Celebrate the season with these crochet witch socks. Toe up socks worked in the round with a Simple color work on the leg.
Inspiration & Design
As a little girl, I used to wonder how it would feel to be a a proper “cauldron stirring, broomstick flying witch…” In my quest to find out, i decided to crochet up a little reminder that “There is a little witch in all of us.”
I designed the Miss-direction socks in 2022 as a little reminder that “There is a little witch in all of us.” Although the paid for pdf has been available for 4 years, this year I wanted to celebrate Socktober by re-leasing a free version. Enter the crochet witch socks. So called because of the color work witch down the side of either sock.
The Yarn
The crochet witch socks are designed with Stroll Yarn. This is a fingering weight merino/nylon blend from we crochet. This yarn is gorgeously soft and comes in a variety of contrasting colors. While you can of course use any fingering weight yarn of your choosing, I would recommend one with a soft feel.
Crochet socks are quite a bit thicken than their knit counterparts and a soft yarn makes them more comfortable to wear.
I intended to make a second version of the crochet witch socks with Patons Kroy sock in the color Flax. But, ss this yarn is quite a bit thicker than the Stroll, even going down a size yielded a sock that was too wide. However, Patons kroy is a wonderful choice for the shepherdes socks pattern
Which yarn for color work?
Color work can feel very intimidating to start with. Perhaps, like me, you’ve tried color work before and said, nope not for me. While this isn’t a blog post on color work itself I did want to say that yarn has played a huge role in my enjoyment of it.
For these crochet witch socks I strongly recommend that you double check the yardage on your fingering weight yarn and choose ones that are of a similar feel/weight. If one of your “fingering weight” yarns is thicker than your contrast, the image or letters may not show through as well.
Can I make this?
You absolutely can crochet witch socks for yourself! These socks really do use some very easy stitches. They are worked toe up so you can try on as you go. Don’t be intimidated by the color work. The trickiest bit is the yarn management, but you got this.
Full Description of Pattern
These crochet witch socks are the perfect make to celebrate the little witch in all of us. Not only are they a great seasonal make but they offer the perfect opportunity to try your hand at color work. These socks are a little reminder that we are capable of a lot more than we think we are. After all, through history witch has been synonymous with a strong, independent women.
- Includes an extra chart with a witch motif
Crochet Witch Socks
Skill Level
Intermediate
Materials
- Yarn: Stroll – Fingering Weight Wool 231 yds/50g
- MC: 100g of Dove Heather (light grey) / 11g left over after making size 2.
- CC: 50g of Treasure (russet pumpkin color) / 45g left after making size 2.
- Hook: 3mm and 3.25mm
- yarn needle
- stitch markers, scissors, tape measure
Gauge
unblocked and worked in the round
- ext-sc: 24 sts x 22 rnds with a 3mm hook = 4×4”
- scBLO: 24 sts x 24 rnds with a 3mm hook = 4×4”
Finished Size
For this free version we are working up size 2
- Foot circumference: 8.75” / 19.7 cm
- Total foot length: 9.75” / 24.8 cm
- Top of Leg Width: 9 ” / 22.9 cm
- Leg Height: 8”
Abbreviations – US terms
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- ext-sc inc: work 2 extended single crochet in the same st
- hdc: half double crochet
- scBLO: single crochet back loop only
- sk: skip
- Pm: place marker
- MC: Main color
- CC: Contrasting color.
- Rnd: round
- RS: right side
- WS: wrong side
- rep: repeat
- st(s): stitch(es)
Special Sts
- ext-sc: extended single crochet. Insert your hook into the stitch. Yarn over pull up a loop, yarn over pull through 1 loop, yarn over pull through remaining loops.
- Lhdc BLO: linked half double crochet in the back loop only.
- Insert your hook into the middle bar of the st just made, Yo and pull up a loop, insert your hook into the back loop of the next st, YO, pull up a loop, YO pull through the three loops on the hook.
Notes
- Sock is crocheted toe-up.
- Toe is crocheted in a spiral (no joins at the end of each rnd.)
- A relaxed hold is extremely important for the colorwork leg section, especially on the left foot sock.
- If you have a tight gauge I recommend you use a hook size just a bit looser for the largest colorwork area.
- You can employ different methods of carrying your yarn. For example, you can leave floats, bring your yarn back, or cut and tie. I show some of the methods I use in the tutorial video for this sock.
- Feel free to combine stitch counts and suggested lengths to make a sock that fits your needs.
