Pixel Stitch Socks

Knitting may be a respite from the hectic pace of our digital world, but sometimes as I gaze upon the stitches floating off my needles, I realize that knitting is really a binary code; it’s ones and twos; it’s knits and purls!

Our Pixel Stitch Socks celebrate these parallels in modern life with a stitch pattern that is as soft and smooth as it is easy to work. Anzula Squishy’s striking, hand dyed palette adds complexity and depth, while the sock’s shorter length provides a satisfying, portable project you can easily take along on your next car ride or flight.

Although it may be impossible for us these days to ever completely shut out the digital world, with these socks, at least for a short while, you won’t have to! – Gina

Materials

Color A: 1 skein of Anzula’s Squishy, 80% superwash merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon. This color is Au Natural.
Color B: 1 skein of Anzula’s Squishy. This color is Mauve.
A set of US #2 double pointed needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)
A small crochet hook and scrap yarn (for Provisional Cast On)

Gauge

33 stitches and 34 rounds = 4 inches in Pixel Stitch Pattern

33 stitches and 42 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Sizes

Women’s Small (Women’s Medium, Women’s Large/Men’s Medium, Men’s Large)

Finished Foot Circumference: 7 ¼ (8 ¼, 9 ¼, 10 ¼) inches (unstretched)
Foot Length: Adjustable
Height from Top of Heel to Top of Cuff (unfolded): 5 ½ (5 ½, 6, 6 ½) inches (unblocked)

SAMPLE: Women’s Small

Notes

Abbreviations

K1a – With color A, knit 1.

K1b – With color B, knit 1.

Yoa – With color A, yarn over.

Yob – With color B, yarn over.

ssk – slip, slip, knit

Pixel Stitch Pattern

Worked over an odd number of stitches…

Round 1: *K1b, k1a; repeat from * to last stitch, k1b.

Round 2: *K1a, k1b; repeat from * to last stitch, k1a.

Repeat these two rounds for the Pixel Stitch Pattern.

Pattern

Toe

NOTE: In this section, work all yo’s through the back loop as you come to them.

Using a Provisional Cast On and color A, cast 8 stitches onto one double pointed needle. Make sure to leave a 10-inch tail for finishing at the end.

Continuing with color A…

Set-Up Row: K4 onto Needle 1, k2 onto Needle 2, k2 onto Needle 3.

Join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Increase Round: Needle 1: K1, yo, knit to last stitch, yo, k1; Needle 2: K1, yo, knit to end of needle; Needle 3: Knit to last stitch, yo, k1. (4 stitches increased)

Repeat Increase Round 4 (8, 12, 12) more times, (28 (44, 60, 60) stitches)

Next Round: Knit to end of round.

Next Round: Repeat Increase Round. (4 stitches increased)

Repeat last two rounds 7 (5, 3, 5) more times. (60 (68, 76, 84) total stitches, divided 30-15-15 (34-17-17, 38-19-19, 42-21-21) stitches on Needles 1-2-3)

Next Round: Needle 1: K1, yo, knit to end of needle; Needle 2: Knit; Needle 3: Knit. (61 (69, 77, 85) total stitches, divided 31-15-15 (35-17-17, 39-19-19, 43-21-21) stitches on Needles 1-2-3)

Foot

Join color B.

Work in Pixel Stitch Pattern (see Notes), working remaining yo through the back loop, until piece measures 6 ¼ (6 ½, 6 ¾, 7 ½) inches from cast on, or 2 ¾ (3, 3 ¼, 3 ¼) inches less than desired length from toe to back of heel, ending with a Round 2 of the pattern.

Here’s a guideline for final sock lengths:

US women’s size 5-5 ½ shoe (European 36) = 8 ½ inches

US women’s size 6-6 ½ shoe (European 37) = 9 inches

US women’s size 7-7 ½ shoe (European 38) = 9 ¼ inches

US women’s size 8-8 ½ shoe (European 39) = 9 ⅝ inches

US women’s size 9-9 ½ shoe/men’s size 7-7 ½ shoe (European 40) = 10 inches

US women’s size 10-10 ½ shoe/men’s size 8-8 ½ shoe (European 41) = 10 ¼ inches

US women’s size 11-11 ½ shoe/men’s size 9-9 ½ shoe (European 42) = 10 ½ inches

US men’s size 10-10 ½ shoe (European 43) = 10 ¾ inches

US men’s size 11-11 ½ shoe (European 44) = 11 inches

Gusset

NOTE: In this section, work all yo’s through the back loop as you come to them.

Round 1: Needle 1: *K1b, k1a, repeat from * to last stitch, k1b; Needle 2: K1a, yoa, *k1b, k1a, repeat from * to end of needle; Needle 3: *K1b, k1a, repeat from * to last stitch, yob, k1b. (2 stitches increased)

Round 2: Needle 1: *K1a, k1b, repeat from * to last stitch, k1a; Needle 2: K2b, *k1a, k1b, repeat from * to end of needle; Needle 3: *K1a, k1b, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2a.

Round 3: Needle 1: *K1b, k1a, repeat from * to last stitch, k1b; Needle 2: K1a, yob, *k1a, k1b, repeat from * to last stitch, k1a; Needle 3: *K1b, k1a, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1b, yoa, k1b. (2 stitches increased)

Round 4: Needle 1: *K1a, k1b, repeat from * to last stitch, k1a; Needle 2: K1b, *k1a, k1b, repeat from * to end of needle; Needle 3: *K1a, k1b, repeat from * to last stitch, k1a.

