Leigh Witchel

Cast on tubularly. 72 sts for a man on size 0, six or eight sts less for a woman or on size 1 (depending on your stitch pattern multiple). Place markers at the beginning of the round and halfway.

1x1 rib for 2 ins.

Switch to pattern stitch. This is either 3x1 ribbing (multiple of 4) or Twin Rib. 3x1 ribbing looks like stockinette but has more elasticity, and so is good for printed sock yarns that create jacquard or other effects that you don't want distorted by a stitch pattern. Twin rib is great for yarns that need a little more textural interest.

Multiple of six.

Round 1 - *K3,P3*
Round 2 - *K1,P1*

Cuff to heel turn will be about seven inches.

Do a short row heel on 60% of the stitches, rather than half. (Use 3 sts extra on each side). This makes a deeper, better fitting heel (at least, it does on my foot!)

Continue on for the foot, with plain stockinette for the bottom half of the round (the sole) and the pattern stitch for the top. Try them on and begin toe shaping when the sock reaches the knuckle of your little toe (about 1.5 inches from the end)

I do a standard toe decrease, for top and bottom of sock, k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1 (repeat for bottom half). Do this every other round until you have 50% of the stitches and then every round until you have 8. Graft the toe.