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Skimmer Socks Revisited by Sheila Toy Stromberg is a clever free knitting pattern for low-cut, no-show socks designed to sit comfortably inside shoes while still providing a secure knitted fit.
Unlike traditional ankle socks, the upper portion is kept deliberately low. The pattern uses toe-up construction, short-row shaping and a ribbed back section to create a sock that covers the foot without extending far above the shoe line.
The updated version includes six sizes and is designed to accommodate a wide range of feet, from larger children through adult sizes. The designer also provides a free tutorial video for knitters who are learning toe-up sock construction.
Design and original pattern © Sheila Toy Stromberg.
The main appeal of Skimmer Socks Revisited is the low-profile shape. Traditional hand-knit socks often extend well above the ankle, but this design is intended to disappear almost completely inside many everyday shoes.
That makes the pattern useful when you want the comfort of hand-knit socks without a tall cuff showing above sneakers, loafers or other low-cut footwear.
The sock still includes a structured back section to help protect the heel from rubbing while helping the finished sock stay in position.
Skimmer Socks Revisited is an updated version of Sheila Toy Stromberg's earlier Skimmer Socks design.
The designer created the original pattern after finding very few no-show sock patterns available in a broad range of sizes. Several years later, she reworked the design with improved shaping and a larger size range.
The revised version is intended to fit many different feet, including larger children, teens and adults.
Unlike some sock patterns that rely only on shoe size, Skimmer Socks Revisited places particular importance on arch circumference and foot length.
The available arch measurements are approximately:
Because knitted socks usually rely on some negative ease for a secure fit, taking accurate measurements before choosing a size is especially important.
These socks are knitted from the toe upward.
The project begins with Judy's Magic Cast-On, a popular method for starting toe-up socks because it creates a smooth, nearly seamless beginning at the toe.
After the toe is established, increases shape the front of the foot and the sock continues in the round toward the heel.
The pattern includes shaped heel construction designed specifically for the low-cut profile of the sock.
Short rows are used during the shaping process, along with picked-up stitches to form the surrounding structure.
This is one of the areas where working carefully is worthwhile. A well-fitted heel helps prevent a no-show sock from sliding downward inside the shoe.
A taller ribbed section at the back of the heel is one of the practical features of the design.
It provides additional coverage where the shoe may rub against the back of the foot while helping the knitted sock remain secure.
The ribbing also gives the fabric elasticity, allowing it to stretch over the foot without making the entire sock tall.
The pattern uses approximately 125–185 yards / 115–170 meters of sock-weight yarn depending on the selected size.
This relatively small yardage makes Skimmer Socks Revisited an excellent project for using leftover fingering-weight yarn from larger sock projects.
The sample was knitted with Hedgehog Fibres Sock, but another suitable fingering-weight sock yarn can be used as long as you can achieve the required gauge and produce a durable fabric.
Sock yarn is generally designed to create a thin but durable fabric suitable for frequent wear.
A smooth fingering-weight yarn also allows the sock to remain relatively low-bulk inside shoes, which is particularly important for a no-show design.
If substituting yarn, choose one that provides enough elasticity and abrasion resistance for footwear.
The exact needle size may need to change depending on your individual tension. The goal is to achieve the pattern gauge rather than automatically using the listed needle size.
The designer describes Skimmer Socks Revisited as suitable for experienced knitters who are beginners to sock knitting.
That is a useful distinction. Someone who already feels comfortable knitting in the round and following shaping instructions may find this a very approachable introduction to toe-up socks.
A complete beginner may want to practice circular knitting and basic increases or decreases before beginning.
Sheila Toy Stromberg also created a tutorial video for Skimmer Socks Revisited to help knitters understand the construction.
The video is particularly useful if you are new to toe-up socks or would like to see how the shaping develops before attempting the pattern yourself.
Watch the Skimmer Socks Tutorial →
Measure the foot before choosing a size. Arch circumference and foot length are more reliable than choosing only by shoe size.
Check your gauge. Socks rely heavily on accurate gauge because even a small difference can noticeably change the fit.
Keep the fabric firm. A sock fabric that is too loose may stretch excessively during wear.
Pay close attention to the heel. Correct heel shaping is especially important in a no-show design because the sock needs to stay securely around the back of the foot.
Try the sock on as you work. One advantage of toe-up construction is that you can check the developing length before completing the upper section.
