Cat Bordhi Hidden Treasure Pocket Sock Knitting Pattern

Cat Bordhi Hidden Treasure Pocket Socks

What is Being Made

The Hidden Treasure Pocket Socks are a versatile sock design by Cat Bordhi that combines functional everyday wear with hidden storage capabilities. These socks feature small pockets integrated into the leg that can hold small treasures or essential items. When all four pockets are included, the socks can accommodate a cell phone, credit cards, and cash, eliminating the need to carry a purse. The design is available in multiple sizes ranging from child's small through men's large, with finished circumferences from 5 inches to 10 inches (13 to 25 cm).

Techniques Used

This sock pattern employs several advanced knitting techniques that showcase Cat Bordhi's innovative approach to sock construction. The socks are worked seamless and in the round, using a bottom-up construction method. The defining feature is the Sweet Tomato Heel, a short-row heel technique that creates a smooth, gap-free heel without requiring wraps or complex acrobatics. According to the designer, this heel emerged from extended experimentation and, once understood, requires no written instructions—only the rhythmic repetition of a small sequence of movements. The hidden pockets utilize an easy insertion method originally published in Cat Bordhi's 2009 book Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters. Knitters have the flexibility to include anywhere from zero to four pockets depending on preference. The pattern accommodates multiple construction methods: one long circular needle, two circular needles, or double-pointed needles (dpns).

Stitches and Stitch Gauge

The Hidden Treasure Pocket Socks are designed to achieve a gauge of 32 stitches over 4 inches (10 cm) when worked in the round. This gauge is achieved using size 1 (2.5 mm) needles, though any needle size that produces this gauge is acceptable. The pattern includes both toe-up and top-down construction options, with toe-up instructions beginning on page 2 and top-down instructions starting on page 6. The Sweet Tomato Heel technique uses short-row shaping to create the heel structure, and the pockets are inserted using a straightforward insertion method that allows for creative use of leftover yarn.

Materials

The Hidden Treasure Pocket Socks are shown knitted in Frog Tree Pediboo yarn, a blend of 80% merino and 20% bamboo. This yarn is offered in 100-gram skeins with 255 yards of yardage per skein. For a child's size, one skein is required, while adult sizes require two skeins. The sample shown features the adult version in blue (colorway 1164) and the child version in brown (colorway 1105). Knitters will need four distinct stitch markers to track pattern sections during construction. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is part of a larger eBook collection titled Cat's Sweet Tomato Heel Socks, which contains the full pattern collection.

Pattern Features and Sizing

• Available sizes: child's small, child's large, woman's small, woman's medium, woman's large, man's medium, and man's large
• Finished circumferences range from 5 inches to 10 inches (13 to 25 cm)
• Measurements are approximately 15% smaller than actual foot circumference to allow for stretch and proper fit
• Pockets can be customized: knitters may add all four pockets, fewer pockets, or no pockets based on preference
• Suitable for use with leftover yarn for pocket construction