The sock is easy enough – I knit it top-down, but it could be knit toe-up just as well. Whatever method you prefer! The chart is over 16 stitches, so you could easily do it over 64 or 72 80 stitches (it was pointed out my math was wrong and to do 72 stitches you would have half a flower – my apologies on this!). Just make sure you knit loose enough that you can get the sock on your foot! I have small ankles so I did 64 and it seemed fine as long as I knit it loosely.
On with the pattern…
Yarn used: Kraemer Yarns Saucon Sock in Lime, and JL Yarn Vinca in Color #10
Needles: A set of 5 size 1 DPNS
Cast on 64 stitches in your main color
K2 P2 ribbing for 6 rows, and then begin chart and knit through. Make sure you’re knitting loose enough so you can get it on!
If knitting top down, then you’ll start at the top portion and work your way down the chart (or just rotate it to read as you would a normal chart). If you’re knitting toe up, then just leave it as it and knit away!
After the last row of the chart, knit one row in the main color. Knit next 48 stitches in main color (16 short of a full round).
On the next 32 stitches (16 of current round, 16 of new round):
Row 1 – Slip one and knit one to begin heel and turn.
Row 2 – Slip one, purl across.
Repeat the slip 1 knit 1 and the purl back for a total of 32 times, ending with a wrong side row. Knit one row plain across and then turn.
Heel turn:
Purl 2 beyond center (18 stitches if you originally cast on 64 sts), p2tog, p1, turn.
Slip 1, knit 5, k2tog, k1, turn.
Slip 1, purl to one stitch before gap, p2tog, p1, turn.
Slip one, knit to one stitch before gap, k2tog, k1, turn.
Continue until all stitches are worked and you have 18 stitches left.
Gusset:
Pick up 18 stitches along first side, knit across instep, and pick up 18 more on 2nd side of guesset.
Knit one round around. On next round, knit to 3 stitches before instep, k2tog, k1, knit across instep stitches, k1, ssk, knit rest of stitches. Continue alternating rounds of straight knitting and decreasing until you end up with 64 stitches again.
Knit around and around and around and around until you reach 2 inches less than your foot length.
Toe:
Round 1 –
Needle 1 – knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, knit 1
Needle 2 – knit 1, ssk, knit to end of needle
Needle 3 – knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, knit 1
Needle 4 – knit 1, ssk, knit to end of needle
Round 2 – Knit around
Repeat until you get down to 24 stitches. Transfer onto 2 needles and kitchener together and weave in ends and you’re done!
If you have any questions feel free to contact me and ask! I’m not a pro at pattern writing so I’m sure there are some mistakes or some unclear directions.
nicole p says
June 6, 2015 at 6:43 pmthis pttern is so beutiful i hve never done fair isle nd i m going to do thes i just love them. thanks for shairing this . nicole (saffrondisy) etsy
Pat Phythian says
July 2, 2015 at 3:43 amThank you for posting this pretty pattern. This is only my second time knitting fair isle, and the first time I’ve attempted it with socks. I’ve just finished the chart and will be starting the heel. Dumb question — when should I break the contrast yarn? Thanks
Candace M Musmeci says
July 26, 2018 at 6:05 pmwhenever you’re done using it, I’d assume 🙂
Angie says
April 11, 2016 at 8:34 pmThank for the lovely pattern! Knits up beautifully.
Vanessa says
August 18, 2016 at 3:04 pmThank you so much for sharing your lovely socks!
Theresa says
October 17, 2016 at 7:04 pmI’ve made these several times–thank you for the pattern!
Kim Tompkins says
November 8, 2016 at 3:53 pmBeautiful pattern! Im just wondering about the toe. I knit magic loop and would the pattern still work with needles 1&2 as one needle?
Thank you
Kim
Cookinakin says
January 26, 2017 at 8:20 pmHi ! Thanks a lot for this beautiful parttern ! First fair isle for me, not the last for sure !
Debora Shoemaker says
March 7, 2017 at 5:12 pmI am trying to make the fair isle sock pattern. I am using 96 stitches for the cuff, on the row of knit one color then next stitch opposite color, at the end and begining of row there are 2 stitches of the same color is this correct to be happening or is there a correction?
Kathleen says
September 21, 2018 at 10:25 pmI like that pattern and I might have a good knit it
Nisarwhal says
December 16, 2018 at 9:41 amHi Candice I want to ask when beginning to knit the heel you said repeat the slip one and knit one and purl back for total 32 times. So it means we have 64 rows ? Or Repeat these two rows a total of 16 times (or 32 total rows). ?
Candice says
January 15, 2019 at 12:09 pmOh my goodness, I need to be better about checking comments! I’m so sorry for the delay! You would repeat the two rows 16 times, for a total of 32 rows on the heel. I should go back and re-write that pattern a bit soon so it’s more clear!
Amy says
March 31, 2019 at 9:35 pmHi Candace
I’m at the toe and ready to decrease. I have my yarn on 4 needles but not evenly divided. One is bottom of foot, 2 are the side gussets and the 4th is the instep. Obviously I will run out of stitches quickly on the gusset needles as they have just 7 stitches on them. How should I divide the stitches for the 4 needles as I begin the toe decreases? Thank you
Candice says
April 2, 2019 at 9:56 pmHi Amy!
You should have 16 stitches on each needle before decreasing the toe. I usually have the instep stitches spread across the top two needles, and the foot stitches across the bottom two needles. Without seeing your knitting right in front of me, I’d say to divide that foot needle between the two side/gusset ones you’re using so that it equals the other 2 needles (which could give you 3 needles total if you have all of the instep on 1 needle, but you could divide that instep into two, as well, to keep 4 needles working).
Carly says
May 9, 2019 at 5:13 pmI’m confused about the heel turn section, I started with a cast on of 64 stitches like the pattern says, but my heel flap consists of rows of 16 stitches, not 18. Before I started working on the heel flap, I knit 48 stitches in my main color like the pattern says, giving me 16 stitches before the completion of a round, I assume those 16 stitches are what I work with to make the heel flap. Where is this 18 stitches coming from?
Gabi says
May 26, 2019 at 8:25 amThank you very much for the lovely pattern. I’m on my second pair already. This is my first time Fair Isle knitting.