Repeat Rounds 1–4 three more times. Repeat Round 1 one more time. (79 (87, 95, 103) total stitches, divided 31-24-24 (35-26-26, 39-28-28, 43-30-30) stitches on Needles 1-2-3)

Next Row (partial row): *K1a, k1b, repeat from * to last stitch of Needle 1, k1a.

Turn the Heel

NOTES:

The heel is worked back and forth in rows over just Needles 2 and 3.
You will shape the heel using short rows. If you need some extra help, we have a great Short Rows Tutorial right here!
Work all yo’s through the back loop as you come to them.
Use only color A for the Turn the Heel and Heel Flap sections. You can leave color B where it is, you will come back to it later.

Continuing with color A…

Row 1 (right side): Needle 2: Knit; Needle 3: K7 (9, 11, 13), yo, k1, wrap and turn.

Row 2 (wrong side): P16 (20, 24, 28), yo, p1, wrap and turn.

Row 3: K14 (18, 22, 26), yo, k1, wrap and turn.

Row 4: P12 (16, 20, 24), yo, p1, wrap and turn.

FOR MEN’S LARGE ONLY

Next Row: K22, yo, k1, wrap and turn.

Next Row: P20, yo, p1, wrap and turn.

FOR WOMEN’S LARGE/MEN’S MEDIUM AND MEN’S LARGE ONLY

Next Row: K18, yo, k1, wrap and turn.

Next Row: P16, yo, p1, wrap and turn.

FOR WOMEN’S MEDIUM, WOMEN’S LARGE/MEN’S MEDIUM AND MEN’S LARGE ONLY

Next Row: K14, yo, k1, wrap and turn.

Next Row: P12, yo, p1, wrap and turn.

FOR ALL SIZES

Next Row: K10, yo, k1, wrap and turn.

Next Row: P8, yo, p1, wrap and turn.

Next Row: K6, yo, k1, wrap and turn.

Next Row: P4, yo, p1, wrap and turn. (87 (97, 107, 117) total stitches, divided 31-28-28 (35-31-31, 39-34-34, 43-37-37) stitches on Needles 1-2-3)

Next Row (right side): Knit to the end of Needle 2, then knit to last stitch of Needle 3, working the wraps together with the wrapped stitches and knitting the yo’s through the back loop, wrap last stitch and turn.

Next Row (wrong side): Needle 3: Purl; Needle 2: Purl to last stitch, working the wraps together with the wrapped stitches, wrap last stitch and turn.

Heel Flap

NOTE: The Heel Flap is worked with color A over just the stitches on Needles 2 and 3. You’ll be working back and forth in rows.

Set-Up Row (right side): Needle 2: Knit; Needle 3: K13 (15, 17, 19), ssk, turn. (86 (96, 106, 116) stitches)

Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, p26 (30, 34, 38), p2tog, turn. (85 (95, 105, 115) stitches)

Row 2 (right side): *Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in back, k1, repeat from * to 2 stitches before the gap (the gap is where you turned the work on the previous right side row), slip 1 purlwise with yarn in back, ssk (the 2 stitches on either side of the gap), turn. (1 stitch decreased)

Row 3 (wrong side): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, purl to 1 stitch before the gap (the gap is where you turned the work on the previous wrong side row), p2tog (the 2 stitches on either side of the gap), turn. (1 stitch decreased)

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 ten (eleven, twelve, thirteen) more times. (63 (71, 79, 87) total stitches, divided 33-15-15 (37-17-17, 41-19-19, 45-21-21) stitches on Needles 1-2-3)

Next Row (right side): *Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in back, k1, repeat from * to 2 stitches before the gap; slip 1 purlwise with yarn in back; slip the next 2 stitches knitwise, one at a time; pick up the wrap around the second slipped stitch with the left needle and place it on the right needle; knit the 2 stitches and the wrap together, as if making a ssk; turn. (1 stitch decreased)

Next Row (wrong side): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, purl to 1 stitch before the gap, purl the next 2 stitches together along with the wrap around the last stitch, turn. (61 (69, 77, 85) total stitches, divided 31-15-15 (35-17-17, 39-19-19, 43-21-21) stitches on Needles 1-2-3)

Join again for working in the round. Color B should be ready to go, right where you left it.

Next Round (partial round): *K1b, k1a, repeat from * across Needles 2 and 3.

Leg

Beginning with Round 1, work in Pixel Stitch Pattern until the Leg measures 4 ½ (4 ½, 5, 5 ½) inches from the end of the Heel Flap.

Cut color B.

Cuff

Set-Up Round: With color A, k2tog, knit to end of round. (60 (68, 76, 84) total stitches, divided 30-15-15 (34-17-17, 38-19-19, 42-21-21) stitches on Needles 1-2-3)

Round 1: *K2, p2, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 until ribbing measures 1 inch.

Bind off loosely in pattern, using a needle a couple of sizes larger to bind off, if necessary.

Finish

Unravel the provisional cast on and slip the live stitches onto two double pointed needles, 4 stitches per needle (top-of-foot stitches on one needle and sole stitches on the other). Graft the toe closed using color A and the Kitchener Stitch.

Weave in the ends. Block gently and enjoy your Pixel Stitch Socks!

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