The Rugby Mini Socks, Free Pattern

Last year, I created the Rugby socks pattern.

It was the second time I had designed a sock pattern, after the Sweet Thing pattern, and I wanted to create a basic pattern that could easily be personalized.

I imagined reproducing it in all sorts of colors, from the most basic to the most flashy.

But that didn’t account for the fact that I really enjoy creating new designs more than duplicating them…

And then there was also the issue of length...

When I wore them, I realized that I might have gone a bit overboard by designing mid-calf socks, and that they were a bit too high compared to the socks I usually wear...

With another Socktober approaching, I wanted to dive into a new sock pattern. Except I still had the Rugby socks on my mind, imagining them in every color of the rainbow.
So I thought, why not simply create a variation: a shorter design with a small adjustment to the toe, just to give it a little something different...
And that's how the Rugby Minis were born!
I’ll be offering a special tutorial soon, but in the meantime, I’ve already made a step-by-step guide available for beginners, which you can use as a visual aid to complement the written pattern.

It's available on my YouTube channel, Terrifiknits: https://youtu.be/xSxcoyUuGO0

The pattern is worked in the round from top to bottom. It's an anatomical design, with the left foot and the right foot being different.

Material: approx. 180m/200yards of Superfine quality yarn (main color) and about 20m/22yards of Superfine quality yarn (contrasting color). For the model in the photo, I used Baby Merino.

Needles: double-pointed needles 2.5mm/US1 or equivalent to achieve the correct gauge.

Gauge 10X10 cm ou 4x4in: 32 stitches X 39 rows.

Finished sizes: 

- 35/37 or US3.5/5.5 or UK2/4 –  21cm/8.3in foot length and 19cm/7.5in leg height;
- 38/40 or US6.5/8 or UK5/6.5 – 23cm/9in foot length and 20cm/7.9in leg height;
- 41/43 or US8/10 or UK7/9 - 26cm/10.2in foot length and 21cm/8.3in leg height.

The video tutorial for this pattern is available on YouTube. Feel free to visit my channel!

• Cast on 56/60/64 stitches with double-pointed needles 2.5mm/US1 and the main color. Place a marker at the beginning of the round.
• Knit 1cm/0.4in of 2/2 ribbing, approximately 4 rounds, starting with two purl stitches.
• Switch to the contrasting color and knit 3 rounds in stockinette stitch. Tip: To avoid a stair-step effect between color changes, slip the last knitted stitch onto the right needle, pick up a stitch between the last and first stitch of the row below, retrieve the right stitch, and knit it together with the picked-up stitch.
• Switch back to the main color and knit one round in stockinette stitch.
• Resume 2/2 ribbing for 3 rounds.
• Switch to the contrasting color and knit 3 rounds in stockinette stitch. Cut the contrasting yarn.
• Switch back to the main color and knit one round in stockinette stitch.
• Resume 2/2 ribbing until the leg measures 5/6/7cm or 2/2.4/2.8in.
• Place a second marker in addition to the starting marker to separate the round into two equal parts: 28/30/32 stitches.
• Continue knitting the first part of the round in 2/2 ribbing but now knit the second part (the heel) in stockinette stitch. Continue like this for 9 rounds or 2.5cm/1in.
• On the 10th round, knit together the 1st and 2nd stitches after the 1st marker and the penultimate and last stitches before the 2nd marker (-2 stitches). There are now 28/30/32 stitches for the top of the foot and 26/28/30 stitches for the heel.
  15. Put the 28/30/32 stitches from the top of the foot on a needle, a stitch holder, or a yarn. 
• Continue by only knitting the stitches of the heel back and forth in stockinette stitch.
• Stop when the heel band measures 6/6/6.5cm or 2.4/2.4/2.6in.
• Place a marker in the strand between the two center stitches of the heel, after 14/15/16 stitches.
• Perform short rows as follows:
•  Knit until 7/7/8 stitches before the end of the row, slip a stitch as if to knit, knit the next stitch, then pass the unknitted stitch over the second one. Turn.
• Knit until 7/7/8 stitches before the end of the row, slip a stitch as if to purl, purl the next stitch, then pass the unknitted stitch over the second one. Turn.
• Knit until 6/6/7 stitches before the end of the row, slip a stitch as if to knit, knit the next stitch, then pass the unknitted stitch over the second one. Turn.
• Knit until 6/6/7 stitches before the end of the row, slip a stitch as if to purl, purl the next stitch, then pass the unknitted stitch over the second one. Turn.
• Continue like this until there are no more stitches waiting on the left needle on each side.
• Continue the heel on the right side by knitting all the stitches in stockinette stitch, pick up 15/15/17 stitches on the side of the foot (about 1 stitch in 2 or 2 stitches in 3 depending on the number of heel rows), knit the stitches from the top of the foot, pick up 15/15/17 stitches on the side of the foot. There is a total of 72/76/82 stitches distributed over the 4 needles.
• Move the starting marker to the center of the heel. The other three markers remain in place.
• Continue the work in rounds, beginning to knit the heel in stockinette stitch. Decrease 1 stitch before the first side marker by knitting two stitches together. Knit the top in 2/2 ribbing. Decrease 1 stitch after the second side marker by knitting two stitches together through the back loop. 
• Repeat decreases for 4 consecutive rounds. There are now 64/68/74 stitches.
• Do one round without decreases, then repeat them every 2 rounds 6 times (52 stitches)/6 times (56 stitches)/7 times (60 stitches).
• Continue knitting the bottom in stockinette stitch and the top in 2/2 ribbing until the foot measures 16/17/18cm or 6.3/6.7/7.1in from the marker in the heel.
• Switch to the contrasting color and knit 3 rounds in stockinette stitch. Cut the yarn.
• Switch back to the main color and knit 4 rounds in stockinette.
• Switch back to the contrasting color and knit one row in stockinette stitch. Make sure to reposition the side markers equally.
• Start toe decreases 4 stitches before the first marker: knit 3 stitches together knitwise and one purl stitch, then just after the first marker: knit one purl stitch, slip a stitch, knit 2 stitches together knitwise, and pass the slipped stitch over. Then, knit a regular row in stockinette stitch. Repeat this part starting from the second marker for the other sock. 
• Repeat [ ] 4 times / 7 times / 9 times. There are now 36/28/24 stitches.
• Move the starting marker to the middle of the bottom. Now decrease one stitch before and after each marker. [Three stitches before the first marker: knit two stitches together knitwise and one purl stitch. After the first marker: knit one purl stitch, slip a stitch, knit one stitch, and pass the slipped stitch over. Three stitches before the second marker: knit two stitches together knitwise and one purl stitch. After the second marker: knit one purl stitch, slip a stitch, knit one stitch, and pass the slipped stitch over.]
• Repeat from [ ] 7 times / 5 times / 4 times. There are 8 stitches remaining.
• Cut the yarn and insert it into the remaining stitches. Tighten well and weave in the loose end. 
• Weave in the ends of both colors and block.

WARNING: These are anatomical socks that adapt to the shape of the foot. To make the second sock, perform the initial toe decreases starting from the second marker for the other foot. 

And there you have it, a great pair of basic socks, very easy to customize to your liking!

Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Facebook or Tiktok  #terrifiknits and #RugbyMiniSocks or #ChaussettesRugbyMini once you're done or add this project to your Ravelry list ! Can't wait to discover your version !