needle and a 2.5 mm dpn, cast on 32 stitches. I usually cast on 3-4 more chain loops than needed for two reasons: in case of a miscount and to mark the beginning of the chain.
2. With the main color yarn and a 2.0 mm circular needle, knit one row.
3. Short RowsThe next 20 rows are short rows in which one stitch fewer is worked in each row and a yarn over (YO) is created at the beginning of the subsequent row to prevent gaps when the stitches are later picked up again. The short rows are worked until there are 12 sts between the markers. For detailed instructions, read the short rows section below. The image at right shows the short rows and 2 stitch markers.
4. Toe IncreasesAfter the short rows are completed, an additional 21 rows are worked to pick up the resting stitches and increase the toe width while forming the reverse side of the toe (tapered cup shape). At the end of this step, there will be a single YO at each end of the needle, separated from the main stitches by a marker. For detailed instructions, read for the toe increases section below.The photo at right shows the completed toe, prior to picking up the provisional loops. The arrows point to provisional stitches.
5. Using a second 2.0 mm circular needle, carefully pick up 32 loops from the provisional cast on, unzipping the chain as you go. The chain is unzipped from the end, not the beginning. The beginning was differentiated with a few extra chains.
6. Knit 1 round as follows: K2tog (last YO from first needle and 1st st from 2nd circular needle), K across to last stitch of second needle, SSK (last st needle 2 and YO on needle #1). The markers are removed as the two decreases are completed.

Short Rows (decreasing toe width)
Row   1: K 31                   (don't work last st), turn.
Row   2: Rev YO, PM, p30 (don't work last st), turn.
Row   3:        YO, PM, k29 (don't work last st), turn.
Row   4: Rev YO, PM, p28 (don't work last st), sl last st pwise, RM, sl st back to lh needle, turn.
Row   5:        YO, PM, k27 (don't work last st), sl last st pwise, RM, sl st back to lh needle, turn.
Repeat rows 4 & 5 reducing the number of stitches worked by 1 each row, until row 20 (p12) has been completed.

The slip stitches in the section above are used to reposition the markers, not to wrap the stitches, so it doesn't matter whether you slip with the yarn in front or back as long as the stitch and yarn are back in position after the marker has been repositioned.

Toe Increases (increasing toe width and absorbing the YOs)
Row   1:        YO, PM, k12 (to marker/YO), fix loop^a, RM, k2tog (the YO & next st), turn.
Row   2: Rev YO, PM, p13 (to marker/YO),              RM, SSP (YO & next st) WYIF, turn.
Row   3:        YO, PM, k14 (to marker/YO), fix loop, RM, k3tog (2 YOs & next st), turn.
Row   4: Rev YO, PM, p15 (to marker/YO),               RM, SSSP (2 YOs & next st) WYIF, turn.
Repeat rows 3 & 4 until 19 rows have been completed (k30).
Row   20: Rev YO, PM, p31 (to marker/YO),               RM, SSSP (2 YOs & next st) WYIF, turn.
Row   21:        YO, PM, k32 (to marker/YO), fix loop, RM, k3tog (2 YOs & next st), turn.

a) On knit rows, untwist the YO so that its leading loop (facing the knitter) is on the front side of the needle (normal st orientation).
b) Rows 21 and 22 each have a single YO at either end of the needle, separated from the main sts by a marker. In the photo below, the orange marker designates one of these YOs.

Quality Control Tips

1. I found that this toe works up looser, so a smaller diameter needle is required.
2. I highly recommend using stitch markers to separate the resting stitches on either end of the short row. These markers are also very helpful when you start working the resting stitches and additional loops because they eliminate the need to count stitches across a row. They also make it easy to see where the YO loops start. The photo shows a marker with the last YO to be worked as well as the extra chain loops (blue) discussed below. The red, 1.75 mm dpn is highlighting a loop (green) in the provisional chain.
3. With the provisional cast on, I added a few extra loops in the contrast color to distinguish the start of the crochet chain from the end from which it is unzipped. These have the additional benefit of providing a bit of ease to pick up the last provisional stitch of the main color once the toe is complete.
4. You may find a row counter a useful redundancy, to keep track of the number of stitches to work: row 1 (31), row 2 (30), row 3 (29), row 4 (28),.... row 20 (12).

NEXT STEP - Foot
In preparation for knitting the foot, transfer the stitches to two 2.5 mm circular needles.

Click on the following to transfer to:
Basic Toe Up Sock
Basic Toe Up Sock - Provisional Cast On
Basic Toe Up Sock - Foot
Stitch Patterns.

Footnotes - Short Rows Toe
Priscilla Gibson-Roberts, "Eastern European Footlets," in Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave, Interweave Press, Loveland, CO, 2006. pp. 109-111.

Abbreviations
k or K - knit
k2tog - knit 2 together
k3tog - knit 3 together
p or P - purl
pwise - purlwise (as if to purl)
PM - place marker
RM - remove marker
sl - slip
SSK - slip slip knit
SSP - slip slip purl through the back loops
SSSP - slip slip slip purl through the back loops
st, sts - stitch, stitches
WYIB - with yarn in back
WYIF - with yarn in front
YO (Yarn Over Increase after Knit, before Knit Stitch)
Rev YO (Yarn Over Increase after Purl, before Purl Stitch) This YO is labelled Rev YO in the pattern above, to make obvious the change between purl and knit rows.