More footies

I finished the second pair tonight and started one for ChaosGirl.

For those who might be interested in making these I have tried to explain the “pattern” (and I use the term VERY loosely) below.

It all started with this sock pattern. I just modified it to be a footie and changed the heel because the original doesn’t come up as high on the foot as I like plus I think the heel works a lot better in single crochet than in the pattern stitch.

Crochet Footies “Instructions”

Follow the original pattern until the sock is long enough to reach the spot on the top of your foot just below where it bends.

At this point, find the center of the top of your work. Count 6 to 9 stitches (depending on how big your foot is) out from the center to both sides and place markers on the next single crochet. Work to the marker to the right of the center if you’re working from the inside or to the left of center if you’re working from the outside.

Turn your work. Now instead of working in rounds, you’ll be working in rows through the heel. Work in pattern stitch around to the other marker ending with a double crochet. Chain 1 and turn.

Skip the first two stitches and single crochet in the next double crochet (thus maintaining the pattern). Work back around to where you turned your work. End with a double crochet. Chain 1 and turn.

Skip the first two stitches and single crochet in the next double crochet (thus maintaining the pattern). Repeat this pattern for two more rows. This is decreasing your work for the heel.

After two more rows start working in single crochet only. When you reach the end of each row chain 1, turn, and skip only the first sc in the following row. You should see a nice diagonal line forming. When the work reaches the end of your heel we start picking up the stitches along that diagonal line. Make a note of how many rows you worked in plain single crochet.

When you are ready to turn the heel, work to the end of the row, insert your hook through the end of the previous row, yarn over, and pull up a loop as if to single crochet. Keeping that loop on your hook, insert your hook at the point where the previous row and the row before that connect (basically where the sc you just skewered attached to the prior row), yarn over and pull up another loop. Now yarn over and pull through all three loops on your hook (your original loop and the two you just pulled up at the edge of the work). This is a decrease stitch. Turn.

Skip the decrease stitch and sc in the second stitch from your hook. Work to the end of the row and repeat the procedure of picking up two loops along the diagonal of the heel, yarn over and pulling through all three loops and turning. Work as many rows in this manner as you worked originally in plain single crochet (that’s the number you wrote down). You should now see a little cup forming where your heel goes. Try it on now. It’s probably really loose around the back of your heel.

At the end of your last row of single crochet you should be picking up stitches in your last row of pattern stitch. It’s now time to switch back to the pattern stitch. Chain 1 and turn to go back across the heel but to get back in pattern stitch and reduce some of the looseness work this row and only this row like this: sc, decrease stitch, single crochet, decrease stitch. Repeat those two stitches all the way around the heel. This will reduce the number of stitches you have by 1/3. End this row with a decrease stitch along the diagonal. Turn.

Skip the first two stitches and sc in the next decrease stitch. Work in pattern around the heel ending with a single crochet then work a decrease stitch along the diagonal and turn. Try it on and make sure you like the fit. If not, rip back and work more or less decreases in the decrease row. Just make sure you end up with an even number of stitches.

Work back and forth across in pattern until you have worked up the diagonal back to your stitch markers. (If you like a lower cut footie you can work a decrease stitch, single crochet, and another decrease stitch at the end of each row to make the sides lower.)

To finish you can either work a row of pattern stitch all the way around the cuff and tie off or you can work two rows of ribbing at the cuff. To work the ribbing, work alternating front and back post dc around the cuff for two rows and tie off.

This makes sense to me but if it doesn’t make sense to you please feel free to post questions in the comments.