These mock cable socks are like woolly jewelry—and perfect for beginners!
Mock cable socks are a delightful option if you’d like to knit a decorative texture in one color. The easy braided pattern continues all the way to the toe.
Size: EU 38–39.
Mock cable socks: materials
- 2 skeins of Novita Viola yarn (80% wool, 20% polyamide, 50 g = approx. 200 m) in shade 663 Mushroom
- needles 2.5 mm (US 1.5)–3 mm (US 2.5), depending on your tension
Gauge: 34 sts of mock cable pattern = 10 cm.
Tip!
You can adjust the stitch count to fit the wearer, but make sure the number of stitches is divisible by five for the mock cable pattern.
Mock cable socks: instructions
Cast on 60 sts. Distribute the sts evenly on four double-pointed needles, 15 sts on each. Join to work in the round. The beginning of the round is always between needles 1 and 4.
First, knit 3 rounds of 3 ‘k3, p2’ rib as the base rows for the mock cable. Then start the actual mock cable pattern:
- Round 1: *Slip 1 st purlwise, k2, pass the slipped st over the two knitted sts, p2*. Repeat from * to * until the end of the round.
- Round 2: *K1, yarn over, k1, p2*. Repeat from * to * until the end of the round.
- Rounds 3–4: *K3, p2*. Repeat from * to * until the end of the round.
Repeat rounds 1–4 until the leg measures about 13 cm (or your preferred length) and you have just finished round 4.
Knit 13 sts from needle 1 onto needle 4. Move the last 2 sts to needle 2 for later. Needle 4 now has 28 sts for the heel flap. This pattern uses a reinforced heel.
Turn work and start the heel flap:
- Row 1 (wrong side, inside of the sock): Slip the first st purlwise with the yarn in front, *p1, slip 1 st purlwise*. Repeat from * to * and purl the final st. Turn work.
- Row 2 (right side, outside of the sock): Slip the first st knitwise, knit the remaining sts. Turn work.
Repeat rows 1–2 until you have 28 rows in the heel flap. End with a wrong side row.
Heel turn
Divide the heel flap sts into three sections, either before working the heel turn or during the first row. For size EU 38, that would be 9+10+9 sts.
Continue the reinforced stitch pattern and begin the heel turn decreases:
- Row 1 (right side): Slip the first st knitwise. Knit until 10 sts remain. Make an skp decrease (= slip 1 knitwise, knit 1 and pass the slipped st over), turn work.
- Row 2 (wrong side): Slip the first st purlwise. Work the reinforced stitch until 10 sts remain. Purl 2 sts together, turn work.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have worked all side sts and 10 sts remain in the heel. When there are no more side sts, divide the heel flap sts onto two needles (5 and 5).
Pick up 15 sts + 1 st along the left edge of the heel flap onto needle 1. Knit these picked-up sts through the back loop.
Continue the mock cable pattern on needles 2 and 3, starting from Round 1 of the pattern. Note that from now on, at the beginning of needle 2, you’ll first purl 2 sts and then continue the mock cable pattern with the remaining sts.
Pick up 15 sts + 1 st along the right edge of the heel flap and knit these picked-up stitches through the back loop onto needle 4.
Gusset decreases
From now on, work stockinette stitch on needles 1 and 4, and continue the mock cable pattern on needles 2 and 3. Begin the gusset decreases on the next round: Knit the last 2 sts of needle 1 together and work an skp or ssk decrease at the beginning of needle 4. Repeat the gusset decreases every other round until there are 15 sts left on needles 1 and 4.
Continue working stockinette on needles 1 and 4 and the mock cable on needles 2 and 3 until the sole measures about 20 cm or until your little toe is covered.
Toe decreases
Continue the mock cable pattern all the way to the toe and work wedge decreases on each side. Work Round 2 of the mock cable pattern, then begin the toe decreases on the next round:
1st decrease round: Make the decreases first on needles 2 and 3 only (which have 32 sts in total). This will even out the stitch count so that each needle has 15 sts.
On the next round, begin decreasing on all needles:
- Needle 1: Knit until 3 sts remain on the needle. Knit 2 sts together, then k1.
- Needle 2: K1 at the start of the needle and make an skp decrease. Then continue with the mock cable pattern for the rest of the needle.
- Needle 3: Work the mock cable pattern until 3 sts remain on the needle. Knit 2 sts together, then k1.
- Needle 4: K1 at the start of the needle and make an skp decrease. Knit the remaining sts on the needle.
Decrease every other round until 7 sts remain on each needle. Then decrease on every round until 12 sts remain in total, i.e. 3 sts on each needle. Break the yarn and weave in the ends.
Knit the second sock in the same way. Finally, weave in the yarn tails on the wrong side of the work.
