I’m mainly a toe-up sock girl but occasionally I do dabble in cuff down - just for a bit of variety. My husband prefers the fit of a cuff down, traditional heel flap sock, so for him this tends to be my preferred method.

One of the reasons often quoted for preferring a toe-up sock is that it avoids the need for kitchener stitching the toe closed. Personally, I quite like the zen of the process but there are times - particularly when you are in a holiday cottage miles from anywhere and you forgot to pack a needle - that an alternative is needed.

Here’s where the rounded toe comes in very handy.

Much like the crown of a hat, decrease rounds interspersed with plain, knit rounds bring the toe together to  just a few stitches, allowing the yarn to be drawn through them and the end to be woven in.

An added advantage for the more broad footed, or those whose feet don’t particularly taper is that it gives a slightly roomier toe - all the better for wiggling in.

How to knit a rounded toe: For a sock with 64 stitches:

*k6, k2tog, rep from * to end (8 sts dec). K6 rnds

*k5, k2tog, rep from * to end. K5 rnds

*k4, k2tog, rep from * to end. K4 rnds

*k3, k2tog, rep from * to end. K3 rnds

*k2, k2tog, rep from * to end. K2 rnds

*k1, k2tog, rep from * to end. K1 rnds

*k2tog, rep from * to end.

Break yarn. Thread through a tapestry needle and draw through the remaining 8sts. Pull tight, through to the wrong side and weave in end.

If you’d like to knit the socks shown above these are my BOB Socks - stands for Build On the Basics. They are cuff down with a rounded toe and you can find the pattern on my Ravelry page below.

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