Boot socks

Finished just in time for the start of colder weather: boot socks (which don't have to be worn with boots). Structurally, they are nothing other than long socks, knitted from the top to the toe. Some magic in the finishing make them stay in place and there is optional frill for those who like that.

The socks were inspired from something I found in a magazine (left), except I made them a little longer and decided against the buttons. But I liked the lace trim.

In the instructions below, I try to give a template pattern so that you can adapt to your size and your needs. As a matter of fact, you can easily piggy-back on your favorite sock pattern if you are a sock knitter.

I used sock yarn and size 2 circular needles (socks are worked in the round).

Supplies

• Your favorite top to toe sock pattern (for instance this one)
• A set of double pointed needles or two circular needles (if you like the 2 circular needle method to knit small rounds)
• Stitch markers
• Sock yarn
• Hemming ribbon (technical term: bias binding tape)
• 1/4" wide braid elastic band
• Trimming (optional)
• Buttons (optional)
• Sewing needles
• Matching sewing and button craft thread

Preparations

Perform the following measurements on the person who is going to wear the socks:

• circumference of the leg where the top of sock will be
• circumference around the narrowest of the ankle
• distance from the top of the sock to the top of the knee
• distance from the top of the knee to the widest of the calf
• distance between the widest of the calf to the narrowest of the ankle

Decide on a pattern for the sock. I decided on the following: 1/1 ribbing down to the top of the knee (that part is recommended regardless of what you do further below). I worked the leg of the sock in 4/2 ribbing, with on the outside of the leg, a cable pattern worked on 14 stitches (2 RS stockinette, 2 WS stockinette, 3/3 cable, 2 WS stockinette, 2 RS stockinette).

Prepare a swatch (not in the round) in the sock pattern (in this case 4/2 ribbing) and note three gauges:

• fully relaxed
• medium stretch
• full stretch

Method

Using your full stretch gauge and your top of the sock measurement, figure out how many stitches to cast on. For instance, for me the full stretch gauge was 34 stitches for 15 cm. The leg circumference was 38 cm. That meant that I had to cast on 38/15 * 34 stitches = 86 stitches . You can equally well work in inches, the length units cancel in the gauge transformation. 

Depending on your choice of pattern, you may have to add a few stitches to make it work out. For instance, my pattern worked on 14 (cable pattern) + 6n (n repeats of 4/2 ribbing) + 2 (the last bit of 4/2 ribbing to connect smoothly with the cable pattern). We need to fudge the 86. Subtract 16 (the cable + the last bit of 4/2 ribbing) and we get 70. That is not a multiple of 6, but 72 is. To find the closest multiple, divide 70 by 6: 70/6 = 11.7 then round to the next higher integer (12). 12 times 6 is 72. The total number of stitches we must cast on is 16 + 72 = 88. It is important to round up rather than down, as we are already at full stretch.

Happily work rounds in 1/1 ribbing until the band reaches the top of the knee. Next set up your knit and purl stitches according to your pattern. If you are doing a cable down the side of the leg, it helps to mark that with markers.

Continue in pattern until you reach the widest of the calf.

Then it is time to start decreasing down to the narrowest of the ankle. We have to figure out a rate of decrease. First work out how many stitches you should have left by the time you get to the narrowest of the ankle. Use your medium stretch gauge. In my case, the medium stretch gauge was 34 stitches for 11 cm and the ankle measurement was 19 cm. That worked out to 19/11*34 stitches = 58.7 stitches. Here we have to fudge because we are bound by a requirement that allows us to follow our favorite sock pattern to turn the heel: We need a multiple of 4. Go up in the number of stitches rather than down. The multiple of 4 that comes closest to 59, going up, is 60 (4 times 15).

Next you need to figure out over how many rounds you will need to make the decreases. This is where the distance between the thickest of the calf and the ankle come in. In my case, that distance was 16 cm. With a gauge of 8 rounds for 2 cm, that translates to 16/2 * 8 = 64 rounds. Over those 64 rounds, I had to decrease (88 - 60) = 28 stitches. Each decrease round will take care of 2 stitches. So the total number of decrease rounds to work is 14 (half of 28). To figure out how many rounds to work between decrease rounds, we do 64/14 = 4.6. We round that down to 4. This means that we will get down to 60 stitches a little sooner than we need, but that's better than the opposite problem. We will work a decrease round every 4 rounds.

The next step is to place a marker at the middle back of the leg, as that is where we are going to work out the decreases. With the middle back marker in place, a decrease round goes like this:

from the middle back marker, work 1 stitch in pattern, work an end of row decrease, work in pattern to 3 stitches shy of marker, work a beginning of row decrease, 1 stitch in pattern. For details on how to work the decreases, see this post. Here we have only 1 edge stitch, not 2.

When you get down to the narrowest of the ankle (making sure you are down to your multiple of 4 stitches decided above - here 60), set up to work the foot of the sock. This is where we simplify the pattern. We discontinue the cable and switch to plain stockinette on the bottom of the foot (bottom half of the stitches). For the top of the foot, continue the 4/2 ribbing. Use your favorite sock pattern to turn the heel, work the length of the foot, and finish off the toe. Switch to plain stockinette for the toe.

Finishing

Here we want to add an elastic band to secure the top of the sock and put on the trimmings. 

Turn the sock inside out and stretch it to its fullest (the way it will be on the leg). I worked directly on my thigh, but if it's for someone else, find a hard object that has the circumference you need. It is important to do this part at full stretch, as we are going to sew up non-elastic elements.

Leaving a 1/4 inch (5 mm) gap from the base of the 1/1 ribbing, pin in place the bias binding tape so it circles the leg without squeezing. Leave a gap between the start and end of the tape. You want the tape to form a tunnel where you can thread the elastic band through. Once the tape is solidly pinned in place, turn the sock back right side out. Using a thread that matches the sock color, sew the tape in place using a discreet stitch, still working at full stretch. Keep the stitching to the outer edges of the tape, so you leave the tunnel open. It is especially important to be discreet if you are not using a trimming. If you are going to use a trimming, then that seam will be hidden.

Take off the sock and turn it inside out again. The next step is to thread the elastic band. Fit the elastic band around the leg the sock is meant for and set the stretch. It needs to be sufficient to hold the sock in place, but not so tight that it creates discomfort.

Thread the elastic band through the tunnel formed by the bias binding tape and close the loop securely. Turn the sock back right side out. Add any trimming you like.When you sew the trimming in place, make sure not to sew it into the elastic band or the bias binding tape. This is why we left the 1/4 inch gap between the binding tape and the 1/1 ribbing band. This is a good place to place a trimming stitching. This precaution will make it easy to change the elastic band when the elastic gives out. Also make sure you work at full stretch as we did with the bias binding tape.

Enjoy your warm socks!