Magician’s Shortie Socks

By Cheryl Ham, indie dyer behind HypnoticYarn.com

Magic tricks are fun and engaging, just like this shortie sock pattern! And a magician’s best trick is keeping you
guessing ‘how did they do it?’ This fun lace design is worked over an easy to memorize 4-row repeat that may
seem complicated, but really isn’t, and will result in a fast knit that is sure to impress.

©Cheryl Ham www.HypnoticYarn.com

Size
This is my personal shortie sock recipe that fits my US size 7 foot and should also fit women’s US sizes 6.5 – 8.
The knitter should have a basic understanding of sock construction, as you may need to cast on more or less sts
than what is called for in pattern to fit smaller or larger sizes.

What you’ll need

Yarn: approximately 30 grams fingering weight yarn in main color and approximately 15 grams of contrasting
color for heels and toes.

Yarn used in pattern photos is from Hypnotic Yarn’s Magician Collection in colorway Abracadabra. Other
colorway options dyed to compliment this patter are Rabbit in a Hat, Smoke & Mirrors, and Sleight of Hand.
Visit www.HypnoticYarn.com for additional info. To achieve an effect similar to pattern photos, you can also
use a micro-striping yarn.

Needles: US size 1 2.25mm (or size to obtain gauge) 9 inch circulars, or long circular for magic loop – I suggest
32 – 40 inch cord, if using magic loop method.

Gauge: 7 ½ stitches per inch (after blocking) in stockinette stitch

Materials: an extra set of long circular needles in same size, or DPN’s, for heel and toe decreases, stitch marker,
tapestry needle, length of waste yarn in same weight used for sock – about 3 – 5 yards.

Abbreviations A few notes about this pattern

 Unless otherwise specified, slip all sts purlwise with

yarn in back

 Mistakes in this pattern can be difficult to fix

because of the numerous slipped stitches and yarn overs.
Adding a lifeline every now and then as you knit the leg
and foot sections may prove extremely helpful.

 Though DPN’s may certainly be used, this pattern

does NOT give instructions for how to arrange sts across
multiple needles. Instructions are for 9 inch circulars and
magic loop method

©Cheryl Ham www.HypnoticYarn.com

Cuff
Cast on 60 sts using long tail method. Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist
sts. (If using magic loop, split sts in half with 30 sts on each needle)

Work in K2, P1 rib for 5 rnds.

*Tip: If you decide to use a contrasting color for the cuff, you may want to switch to the main color on the last
purl stitch of the ribbing. Since the 1st ‘stitch’ in the lace pattern for the leg is a YO, switching to the MC on the
last purl stitch of the ribbing will help anchor the new yarn.

Leg
Switch to part 1 of lace pattern below

Rnd 1: *yo, sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts; rep from * to the end
Rnd 2: knit
Rnd 3: k2, *sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts, yo; rep from * to the last st, k1 (here and throughout all lace repeats, it is
easy to miss or forget to do this final yo (bolded) in round 3, just before the final k1. If you find your stitch count
goes off track and messes with the patterning, missing this yo is likely the cause.)
Rnd 4: knit
Repeat Rnds 1-4 once more.

Note: For a taller sock, continue repeating rnds 1-4 until desired leg height is reached.

Setup rnds for heel placement:

Count out 1st 30 sts and PM
Rnd 1: k2 *yo, sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts; rep from * to 1 st before marker, K1. (for magic loop, this should be all
sts on Needle 1) SM, Knit to end of rnd.
Rnd 2: knit
Rnd 3: k1, *sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts, yo; rep from * to 2 sts before marker, K2. SM, Knit to end of rnd
Rnd 4: knit
Repeat Rnd 1

Add waste yarn for heel placement

Knit to marker. SM. Drop the working yarn, but leave it attached – DO NOT CUT WORKING YARN. Drape
the waste yarn under the front needle, leaving a long tail in the front of your work. Leaving the tail exposed in

©Cheryl Ham www.HypnoticYarn.com

front will make it easier to remove the waste yarn later. With waste yarn, knit across the last 30 sts. (If using
magic loop, you’ll be knitting across all stitches on needle 2.)

For 9 in circular AND magic loop methods, you now need to TURN YOUR WORK and, still using your waste
yarn, purl back over the 30 sts you just knit.
Drop the waste yarn, again leaving the tail in front (you can trim the tails down to a couple of inches so they
stay out of your way) and pick up the working yarn. Knit the same 30 sts again with working yarn.
Repeat rnds 3 & 4
The back half of your sock should now look like this:

Foot
Switch to Part 2 of lace pattern

Rnd 1: k2 *yo, sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts; rep from * to 1 st before marker, K1. (for magic loop, this should be all
sts on Needle 1) SM, Knit to end of rnd .
Rnd 2: knit
Rnd 3: k1, *sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts, yo; rep from * to 2 sts before marker, K2. SM, Knit to end of rnd
Rnd 4: knit

Repeat Rnds 1-4, ending on a rnd 4, until you have approximately 4 inches of knitting past your waste yarn.

