Ruffle and Ankle

• 1). Cast on 128 stitches onto double-pointed needles. Join, being careful not to twist. Place a marker at the beginning of the round. Knit four rounds plain on these 128 stitches.
  
  
• 2). Begin the decrease round: knit two together all the way around. Now you have 64 stitches. Choose a lace pattern that fits into these 64 stitches from a stitch dictionary, or begin to knit a simple eyelet pattern: *knit six, yarn over, knit two together, repeat from asterisk all the way around. To make a yarn over, simply bring the yarn to the front and over the right needle.
  
  
• 3). Knit three rounds plain. On the next round, offset the yarn-over holes by knitting two stitches, then *yarn over, knit together, knit six, repeat from asterisk all the way around. Knit two rounds plain. Continue, offsetting the yarn-overs on every eighth row. Knit three plain rounds in between every lace round, until the ankle is the desired length.
  
  

Heel Flap and Heel Turn

• 1). Put half the stitches onto one needle on the next round: 32 stitches. You will work back and forth on these stitches to make the heel flap. Knit the right side rows and purl the wrong side rows until the heel flap is as long as it is wide.
  
  
• 2). Turn the heel as follows. Knit 17, slip one, slip one, and knit those two together (slip, slip, knit or SSK). Knit one. Turn. Purl back four stitches, purl two together, purl one, turn. Knit six, SSK, knit one, turn. Purl back in the same manner as the previous purl row, purling two together when you get to the gap between the previous short row and the heel flap stitches. Turn, knit back, and SSK when you come to the gap on the right side. Continue in this manner until there are 16 stitches on the heel, on a right side row.
  
  
• 3). Knit the 16 stitches and then pick up 16 stitches along the edge of the heel flap. Place marker. Knit across the instep, resuming the lace pattern that was established in the ankle. Place marker. Pick up 16 more stitches along the other side of the heel flap. Knit eight stitches from the bottom of the heel onto that needle. Place the marker at the center of the bottom of the sole.
  
  

Knitting the Gussets

• 1). Knit eight stitches along the bottom of the heel. Knit alongside the heel flap until you are within two stitches of the marker; knit two together. Knit across the instep in the lace pattern.
  
  
• 2). Slip the marker. Slip, slip, knit on the first two stitches of the other side heel flap stitches. Knit to the end of the round. Knit the next round with no decreases, keeping the lace pattern on the instep stitches.
  
  
• 3). Knit another decrease round as described in Steps 1 and 2 above. Knit a plain round. Continue alternating between decrease rounds and plain rounds until you have 64 stitches.
  
  

Knit the Foot and Shape the Toe

• 1). Continue knitting in the round with the lace pattern on the instep stitches and the sole stitches knit plain. Measure the foot. Subtract 1 1/2 inches from the total length of the foot to get the length of the foot before the toe decreases.
  
  
• 2). Knit straight until the sock foot is the right length to begin the toe decreases. On the next round, knit 16 stitches, place marker. Knit 32 stitches, place marker. Knit 16 stitches to the end of the round. At this point stop knitting the lace pattern on the instep and just knit the toe plain.
  
  
• 3). Knit to within four stitches of the first marker. Knit two together. Knit two. Slip marker. Knit two, SSK (slip, slip, knit). Knit to within four stitches of the second marker. Knit two together. Knit two. Slip marker, knit two, SSK. Knit to the end of the round. This is the decrease round.
  
  
• 4). Knit the next round plain. Alternate between plain rounds and decrease rounds until you have 30 stitches left on the needles.
  
  

Graft the Toe

• 1). Put the sole stitches on one double pointed needle. Put the instep stitches on the other double pointed needle. Break off the yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail.
  
  
• 2). Thread the yarn tail onto a darning needle. Now you will use Kitchener stitch to graft the toe. *Insert the needle into the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit. Slip that stitch off the needle. Insert the needle into the second stitch on the front needle as if to purl. Do not slip the stitch off the front needle.
  
  
• 3). Take the darning needle to the back needle. Insert as if to purl in the first stitch. Slip it off. Insert as if to knit in the second stitch on the back needle; leave it on the needle. Bring the needle to the front and repeat from the asterisk in step 2. Continue until all the stitches are grafted together.