Free Sock Pattern: Soft Ruffle Socks

I'm so excited to share with you my free ruffle sock knitting pattern! This post contains the full ruffle socks pattern or you can download a PDF of the pattern for free on Ravelry. This free vanilla sock pattern incorporates a fun fuzzy mohair ruffle with an easy-peasy technique. Hint - knit a totally vanilla sock by omitting the ruffle!

Details

Dress up a vanilla pair of socks with an oh-so-soft ruffle. These socks incorporate fluffy mohair to make the softest, squishiest, cutest socks in your drawer. 

Sizes

Sizes S (M, L) are for 7" (8", 9") (18, 20, 23 cm) circumference socks. These socks are intended to use 0.5-1" (1.3-2.5 cm) of negative ease. Measure around the ball of the foot with a fabric measuring tape, and choose the size closest to your foot measurement. This is the circumference of your foot, not the length of your foot which will be measured later. 

Yarn Requirements:

MC: Approximately 250-375 yards (72-106 grams) Fingering weight sock yarn. I used Neighborhood Fiber Company Organic Studio Sock in Mondawmin. More yarn will be necessary for longer socks.

Ruffle: Approximately 55-92 yards (6-10 grams) mohair yarn for ruffle alone, approximately 92-129 yards (10-14 grams) to also include heels and toes.

Needles:

For main sock: US size #1 (2.25 mm) 30’’ or longer circular needles for magic loop, or needles needed to get gauge. Any sock knitting method (DPNs, 9’’ circulars) can be used. For ruffle: US size #3 (3.25 mm) needles. I prefer 9’’ circulars for this purpose. 

Gauge:

8 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette stitch, swatch MC with smaller needles.

Notions:

Scissors, 3 removable stitch markers, tapestry needle, a small crochet hook may be useful for picking up stitches.

Abbreviations:

- BOR - Beginning of Round

- CC - Contrasting Color - for these socks, mohair yarn

- CO - Cast On

- K - Knit

- K2tog - Knit two together

- M - Marker

- MC - Main Color

- P - Purl

- P2tog - Purl two together

- PM - Place marker

- Rnd - Round

- RS - Right Side

- Sl - Slip as if to purl

- SSK - Slip as if to knit, slip as if to knit, knit these two together

- St - Stitch

- St St - Stocking Stitch - Knit all stitches in the round, if knitting flat knit the right side and purl the wrong side

- WS - Wrong Side

Sock Instructions 

Ruffle

With mohair using long-tail cast on and larger needles, loosely CO 112 (128, 144) sts. Join to knit in the round. Pm to indicate BOR. Knit in St St to desired length. For a short ruffle try .5 inches (1.3 cm) see dark pink example. 

When you have reached the desired length, next round K2tog for the whole round, you will now have 56 (64, 72) sts. Knit one more round. Remove the marker. Break yarn - leave stitches on the needle, do not cast off. 

Cuff

With MC using long-tail cast on and smaller needles, CO 56 (64, 72) sts. Join to knit in the round. Pm to indicate BOR. 

[K1, P1] to knit ribbed cuff. Knit ribbing for 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) and stop, do not break yarn. 

Adding Ruffle to Cuff

Please see the linked video instructions for adding a ruffle to your cuff, or follow instructions below. 

Stack your ruffle on top of your cuff, needles touching. It is important that the “right side” (knit side) of the ruffle is facing the cast on edge of the cuff. The needles will be set up with the ruffle stitches closest to you, and the cuff stitches directly behind it. Make sure your working yarn is at the back of your work. We will be slipping stitches all the way around to add the ruffle to our live cuff stitches. Slip one MC stitch from left needle to right needle. Slip one CC stitch from the ruffle off their needles and onto the right MC set of needles. Continue slipping one MC stitch, then one CC stitch all the way around until all of the CC stitches are off their needles and onto your working needles. You should see every other stitch as MC, CC. 

[K2tog, P2tog] to knit ribbed cuff together with the mohair ruffle. 

