baby mitten socks

This is actually the second pair of socks I knit for Lev. The first pair I made from a Debbie Bliss pattern, and they don't fit him very well. I guess sometimes you need to do things wrong, before you can figure out how to do them right! Anyway, I thought I would share how I made these socks, in case you feel like making some for a special little one you know. The pattern does not have a lot details, so if you do try them out, let me know if I can add anything useful (or if I've made a mistake, which is quite possible considering how much sleep I get these days).

Baby Mitten Socks
or Striped and Ribbed Baby Socks

These wee little socks use self-striping yarn for the main part of the sock, and a contrast yarn for the heel so the stripe pattern isn't disrupted. They take such a small amount of yarn, you could easily make several pairs from one ball of yarn, or use up some left-overs from other projects. I used a spare ball of Regia I had sitting around, and some random blue sock yarn for the heels.

Materials: 15 g of self-striping fingering weight yarn, 5 g of contrast yarn in same weight, set of five 2.25 mm dpns, darning needle
Gauge: 8.5 st/inch and 12 rows/inch
Size: newborn (approx. 9 cm or 3.5" foot)

Ankle
Cast on 32 sts onto one needle with striping yarn. Transfer 8 sts to each of 3 more needles. Join in the round, and work [k1, p2, k1] around for 20 rounds. Drop this yarn, but do not break off.

Heel
With contrast yarn, k16 sts, placing them onto one needle. You will work back and forth on this needle for the heel.
Next: k1, p14, k1. K 1 row.
Repeat these 2 rows for a total of 11 rows, ending with a ws row.
Next: k11, ssk, turn. (15 sts)
Next: s1 pw, p6, p2tog, turn. (14 sts)
Next: s1 kw, k6, ssk, turn. (13 sts)
Repeat the last 2 rows until 8 sts remain. Break off contrast yarn.

Instep
Pick up striping yarn, and with extra needle, pick up 9 sts along side of heel, then knit 4 sts from needle holding heel sts.
With next needle, knit other 4 sts from heel, then pick up 9 sts along other side of heel.
Work across top of instep, following ribbing pattern. You should now have 42 sts.
Next: ssk, k22, k2tog, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times. (40 sts)
Next: k24, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times.
Next: ssk, k20, k2tog, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times. (38 sts)
Next: k22, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times.
Next: ssk, k18, k2tog, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times. (36 sts)
Next: k20, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times.
Next: ssk, k16, k2tog, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times. (34 sts)
Next: k18, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times.
Next: ssk, k14, k2tog, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times. (32 sts)

Foot
Next: k16, [k1, p2, k1] 4 times.
Work this round for a total of 15 rounds. Or, work enough rounds so the sock foot measures the same from the back of the heel to the beginning of the toes, as does your baby's foot.

Toe
Knit 1 round.
Next: ssk, k12, k2tog, ssk, k12, k2tog. (28 sts) K 1 round.
Next: ssk, k10, k2tog, ssk, k10, k2tog. (24 sts) K 1 round.
Next: ssk, k8, k2tog, ssk, k8, k2tog.
Break off yarn leaving a long end. Graft end of toe together with kitchener stitch. Secure all yarn ends. Knit second sock.

Abbreviations
k = knit
p = purl
k2tog = knit 2 together
ssk = slip, slip, knit (or whatever left-leaning decrease you prefer)
s1 = slip one
pw = purl-wise
kw = knit-wise