Baby Socks, Midgauge

slisen@blogspot.com

(Click on photos to enlarge)

These are my most favorite booties of all time.  Moms of babies I’ve made these for say they love them the most because they stay on little feet and aren’t easily kicked off.  I made them on my SK860 midgauge machine with ribber, beginning with an English ribbed cuff and worked down to the toe.  If you don’t have a ribber, a picot hemmed cuff, mock rib, latched rib, lace cuff or any of your favorite cuff styles can be used instead of English rib.  These feature a shortrowed heel and a gathered toe.  Babies don’t care if the toe isn’t form fitting because they don’t do any walking in booties but a shortrowed toe can be used if you prefer.  Also, I mattress stitch the side seam from the public side to give a nice appearance.  Baby yarn is most always soft and again, baby won’t be doing any walking in them so a mattressed seam won’t cut into their little foot.

I’ve given 2 sizes, newborn and 3 – 6 months size in parentheses.  Size can be easily adjusted by adding or subtracting stitches and rows.   I’ve used several of the popular baby yarns for hand knitting and all have work very well.  But all baby yarns are not created equal so size may vary a bit just because of the yarn used. 

RedHeart Baby Soft yarn

Bernat Softee Baby yarn

Berroco Comfort DK

RedHeart Designer Sport (heavier)

Bernat Baby Jacquard (T1) Size: Newborn (3 to 6 mo)

Gauge: 6.5 sts, 8.5 rows = 1”

Sole about 4” (4 ½) long

  

RIBBING:

1)  Tension R on both beds, ribber at pitch P4, cast on for English rib, 14-0-14 (15-0-

     15) stitches, work 3 foundation rows, as follows or as instructed in your user’s

     manual.

          a.  Select every other needle on both beds, with the main bed needle being the

              outermost on the left, and the ribber needle being the outermost on the right

              hand side.  All knobs and levers set for normal stockinette knitting.

          b.  With COL, knit 1 row to the right.  Hang cast on comb and weights.

          c.  Change the left set lever on the ribber carriage from 1 to 0.  Knit 1 row to

              the left.

          d.  Change the stitch dial on the main bed carriage from 0 to S and knit 1 row to

               the right.

          e.  Change the stitch dial on the main bed carriage back to 0 and knit 1 row to

               the left.   

2)  At Tension 2 on both carriages, change the stitch dial on the ribber carriage from 0

     to ‘the upside down U’ and knit 19 (21) rows ribbing.  End with COR.

3)  Transfer ribber stitches to the main bed.

4)  Lower ribber and remove CO comb and use claw weights hereafter.  

5)  Replace ribber arm with main carriage sinker plate.

6)  T-2, Knit 2 (3) rows.  Work eyelets on this row if desired.

     Make eyelets on needles (working from the L) 4, 12, 18, 24  (5, 13, 20, 26). 

     (….x…….x…...x…..x.…)

7)  Increase 1 stitch on right hand side of ‘0’ if necessary to make an even number

     of stitches on that side.   (Necessary for later heel shaping.)

8)  Knit 8 (9) more rows, (10 (12) total if not doing an eyelet row).  End with COR.

 

HEEL:

1)  Push all needles left of -0- to hold position, 14 (16) stitches in work.

2)  Make sure there are an even number of stitches in work.   Put machine on hold.

3)  * Push 1 needle on cam side to hold position.  K 1 row across.

4)  Repeat * until 6 needles rem in working position.  (Same # of stitches in hold on ea

     side). 

5)  Knit 1 row across. COR.

6)  ** Push 1 needle opposite side of cam back to working position, wrap needle next

     to the carriage, knit 1 row across.

7)  Repeat ** until all needles are in working position, COR.

8)  Take machine off hold.

 

FOOT & TOE:

1)  K 22 (24) rows.

2)  Decrease every other needle, move stitches togther and knit 2 rows across.

3)  Gather the live stitches with yarn and secure. 

 

FINISHING:  Sew ribbing and side seam.  Make a 2 stitch I-cord at T0 for 80 (90) rows or to desired length, about 16" –OR- use a narrow ribbon for tie.  Add pompoms or tassels at each end of the I-cord if desired. 

 

NOTE:  I have an earlier post showing how I sew up the English rib entitled 'Flat & Invisible Seam in English Rib', dated 1 Oct 2012 that will be virtually invisible.   (Click on the 'seams' label to the right.)

 

Team with a hat and/or blanket for a nice gift.