Lose the "donkey ears" on your knit socks! We all love our gorgeous sock yarn, and we want our sock knitting patterns to look great. Here's a better way to graft the toe of a knitted sock, which results in a smooth finish.

A better way to graft the toe of a knit sock

Step 1: Work your sock to the toe, stopping just before grafting the toe stitches together.

Step 2: You should have the same number of stitches on both needles.

Step 3: Before you start grafting you need to work the setup. Thread the tail of your yarn through a tapestry needle and insert the threaded tapestry needle into the first stitch on the needle closest to you as if to purl and pull it through, leaving the stitch on the needle.

Step 4: Then insert the needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit, leaving the stitch on the needle. Pull the yarn through.

Step 5: Now insert your tapestry needle into the first stitch as if to knit, slipping the stitch off the needle.

Step 6: Repeat with the second stitch, insert the tapestry needle into the second stitch as if to knit and slip off the needle, as if you were doing a ssk.

Step 7: Then insert the needle onto the next (3rd) stitch as if to purl, leaving the stitch on the needle. Pull the yarn through. You have now grafted two stitches off the front side.

Step 8: Insert the tapestry needle through the first two stitches on the back needle as if to purl, slipping both stitches off the needle.

Step 9: Insert tapestry needle as if to knit on the next (3rd) stitch, leaving the stitch on the needle.

 Pull yarn through. You have now grafted two stitches from the back needle. 

Continue grafting as normal. Remember on the front needle: knit off, purl on, and on the back needle: purl off, knit on.

Continue grafting until you have 2 stitches on the front and back needles. (4 sts total)

Step 10: Insert the tapestry needle through the last 2 stitches on the front needle as if to knit.

Step 11: Pull stitches off the needle and pull the yarn through.

Step 12: Insert tapestry needle through last 2 stitches as if to purl.

Step 13: Pull off the needle and pull tight.

Step 14: Pull the end through to the inside of the sock and weave in your end! This technique is also great for the tops of mittens. Decreasing in grafting can also be helpful if you have an uneven number of stitches to graft.

Want to learn more? 

Here's one of my weekly live videos I did on how to use the Kitchener Stitch for this technique: 

Now grab some sock yarn and cast on!