How to Knit a Round Toe Two Ways

The round toe is a fun sock-knitting technique that gives a soft shape much like the crown of a hat–but for your feet, instead. Come explore how to work this sock toe in both directions. We’ll also look at ways to make your sock knitting experience go a bit more smoothly.

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How to Knit the Round Toe: Cuff Down Method To work the round toe on a cuff-down sock, work the sock foot until you are about 2-3″ inches (5-7.5 cm) from the total desired length of the foot. The larger your sock circumference is, the longer the toe will be. Then, divide your sock into eight equal sections. If the number of stitches on your needles is not evenly divisible by eight, you should first work a decrease round. Decrease at even intervals until you are down to a number of stitches that does divide evenly by eight.

How to Knit the Round Toe: Toe Up Method

This toe method can also be used for making toe-up socks. Unlike the cuff-down style, where you are decreasing toward the end of the toe, you’re going to start with a very small number of stitches and increase outward.

Why You Might Want to Use the Round Toe

– if you dislike grafting your stitches together (often called the kitchener stitch), the round toe has a huge advantage over the wedge toe: no grafting required. – Many knitters also have toes where the middle toes are longer than the big toe. For those knitters, this kind of toe shaping might be more comfortable because it is longest at the spot where the middle toe sits on the foot. – knitters who like a roomier sock toe might appreciate the round toe. It’s a little more spaciously shaped than the wedge toe.

Some Tips to Make It Easier to Work the Round Toe

When working the round toe, it’s important to keep track of how many knit rounds you’ve worked between each of the decrease rounds.

You’ll also be working with a very tiny circumference of stitches at some point in your sock toe. That means if you normally knit your socks with a 9″ circular needle, you’ll want something that can go down to a circumference of just 4 stitches.

If you’re working your sock from the toe up, it can sometimes be hard to keep track of the right side of the fabric and distinguish it from the wrong side. If you struggle with this, it can help to put a clip-style marker on the outside of the sock toe.

Finally, remember that the round toe is a longer toe than the wedge toe. If you’re working your sock from the cuff down, make sure to start your toe a little earlier than your ordinarily would.

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