- As mentioned, gauge is very important for crochet socks.
- I can recommend a good read: Understanding Crochet Socks
- If your calf is larger than the sizes given:
- Measure your calf, then multiply this measurement by your 1” gauge. This will give you the total number of sts that you need for the specific area.
- Increase on the non chart sts (before the markers) every other row until you get your desired stitch count.
- To avoid sagging of the sock, grab a thin piece of elastic, and crochet around it on the last rnd before the cuff. Tie the elastic together to secure it. Alternatively you could weave the elastic to the cuff.
Toe for the crochet witch socks
Magic Loop, ch1
Rounds 1 to 3
- 8sc in magic loop, pull tightly to close the loop, PM in first st made, this marks the beginning of the rnd.
- *Ext-sc inc; rep from * around – 16
- *Ext-sc inc, ext-sc; rep from * around – 24
Rnd’s 4 & 5:
Ext-sc around.
Rnds 6 to 11:
6. *Ext-sc inc, ext-sc 2; rep from * around – 32
7. Ext-sc around.
8. *Ext-sc inc, ext-sc 3; rep from * around – 40
9. Ext-sc around.
10: *Ext-sc inc, ext-sc 4; rep from * around – 48
11: *Ext-sc 11, inc; rep from * around – 52
Foot:
Ext-sc until your sock measures 6.25 ” or 2.5” less than your desired sock length. This is measured from the toe up to the last rnd you’ve crocheted.
Heel for the crochet witch socks
For this sock we are working a short row heel. This type of heel is divided in two parts. In part 1 we decrease on either side and this forms a flap. In part two we work to re-connect the flap back to the sock.
Heel Part 1
Row 1(RS): Sc 26, PM, ch1 and turn
Row 2: (WS) Sc leaving last st unworked, ch 1 and turn – 25
Repeat row 2 until you have 13 sc, ch 1 and turn.
Heel Part 2
Row 1(RS): Sc 13, sc into the sk st from row below, sl st into the following st (PM), ch1 and turn.
Row 2 (WS): Sc 14, sc in the sk st from row below, sl st in the following st (PM), ch1 and turn.
Row 3: Sc to marked st, sc in marked st, sl st in next unworked st, ch1 and turn.
Rep row 3 ten times until you are RS facing and have worked a sc to your heel flap sts on the left side. – Sl st to the base of the first heel row, ch1 and turn.
Next
- Sc to marker, sc in marked st, sc in next sk st, sl st to next st, ch1 and turn. – 26
- Sc to marker
For left foot sock only – ext-sc to second marker, this is now the beg of the rnd. The joined seam will now be at the inner leg portion.
Leg Both Socks
Set up: Complete 3 rnds of Ext- sc. At the end of rnd 3, join with a sl st to the first st.
All rounds of the leg for the crochet witch socks are worked in scBLO. Now, we will continue working with a 3mm hook until round 36.
Rnd’s 1 to 35: Ch 1, MC, scBLO 21, follow chart A (12 sts), scBLO 19 in MC, sl st to join. PM marker on the first and last st of the chart.
Rnd 36: Ch1, scBLO, scBLO2inc, scBLO to marker, follow chart A, scBLO to 1 st before end of rnd, scBLO2inc, sl st to join. – 54
Switch to a 3.25mm hook
Rnd 37 to 43: Ch1, scBLO 22 follow chart A, scBLO 22, sl st to join.
Chart
Before you begin the cuff for the crochet witch socks you could add some rounds in scBLO. However, I have not accounted for these rounds in the yarn quantities required.
Cuff:
Options:
- If you would like a longer cuff work more ch’s.
- You can also work the cuff in scBLO.
- To knit the cuff I recommend that you pick up 2 knit sts every 3 sts and use 9” circular needles
- If you find the cuff too baggy you can either choose to sl st 3 leg sts every return pass or switch to a smaller hook size.
Using your 3.25mm crochet hook, Ch6, starting in the 2nd ch from hook…
1: Hdc, Lhdc BLO 4, sl st into 2 leg sts, ch1 turn.
2: Sk joining sts, Hdc, Lhdc BLO 4, ch1 and turn.
3: (return row) Hdc, Lhdc BLO 4, sl st into 3 leg sts, ch1 turn.
4: Hdc, Lhdc BLO 4, ch1 and turn.
Rep rows 1 – 4 until you have completed a row 1 and have 4 leg sts left, sl st into these sts, join cuff edges and seam with sl sts.