Yes. Skimmer Socks Revisited is currently available as a free knitting pattern directly from designer Sheila Toy Stromberg.
The designer's official page currently lists the pattern at $0.00 and provides access to the pattern together with sizing, materials and tutorial information.
Because the official designer source is available and the exact pattern is still free, Amazing Knitting links directly to that source rather than to third-party pattern copies.
Get the Free Skimmer Socks Revisited Pattern →
Skimmer Socks Revisited fills an unusual niche in hand-knit footwear. Instead of producing another conventional ankle or crew sock, it gives knitters a practical no-show option designed specifically for low-cut shoes.
The broad size range, small yarn requirement and free tutorial make it especially appealing if you want to learn toe-up sock construction or use leftover fingering-weight yarn.
It is also a useful pattern to keep available once you find your preferred size because additional pairs can be made from many different sock yarns and color combinations.
Amazing Knitting links readers to legitimate designer or publisher sources whenever possible. Pattern prices, download locations and availability can change after an article is published.
Read Our Pattern Availability Policy →
Amazing Knitting is an independent pattern discovery and project-guide site. The Skimmer Socks Revisited design and knitting pattern remain the intellectual property of Sheila Toy Stromberg. This guide does not reproduce the designer's complete row-by-row pattern instructions.
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Green Is The Hope. Photo © Stephanie van der Linden
Green Is The Hope, originally titled Grün ist die Hoffnung, is a free lace sock knitting pattern by Stephanie van der Linden with a wonderfully unusual construction.
Instead of beginning traditionally at the cuff or toe, these knitted socks start with a decorative lace section around the center of the upper foot. The rest of the sock is then developed around this starting point, making the pattern an interesting choice for experienced sock knitters looking for something different.
What makes Green Is The Hope particularly interesting is its unconventional starting point.
Most hand-knit socks begin either at the cuff and work toward the toe, or begin at the toe and work upward. This design takes a different approach by beginning with a lace motif positioned on the upper part of the foot.
The sock is then developed outward from this decorative starting point, creating a construction that feels very different from a conventional sock pattern.
The lace motif is one of the defining features of the design. It creates an eye-catching geometric texture across the upper foot while also becoming an important part of the sock's construction.
Fingering-weight yarn keeps the fabric relatively fine, allowing the lace openings and stitch definition to remain visible.
A solid, semi-solid or gently tonal yarn can be especially effective if you want the lace structure to remain the main visual feature.
The pattern is designed for fingering-weight / 4-ply sock yarn.
Stephanie van der Linden suggests Schachenmayr Regia 4-fädig 4-ply, a traditional sock yarn containing wool and nylon.
The pattern listing gives an estimated requirement of approximately 350–437 yards (320–400 metres).
Another fingering-weight sock yarn can be substituted, but choose your yarn and needles according to the gauge and fabric required by the pattern rather than relying only on the yarn-weight label.
Green Is The Hope incorporates a short-row heel. Short rows allow the knitted fabric to curve around the heel without requiring the traditional heel-flap-and-gusset construction used in many cuff-down sock patterns.
Combined with the unusual center-start construction, this gives the project a very different knitting experience from a basic pair of socks.
This is an especially interesting project for knitters who already have some sock-knitting experience and would like to explore a less conventional construction.
Useful techniques include:
Stephanie van der Linden originally designed Grün ist die Hoffnung for the Socken-Kreativ-Liste, a German Yahoo knitting community and knit-along that had around 2,000 members.
The original German title translates as “Green Is The Hope”, which is why the pattern may appear under either name when you search for it online.
The design is available in both English and German.
The English version is available through Stephanie van der Linden's Ravelry store. The designer's pattern information asks knitters seeking the German version to contact her.
Green Is The Hope is not simply another lace sock pattern. Its unusual starting point changes the way the sock develops on the needles and makes the construction itself part of the appeal.
If you have already knitted traditional cuff-down or toe-up socks, this pattern offers an opportunity to approach familiar sock components from a very different direction.
The combination of fingering-weight yarn, lace, short rows and the center-start construction makes it a memorable project for knitters who enjoy exploring unusual techniques.
The complete Grün ist die Hoffnung (Green Is The Hope) pattern by Stephanie van der Linden is currently available as a free download from the designer's Ravelry store.
Get the Free Green Is The Hope Sock Pattern
Pattern availability was checked when this article was updated. Availability on external websites may change over time.
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