Whirlwind Toe

Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters includes instructions for a "Whirlpool Toe," a toe-up version of the Star Toe. I call my variation the "Whirlwind Toe." It was inspired by Dawn Brocco, who when knitting top down advises you to decrease at 6 points every 3rd round until there are about 18 stitches, then decrease every round to 6 stitches.

My instructions assume you know how to knit with a Magic Loop, using one circular needle, 40 inches or longer.

Whirlwind Toe (Cliffs Notes Version)
Verbose Instructions below

• Turkish cast-on 3 stitches.
• Knit 1/2 round.
• Knit 1 round with both working yarn and tail.
• Increase at 6 points every round until there are 30 stitches (24 for thicker yarns).
• Increase at 6 points every third round until you reach desired circumference.

Whirlwind Toe (Verbose)

Turkish cast-on 3 stitches

• Hold your circular needle so that both ends are together, pointed to the right.
• Pull the bottom needle to the right, and hold your top needle together with the bottom cord.
• Start your yarn in back of the needles, leaving a 9" tail hanging.
• Wrap the yarn over toward you, down across the front and up the back of the needles.
• Repeat until you've made 3 loops around your needles.
• You'll use the bottom needle as your working needle to knit the stitches which are wrapped around the top (or "left") needle.

First increase round

• Knit across the 3 stitches on the "top" needle. Be sure to keep your stitches snug on the "bottom" needle.
• Hold working yarn and tail together, and work 1 complete round.
  (There are now 6 stitches on each side, 12 in all.)

Second increase round

• Drop the tail, and knit with only one strand of yarn.
• Repeat *YO, K2* for one round. This sets up 6 increase points, using yarnovers for increasing. There are 18 stitches on your needles.
  

Third and Fourth increase rounds

• Repeat *YO, K1tbl, K2* for one round (24 stitches on your needles).
  IMPORTANT: You must knit into the back of the yarnover stitches. This twists them, so they won't leave holes in your knitting.
• Repeat *YO, K1tbl, K3* for one round (30 stitches on your needles).

Switch to increasing every third round

• Knit two rounds plain, making sure to knit into the back of any yarnover stitches.
• On the next round, repeat *YO, K5* (36 stitches)
• Knit two rounds plain, making sure to knit into the back of your yarnovers.
• Repeat *YO, K6* around (42 stitches)
• Knit two rounds plain. (You know how to handle yarnovers by now, right?)
  

Continue increasing in this manner, with 6 yarnovers every third round, followed by two plain rounds, until you reach your desired stitch circumference. If that circumference is not a multiple of six, just do as many increases as you need.