Alternate Method:

Stack your ruffle on top of your cuff, needles touching. It is important that the “right side” (knit side) of the ruffle is facing the cast on edge of the cuff. The needles will be set up with the ruffle stitches closest to you, and the cuff stitches directly behind it. Make sure your working yarn is at the back of your work. You will be working with just the right needle of your cuff stitches, but using the stitches of the left needle of both the ruffle and cuff. When knitting or purling for this row you will knit one stitch from the cuff together with one stitch from the ruffle - this means that for the two stitches for your K2tog one will be MC and one will be CC. [K2tog, P2tog] to knit ribbed cuff together with the mohair ruffle. 

Cuff Cont. 

You should now only see MC stitches live on your needles and your ruffle will have been knitted into your cuff. Continue cuff in pattern for an additional 1.5 inches (3.8 cm). 

Leg

Knit in St St to desired length. Example is 1 inch (2.5 cm) for shorter socks but add or subtract length to get the height you would like. 

Heel Flap

We will now work the heel flap flat across the bottom needle. You will be working with half of your stitches: 28 (32, 36). Use MC together with CC for heel flap. 

Rnd 1 (Rs): [Sl1, K1]

Rnd 2 (Ws): Sl1, Purl.

Repeat a total of 14 (16, 18) times. Before turning your heel, count the slipped stitches on one side of your heel flap. You should have 14 (16, 18).

Heel Turn

Starting on the RS of the heel flap.

Rnd 1: Sl1, K 15 (17, 19)sts, SSK, K1, turn. 

Rnd 2: Sl1, P5 sts, P2tog, P1, turn. 

Rnd 3: Sl1, K6 sts, SSK, K1, turn. 

Rnd 4: Sl1, P7 sts, P2tog, P1, turn. 

Rnd 5: Sl1, K8 sts, SSK, K1, turn.

Continue working one more stitch each round until all stitches have been worked. Break CC, continue only in MC. 

Finish on the RS, Sl1, knit across. The BOR is now at the center of the heel. Do not turn work, you will next pick up stitches for the gusset. The foot of the sock is knit in St St (knit all stitches unless otherwise stated). 

Gusset Set Up 

Using MC, pick up and knit 14 (16, 18) stitches on the side of the heel flap. Pm. Knit across the instep which should be 28 (32, 36) sts. After the instep, Pm. Pick up and knit 14 (16, 18) stitches on the side of the heel flap. Knit to BOR.

You should now be working in the round again, with a BOR stitch marker at the center of the heel, and one on either side of the instep, three total markers. 

Gusset Decrease

Rnd 1: Knit to 3 sts before marker, K2tog, K1, slip marker, knit instep, slip marker, K1, SSK, K to BOR. 

Rnd 2: Knit to marker, slip marker, knit instep, slip marker, K to BOR. 

Repeat rnds 1 and 2 until you have your original number of CO stitches: 56, (64, 72). Keep your side markers in place as they will be needed for the toes. Remove the center back BOR marker, your next marker is now BOR. 

Foot

Knit all stitches. Keep side markers in place and slip the markers when you reach them. Knit until the sock has reached the desired length, you will need 1.5-2" (3.8-5 cm) for the toe decreases. 

The following are Craft Yarn Council guidelines for the length of a sock measured from the back of the heel to the end of the toes. Socks will have some stretch, use these as guidelines if you or the recipient can not try on the sock.

(U.S. shoe sizes below)

Women's shoe 4-6.5: 8 - 9" (20-23 cm)

Women's shoe 7-9.5: 9.25 -10" (23-25 cm)

Women's shoe 10-12.5: 10.25 -11" (26-28cm)

Men's shoe 6-8.5: 9.25 -10" (23-25 cm)

Men's shoe 9-11.5: 10.25 -11" (26-28 cm)

Men's shoe 12-14: 11.25 -12" (28-30 cm)

Toe Decreases

Set up rnd: You have been working in MC only, add CC. Knit one round.

Rnd 1 (decrease round): K1, SSK, K to 3 stitches before marker, K2tog, K1, SM, K1, SSK, K to 3 stitches before the marker, K2tog, K1.

Rnd 2 (Knit round): Knit slipping all markers.

Repeat Rnds 1 and 2 until 10 (12, 14) stitches remain on each needle (20 (24, 28) total). Using Kitchener stitch, graft toe sts closed.

Finishing

Weave in all ends and wet block, shaping the sock as necessary. Repeat for second sock.