I am so tired of hand-knitting socks that don’t fit. I have a pair that is so bulky that they’re more like “Sock Boots” because they don’t fit inside any shoe known to man. I have another gorgeous lace pair made from a very lightweight bamboo yarn that I can squeeze into a shoe, but because of the bumpy cable pattern, I end up walking around feeling like my feet are being squeezed uncomfortably.

While snowed in at the beginning of February, I made it my mission to create a pair of hand-knit socks that are cute enough to wear around the house, and fit brilliantly. These socks do not sag in the leg. The gussets end up comfortable and stretch perfectly over the sides of your heel. You know how when you say “I love this thing” to a grade-schooler, they are likely to answer back, “Well then, why don’t you marry it?” In regard to these socks, my answer to that kid would be, “If I wasn’t already married, I just might!”

This step-by-step pattern is easily modified (and has instructions on how to modify!) to create the perfect fit for your feet. The #1 super-fine sock-weight yarn is easy to find, and the only other thing you need is a set of US size 2 double-pointed needles. And a few really good movie rentals, because we all want to make the very best use of our time, right?

Errata: If you were sent the pattern before February 23, 2011, there are two omissions to please note. If you were sent a copy on or after that date, the pattern has been corrected to include these extra rows.

Both omitted parts were at the end of the printed gusset decreases.

For the smaller size, after “Round 9: W15, W2tog, W30, SSW, W15” and Row 10 (work all needles evenly), you need one more pair of decrease rows, so add the following:

Row 11: W14, W2tog, W30, SSW, W14
Row 12: Work all needles evenly

This concludes the gussets for the smaller size, and will leave you with 60 stitches.

For the larger size, after: “Round 11: W18, W2tog, W36, SSW, W18” and Row 12: (work all needles evenly), add the following two decrease rows:

Row 13: W17, W2tog, W36, SSW, W17
Row 14: Work all needles evenly

This concludes the gussets for the larger size, and will leave you with 72 stitches.

If you have already completed a sock or two using the original instructions, don’t panic. Two extra stitches isn’t going to make much difference in the big picture when you’re using such fine yarn. But, if you’re starting a new pair or haven’t finished the heel yet, go ahead and use these new instructions.

Thank you Malin for catching my mistake and taking the time to alert me!