The 50 Cent Sock, demonstrated at the October, 2000 Tacoma Knitting Seminar, by Alethea Robinson.   Alethea wrote:  "It looked like fun.  Well, it must be because I have made 6 pairs of socks with this pattern.  Each pair took about one hour!" (Click on sock for larger view)

Machine: Any gauge knitting machine and ribber
Materials: Any kind of yarn, 50 pennies
Abbreviations:  
     COR - carriage on the right
     COL - carriage on the left
     Circular knitting - (Brother) push in left part button on main carriage and right part button on ribber
     U knitting - (Brother) push in left part button main carriage and right part button on ribber.  Knit 1 row around.  Change carriage settings to right part button on main carriage and left part button on ribber.  Knit 1 row around.  Repeat for desired length. REVERSE FOR 2nd SOCK.

First, pick your yarn and do a swatch to get the gauge.  Next, measure your foot length from heel to toe, and then around your ankle.  (Click here for a sock size and measurement chart)

Length of foot = inches (less 2.5 inches)
Around ankle = inches
Gauge = stitches per inch and rows per inch

This sock starts at the toe.  (Click here for sock diagram) Take ankle measurement times the number of stitches per inch and divide by 2.  This is the number of stitches you will cast on. 

With waste yarn, cast on toe stitches.  Knit several rows.  COR.  Knit one row with ravel cord.  COL.  Now knit one row with sock yarn.  Set carriage to hold (partial) knit. *Pull needle next to carriage to hold position, knit one row.*  Repeat from * to * until one third of the stitches (the stitches in the center) are left in work.  *Now push needle opposite carriage and next to the stitches in work back to work position, knit one row.*  Repeat from * to * until all stitches are back in work. 

Change to the ribber arm.  Hang stitches on ravel cord onto ribber.  NOW FOR THE 50 PENNIES!!!  Place them in the toe of the sock.  This gives you a nice even weight.  Raise the ribber.  Set to knit circular and knit "length of the foot less 2.5 inches."

Turn heel:  Lower ribber bed one click.  Change to main knitting arm and turn heel as you did the toe. 

Replace ribber arm and raise ribber bed to working position.  Set for "U" knitting.  REMEMBER TO OPEN THE OPPOSITE SIDE ON THE SECOND SOCK!  Knit in "U" for 4-5 inches in length.  Take stitches on ribber off on waste yarn (set main carriage so it does not knit in either direction....ie., Brother....push in both part buttons).  Rehang stitches from waste yarn onto main bed.

At this point, finish the sock any way you like, such as 1x1 rib, lattice stitch, or an interesting garter stitch.  (To finish sock as shown in picture, see next paragraph).  Bind off loosely.  Leave yarn tail for seaming.  Remove waste yarn from toe. 

To finish sock as shown in picture, knit 4 inches of 1x1 ribbing ending with COL.  At loosest tension, knit one more row.  Beginning at left, remove stitches onto a size 1 or 2 straight knitting needle (or onto waste yarn).  With contrast color yarn and a size G crochet hook, do 2 single crochets in each stitch across. 

If you are going to fold the ribbing into a cuff, seam the ribbing from the wrong side" using the mattress stitch. Seam the rest of sock from right side.