My Vanilla Socks

Most of you know I love to knit socks.
I may not be the fastest knitter nor the one with the most patterned socks, but I do love to let the yarn do the work and make a beautiful plain vanilla sock.

I have had a couple of PM's in the last week or so about what formula I use to make socks the most, or what would I suggest to a newer sock knitter.
Tonight I decided to post it here, in case anyone else wants to :) it is not my " pattern" more a way of making socks that you can play with as you want. Change the heel and toe as you want, add patterns to the top, whatever, this is just a basic sock.

I use size 2 needles for most socks, but that also depends on what your fabric looks like and if you are happy.
Here is what I do:
Cast on 64, over two needles for stretchiness, remove 2nd needle spread over 4 needles ( Dpn's) or 2 needles (2 circs)
Do 2x2 rib for and inch or so
Knit for 4 inches, add waste yarn to 1/2 of stitches for after thought heel
knit those stitches again with main sock yarn and continue to knit until about 3 inches shorter than the length of your foot.
Start star toe decreases.
(knit 14, k2tog) 4x
knit 1 row even
(knit 13,k2tog) 4x
knit 1 row even
(knit 12, k2tog) 4x
Knit one row even
Continue these two rows until 8 (dpn) / 16(circs) stitches on each needle.
Then decrease every row for 4 rows. ( total of 16 stitches left)
Break yarn and put on needle, thread through all 16 stitches and pull up tight.
Run the needle through all stitches again and pull to inside of sock to bind off toe.

Pull out waste yarn for heel and pick up 32 stitches from top, 2 in corner, 32 from bottom and 2 in the other corner for a total of 68 stitches.
Knit a round even.
Mark beginning.
(K1, ssk, k 28, k2tog, k1) 2x
Knit a row even
(k1, ssk, k26, k2tog, k1) 2x
knit a row even
continue this, decreasing 1 stitch in from each side of heel top and bottom, until you have 8 (dpn) /16 (circ) stitches on each needle.
You will then do a Kitchener graft (not as hard as people make it out to be) to close the bottom of the heel.
Make 2nd sock.
Weave in all ends securely and wash/block socks.