Butterfly Toes Socks

by Susan Mullikin
Butterfly design based on a motif from Barbara Walker’s Charted Knitting Designs: A
Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns

Materials:
US 3 (3.25 mm) needle, 32 inches in length or appropriate length for magic loop knitting
Duets Sock Yarn or any other DK weight yarn—The colorway I used was Spring Frost

Gauge: 26 st and 36 rows per 4 inches

Finished length-4 inches from heel to tip of toe

Using solid color yarn, cast on 37 st. Place first 19 stitches on 1st needle (back of leg/
sole), and leave remaining 18 on the 2nd (instep) needle. Slip first cast on stitch from the
1st needle to the second needle. Then begin working in the round starting with the 2nd
cast on stitch.
Row 1: (K1-tbl, p1, K1-tbl) around, with the last stitch being a K2tog-tbl. This helps the
join from stretching out. This stitch remains on the 2nd (instep) needle.
Row 2-3: *K1-tbl, P1, K1-tbl* repeat from * to * around. You’re knitting a ribbing at this
point.
Row 4: *K1-tbl, drop stitch off needle, K1-tbl* repeat from * to * around. Row count
changes to 24 stitches. Let the dropped stitch unravel down completely to the cast on
row. This forms the ruffled edge on the sock.
Row 5-9: Knit around
Row 10: Purl around
Slip 1st stitch of next row to 2nd needle, wrap stitch, then place it back onto 1st needle.
Flip the knitting inside out. The part you were knitting before will become the “inside” of
the sock, and now you will be knitting on the outside. This allows for the turned down
part of the sock to remain in stockinette stitch instead of reverse stockinette stitch. You
are wrapping the stitch to avoid a hole as you are now knitting in the opposite direction
as you were before.
Row 11-19: Knit around, picking up the wrap loop from the wrapped stitch, and knitting it
together with the stitch when you come to it.
Heel Flap:
Row 20: Sl 1, K 11
Row 21: Sl 1, P 11

Repeat these rows 5 times, for a total of 12 rows on the heel flap.
Heel Turn:
Row 32: Sl 1, K 6, K2tog, K1
Row 33: Sl1 P3, P2 tog, P1
Row 34: Sl 1, K 4, K2tog, K1
Row35: Sl 1, P 5, P2tog, P1
Row36: Sl 1, K 5, K2tog
Row37: Sl 1, P 4, P2 tog

Gusset:
Change at this point to the variegated yarn or a contrasting color yarn if you wish.
Row 38: K 6, pick up and knit 7 stitches along the gusset, and pick up and knit 1 stitch
in the gap between the first gusset stitch and the next stitches, K 12, pick up and knit 1
stitch in the gap between the last stitch worked and the first gusset stitch, pick up and
knit 7 stitches along the heel flap, then K 3 more stitches to get to the center of the heel.
This is now the beginning of each round.

Gusset Decreases:
Row 39: K 8, K2tog, K 14, SSK, K 8 (32 st)
Row 40: Knit
Row 41: K 7, K2tog, K 14, SSK, K 7 (30 st)
Row 42: Knit
Row 43: K 6, K2tog, K 14, SSK, K 6 (28 st)
Row 44: Knit
Row 45: K 5, K2tog, K 14, SSK, K 5 (26 st)
Row 46: Knit
Row 47: K 4, K2 tog, K 14, SSK, K 4 (24 st)
Row 48-49: Knit

Rearrange stitches so that all sole stitches are on 1 needle and all instep stitches are on
1 needle. Rounds will still begin in the center sole and the decorative stitches will be
easier to complete if all instep stitches are on the same needle. Use a stitch marker to
mark the center.
Row 50: K 10, YO, K2tog, SSK, YO, K10
Row 51: Knit
Row 52: K 8, SSK, YO, SSK, (YO)x2, K2tog, YO, K2tog, K 8
Row 53: K 11, (K1, P1) into double YO, K 11
Row 54: K 8 (YO, SSK) x2, (K2tog, YO) x2, K 8
Row 55: Knit
Row 56: K 8, SSK, YO, SSK (YO)x2, K2tog, YO, K2tog, K 8
Row 57: K 11 (K1, P1) into double YO, K 11
Row 58: K 10, YO, K2tog, SSK, YO, K 10
Row 59-61: Knit
Toe Decreases:
Change back to solid colored yarn.
Row 62: K 3, K2tog, K 2, SSK, K 6, K2tog, K 2, SSK, K 3 (20 st)
Row 63: Knit
Row 64: K 2, K2tog, K 2, SSK, K4, K2tog, K2, SSK, K2 (16 st)
Row 65: Knit
Row 66: K1, K2tog, K 2, SSK, K2, K2tog, K2, SSK, K1 (12 st)
Knit to end of needle 1, then graft remaining 12 stitches of toe together.

All patterns are the sole property of Susan Mullikin. Patterns are restricted to a single copy for personal use only.
Any other use must be approved in writing by the author.