©Cheryl Ham www.HypnoticYarn.com

It’s now time to pop in your heel. Putting the heel in now will allow you to try on the sock if you’re not 100%
certain about how many rows you’ll need to get the correct length for your foot. However, you can choose to
wait and put the heel in at any later point. It’s completely up to you. That’s why it’s called an afterthought heel
after all.

Afterthought Heel
Grab your long circular needles and find the row of sts directly below the waste yarn. With CC and working
right to left, pick up the right leg of each st across until you have 30 sts on needle 1.

* Tip: Before picking the row of sts above the waste yarn with needle 2, you may find it easier to pull needle 1
through so that the sts below the waste yarn are being held on the cord so they aren’t being pulled quite as
tightly.

Next, with needle 2, find the row of sts directly above the waste yarn. Working right to left, pick up the right leg
of each st across until you have 30 sts on needle 2

Now it’s time to remove the waste yarn. You can use your tapestry needle to help ‘pick’ the waste yarn from
each st. You will start to see a hole open up between your two needles as in the picture below.

*Tip: You can trim the tail of the waste yarn as you go to make it easier to pick it from each st.

Once the waste yarn is fully removed, you should have 60 sts on your needles – 30 sts on needle 1 and 30 sts on
needle 2.

Setup rnds for heel

You’ll notice that there is a bit of a gap in the space at each end of your needles. We’re going to take care of
that now so you don’t end up with big holes in those spaces.

©Cheryl Ham www.HypnoticYarn.com

Rnd 1: With contrasting color and using magic loop method, pick up two sts from the gap in front of needle 1,
(these will become your very first sts on needle 1 going forward) and then knit across needle 1. Pick up another
2 sts between the gap before the sts held on needle 2, (these will become your very first sts on needle 2 going
forward) and then knit across needle 2. You’ll now have 32 sts on each needle (4 sts picked up for a total of 64
sts)

Rnd2: Needle 1 - K2tbl, K to end, Needle 2 – K2tbl, K to end

Rnd 3 & 4 K all sts.

Begin decreasing as follows:

Round 1: Needle 1 - K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 2 - K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.

Round 2: Knit all sts

Repeat rounds 1 & 2 (ending on rnd 2) until you have 18 sts on each needle (total of 36 sts) then repeat rnd 1
(so your decreasing every rnd) until there are only 10 sts remaining on each needle (total of 20 sts).

Kitchener Stitch heel closed. There are many great tutorials on how to do the Kitchener Stitch; I like this one by
Purl SoHo, which has both a video tutorial and written instructions.

Foot
Resume Part 2 of lace pattern as follows:

Rnd 1: k2 *yo, sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts; rep from * to 1 st before marker, K1. (for magic loop, this should be all
sts on Needle 1) SM, Knit to end of rnd.

Rnd 2: knit

Rnd 3: k1, *sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts, yo; rep from * to 2 sts before marker, K2. SM, Knit to end of rnd

Rnd 4: knit

Repeat Rnds 1-4 until length is approximately 2 inches shorter than desired finished length. Cut MC, leaving a
9-inch tail that will be woven in later.

Toe
Change to long circular needle for magic loop and split sts even over the two needles. You should have 30 sts
per needle.

With CC, knit 2 rnds even.

Begin decreases as follows:

Round 1: Needle 1 - K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 2 - K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
©Cheryl Ham www.HypnoticYarn.com
Round 2: Knit all sts

Repeat rounds 1 & 2 (ending on rnd 2) until you have 18 sts on each needle (total of 36 sts) then repeat rnd 1
(so your decreasing every rnd) until there are only 8 sts remaining on each needle (total of 16 sts).

Kitchener Stitch toe closed.

Weave in all ends, block if desired, and enjoy.

Happy Knitting!!

Pattern was designed by Cheryl Ham and yarn shown in pattern is part of the Magician’s collection by Hypnotic
yarn. www.HypnoticYarn.com You can find Cheryl on Ravelry and Instagram as KnitsiePurlsie and on
Facebook as HypnoticYarn. Cheryl is also the host of the Knit Free or Dye Podcast, a knitting, sometimes
crocheting, bookish, crafty, podcast with a liberal sprinkling of puppy shenanigans!

©Cheryl Ham www.HypnoticYarn.com