Caramel Spill Socks, Free Knitting Pattern
Add some color and texture to your sock drawer with Caramel Spill Socks, easy colorful striped knit socks.
When December hits, I’m on the look for easy and quick projects - especially those with quick to memorize patterns, that I can pick up and put away while preparing for the festivities. Usually, I also need some quick and thoughtful gifts so all things small, quick and pretty are ‘it’ for me! Whether you’re looking to knit something relaxing for yourself or need to catch up on your gift knitting - these socks will be a great choice!
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GET THE CARAMEL SPILL SOCKS:
As an avid sock knitter, I have lots of partial yarn skeins left after completed sock pairs in odd amounts - not enough for a full pair of socks, and too much to sit in the yarn stash unused! So I took a dive into my stash and grabbed a half skein of a tonal hand dyed yarn from a local dyer in a beautiful gold-like shade and a bit of warm pink - I don’t know what it is about this color combo, but it just makes me swoon!
With these I knit up fairly quickly my pair - using my main golden color for the leg and foot, and added the pink bit as contrast color for cuff, heel, toe and the delicate stripes. You can definitely go all out on color with these ones and make all the stripes in different colors, or go for a single color only!
Caramel Spill Socks are worked from cuff down, with a super easy stitch pattern (knits and purls only!) creating delicate, dimensional stripes, and the easiest heel - called peasant heel, which is a variation of afterthought heel. I believe it’s the easiest sock construction possible, and it’s definitely the fastest one for me!
Caramel Spill Socks Free Knitting Pattern
Choose one of the three sizes listed - 1 (2, 3) and follow the directions for your size later in the instructions section. Each instruction that differs depending on the size will be listed in the exact same format - for example, k 8 (9, 10), which means: for size 1 - k8, for size 2 - k9, and size 3 - k10.
If you’ve never worked with a knitting pattern before, I recommend that you first read my blog post about knitting from a pattern.
© Whileberry 2023. Please keep in mind that this pattern is for personal use only, and both the pattern and photos can’t be copied or reproduced on another website.
sizes
1 (2, 3). Finished sock circumference is 17.5 (20, 22.5) cm / approx. 7 (8, 9)”. Choose a size that is 1 - 2.5 cm (0.5 - 1”) smaller than your foot circumference. Foot length is adjustable - for a good fit, knit a sock approx. 1.5 cm (0.5”) shorter than your actual foot length.
tools & supplies
yarn
For these socks, you’ll need approx. 200 - 250 m (219 - 284 yds) of the main color and approx. 100 - 120 m (110 - 131 yds) of fingering weight (category 1 - super fine) yarn. However if you plan to lengthen the leg of the sock or knit a foot longer than 25 cm (10"), you’ll likely need more yarn than this! For my pair I used a skein of hand dyed merino & nylon blend from a local yarn dyer - this pattern is great to use these special yarn skeins, also those most colorful and variegated! If you’re on the hunt for some solid yarn from widely available brands, any of those will be a great fit to use here:
needles
2.5 mm (US 1.5) circular needles 80 - 100 cm (32 - 40”), or to fit gauge
other notions
Stitch marker, tapestry needle, waste yarn and scissors.
gauge
32 stitches x 44 rounds in 10x10 cm (4x4”) in stockinette stitch, blocked
pattern notes
This pattern has been written for the magic loop method, however, it can be worked on DPNs if preferred. In this case, instead of dividing stitches into 2 equal parts, divide them into 4 equal parts - 2 for front/instep and 2 for back/sole.
Due to the nature of working in the round, a jog can be expected on the joint of thin stripes, however there are a couple of methods of minimizing this impact noted within the pattern.
Stitch count changes and totals are noted in italic.
