These classic cuff-down socks feature a textured seed stitch cuff, a traditional heel flap and gusset, and a shaped toe. The original knitting instructions have been preserved while the materials, terminology, measurements, and formatting have been updated for modern knitters.
Pattern Overview
Skill Level: Intermediate
Sizes: Adult shoe sizes 9, 9½, 10, 10½, and 11
Construction: Cuff-down
Heel: Heel flap and gusset
Toe: Traditional wedge toe
Materials
Yarn
Fingering-weight sock yarn
Sizes 9–10: Approximately 2 oz / 57 g
Sizes 10½–11: Approximately 3 oz / 85 g
One standard 100 g skein of fingering-weight sock yarn should be sufficient for all listed sizes.
Note: The original pattern called for 3-ply sock yarn sold in 1 oz balls. Because the original yardage was not provided, the modern yarn recommendation has been converted by weight rather than estimated yardage.
Needles
US 1 (2.25 mm) double-pointed needles for smaller sizes
US 2 (2.75 mm) double-pointed needles for larger sizes
Use the needle size needed to obtain gauge.
Gauge
28 stitches = 4 in (10 cm) in stockinette stitch.
Abbreviations
K – Knit
P – Purl
st(s) – Stitch(es)
K2tog – Knit 2 together
P2tog – Purl 2 together
sl – Slip
RS – Right side
WS – Wrong side
rep – Repeat
Pattern Notes
Socks are worked from the cuff down.
The cuff is turned so the wrong side becomes the public side of the cuff.
Heel is worked back and forth over the heel stitches.
Foot and toe are worked in the round.
Seed Stitch Pattern
Round 1
*K4, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1; repeat from * around.
Round 2
*K4, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1; repeat from * around.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 for pattern.
Instructions
Cuff
Cast on 64 sts. (20-20-24) on US 1 (2.25 mm) double-pointed needles. Use US 2 (2.75 mm) needles for larger sizes.
Join to work in the round and work K1, P1 ribbing for 4 rounds.
Decrease 1 st at the end of the last round.
Change to the Seed Stitch Pattern and work for:
2½ in (6.5 cm)
Larger sizes:3 in (7.5 cm)
Turn work inside out (wrong side of cuff is right side of sock).
Leg
Decrease 3 sts evenly across the first round, then knit plain for:
3¼ in (8 cm)
Larger sizes:4¼ in (11 cm)
Divide for Heel
Divide the stitches as follows:
Slip 30 sts onto one needle for the heel.
Divide the remaining 30 sts evenly between the two instep needles.
Work over heel stitches only.
Heel Flap
Row 1 (RS)
Slip 1, K across.
Row 2 (WS)
Slip 1, P across.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for:
26 rows
Larger sizes:30 rows
End with a P row.
Turn Heel
Work on the right side as follows:
Slip 1, K16, K2tog, K1, turn.
Slip 1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn.
Slip 1, K6, K2tog, K1, turn.
Slip 1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn.
Slip 1, K8, K2tog, K1, turn.
Slip 1, P9, P2tog, P1, turn.
Continue this way, always working 1 more stitch on each row, until 18 sts remain on the needle.
K across heel needle.
Pick Up Gusset Stitches
With another needle, pick up and knit:
14 sts along one side of the heel
16 sts for larger sizes
This becomes Needle 1.
Knit across all instep stitches.
This is Needle 2.
With another needle, pick up and knit:
14 sts along the other side of the heel
16 sts for larger sizes
Knit 9 sts from the heel needle onto the same needle.
This is Needle 3.
Slip the remaining 9 heel stitches onto Needle 1, ending at the center of the sole.
Gusset Decreases
Round 1
K around.
Round 2
Needle 1
K to within 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
Needle 2
K across.
Needle 3
K1, slip 1, K1 and pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch. Knit to end.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until there are:
56 sts remaining
Larger sizes:60 sts
Foot
Work even until the sock measures from the back of the heel:
Shoe Size
Foot Length
9
7 in (18 cm)
9½
7½ in (19 cm)
10
8 in (20 cm)
10½
8½ in (21.5 cm)
11
9 in (23 cm)
Or work until the foot measures 2 in (5 cm) less than the desired finished length.
Shape Toe
Round 1
K around.
Round 2
Needle 1
K to within 3 sts of the end of the needle, K2tog, K1.
Needle 2
K1, slip 1, K1 and pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch, K to within 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
Needle 3
K1, slip 1, K1 and pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch, K to end.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until 24 sts remain for all sizes.
Finishing
Weave stitches together.
About This Pattern
This vintage sock pattern has been carefully reformatted for modern knitters. The original knitting instructions have been preserved while the materials, terminology, measurements, and formatting have been updated for clarity and ease of use.
Please note: The original publication contains a stitch-count discrepancy after the cuff decreases. The instructions specify decreasing from 64 stitches to 63, then decreasing 4 additional stitches, but later divide the work into two groups of 30 stitches. The instructions have been modified to rectify this issue.
The original pattern can be found here.
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One Comment
Agnes Garnett
Thank you for the kind offer.