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When I hear France, the host of the Olympic Summer Games 2024, I not only think of Paris, the city of romance and the Eiffel Tower, but also of timeless elegance in Couture, especially Coco Chanel and her little black dress, perfect with a pearl necklace. I also think of the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, with its high tides and the spectacular tidal bore, and of the oysters raised there. Although those oysters are raised for consumption and not for pearls, I still think of pearls whenever I hear “oyster”.

This toe-up sock features the toe-up version of the top-down heel construction I found in an old book, the Encyclopedia of Needlework by Thérèse de Dillmont, published in 1884. I translated the pattern into modern day English knitting language, and figured out how to work a toe-up version of that step-heel, calling it step heel.

The simple vertical stripe on the instep is formed by increases on both sides, with decreases placed on the sides of the instep to keep a constant stitch count. The gusset increases are made by simply omitting the decreases. After the step heel, a set of short rows raises the back a bit to compensate for the slightly raised front. The double chain stitch pattern resembles a row of pearls on a string, and the same double chain stitch pattern makes a nice finishing on the top of the fold-over cuff.

You will need:

• Depending on size, 20-60g of fingering weight yarn (400-460y/100g; 320-420m/100g), and 3-7g of contrast colored yarn.
• Knitting needles: My samples were done using US size 0 (2mm), but use a needle size that results in a stitch gauge fitting for socks with your yarn and knitting style. The pattern is written for a set of FlexiFlips, but can be knitted on magic loop, 2 circular needles, or DPNs. Aim for a gauge of about 9 spi, and you will be fine. Row gauge is not that important because you will calculate when to start the gusset increases.
• One spare needle to pick up selvedge stitches on the step heel.
• One darning needle.
• A few removable stitch markers.
• 1 ruler, because it measures more accurately than a tape measure.

There are three sizes, based on foot width: XS (48 sts), S (60 sts), M (72 sts). Foot length depends on the shoe size, detailed instructions are given in the pattern.