Tutorials for specific techniques are linked and showing as yellow.
abbreviations
CC / MC - contrast / main color
dec - decreased
k - knit
k1tbl - knit 1 st through the back loop
k2tog - knit 2 sts together (1 st dec)
NA / NB - needle A / needle B
p - purl
rnd(s) - round(s)
RS / WS - right side / wrong side
ssk - slip 1 st knitwise, slip 1 st knitwise, knit the slipped sts together through the back loop (1 st dec)
st(s) - stitch(es)
** - work instruction between asterisks given number of times or until given moment
instructions
cuff
With CC, cast on 56 (64, 72) sts using Old Norwegian Cast On, or another elastic cast on of your choice.
Divide sts evenly between two needles, join to work in the round and place a beginning of round marker.
The first half of the stitches will be referred to as NA (these will be your front / instep stitches) and the second half will be referred to as NB (these will be your back / sole stitches).
To minimize impact on stripes, jogless join in the round is recommended - cast on 1 more st than the pattern calls for, bring the last cast on st to the front (before first st) and pass the first st over (1 stitch decreased). Slip the st to the right needle - this is the first st of the round.
Work Rnd 1 in CC a total of 7 times.
Rnd 1: *k1, p1* until end of rnd.
Break CC yarn. Break CC yarn. Next, join MC and work Rnd 1 in MC once.
Leg
Work Rnds 1 - 11 until you reach desired length of leg (end on a round from Rnd 3 - 7 range, not to
start the heel too close to the stripe). For sample pair, 36 rounds have been worked.
Rnds 1 - 9 (MC): k until end of rnd.
Rnd 10 (CC): k until end of rnd.
Rnd 11 (MC): p until end of rnd.
To avoid the need to weave multiple ends, you can lead the float of CC vertically inside, trapping it in every few rounds. Watch out not to do it too tightly so that the stripes are not disrupted.
Heel Placement
Next round, k all sts on NA with MC. Next, take waste yarn and k all sts on NB with it. Return the sts from NB to left needle, k the sts again until end of round - this time with MC.
Foot
Work Rnds 1 - 11 until foot is approx. 8 (9, 9.5) cm / 3.25 (3.5, 3.75)" shorter than desired length - this allows approx. 4.5 (5, 5) cm / 1.75 (2, 2)" for heel and approx. 3.5 (4, 4.5) cm / 1.5 (1.5, 1.75)" for toe.
Rnds 1 - 9 (MC): k until end of rnd.
Rnd 10 (CC): k until end of rnd.
Rnd 11 (MC): NA: p until end of needle, NB: k until end of rnd.
Note - for better length control, after working the foot for a few rounds, you can place the foot sts on a holder and move to work the heel.
Toe
Toe will be worked in CC. Work Rnds 1-2 a total of 7 (8, 9) times - 14 (16, 18) rnds in total.
Rnd 1: *k1, ssk, k until 3 sts left on the needle, k2tog, k1* twice. 4 sts dec.
Rnd 2: k until end of rnd.
Next, work Rnd 1 once more for all sizes. 24 (28, 32) sts left in total on both needles.
Graft remaining sts together.
Heel
Heel will be worked using CC only. Pick up 56 (64, 72) sts around the waste yarn as follows - insert needle under the right leg of every stitch in the row below the waste yarn, then insert needle under the right leg of every stitch in the row above the waste yarn. When you pick up all the sts, remove the waste yarn.
Make sure your sts are divided evenly between both needles (NA will refer to the first half of stitches and NB will refer to the other half). Work a set-up round once as follows:
NA: k until end of needle, pick up and k 1 st in the corner of heel space,
NB: k until end of needle, pick up and k 1 st in the corner of heel space.
Next, work Rnds 1 - 2 a total of 9 (10, 11) times - 18 (20, 22) rnds in total. Work Rnd 1 once more.
Rnd 1: *k1, ssk, k until 3 sts left on the needle, k2tog, k1* twice. 4 sts dec.
Rnd 2: k until end of rnd.
18 (22, 26) sts left in total on both needles.
Graft remaining sts together.
Finishing
Weave in ends (weave one end in the cuff and the other one in the sole) and wet block.
