Sock construction

A method of making a stocking comprising the steps of

• (a) circular knitting a top mock-rib portion;
• (b) circular knitting an ankle and instep portion having a 1.times.1 mock rib by knitting spandex in every other wale to provide instep support, and forming terry loops, having a first density, on the interior of the ankle and instep portion;
• (c) knitting a heel portion including terry loops having a second density, greater than said first density;
• and
• (d) circular knitting a toe portion free of mock ribbing and including terry loops formed on the interior thereof.

A method of making a stocking utilizing a knitting machine having yarn fingers for feeding yarn to the knitting needles, and comprising the steps of

• (a) circular knitting a top portion;
• (b) circular knitting an ankle and instep portion having terry loops of a first density formed on the stocking interior from a main terry yarn;
• (c) knitting a heel portion having a second density of terry loops, greater than the first density, by running an auxiliary terry yarn in a random manner through a separate yarn finger as the yarn finger through which the main terry yarn is introduced, the auxiliary terry yarn being able to assume an orientation on the inside or outside of the stocking;
• and
• (d) circular knitting a toe portion having terry loops formed on the stocking interior.

A method of making a stocking, utilizing a circular knitting machine having knitting needles with a hook portion, and sinkers with a neb, and comprising the steps of

• (a) circular knitting a top stocking portion;
• (b) circular knitting a 1.times.1 mock rib ankle and instep portion having interior terry loops formed from a terry yarn, and spandex in every other wale, by running the terry yarn in the hook and over the neb and running a backing yarn in the hook and under the neb, the spandex being introduced with the backing yarn in every other needle;
• (c) knitting a heel portion having terry loops;
• and
• (d) circular knitting a toe portion free of mock ribbing and having interior terry loops.