A hosiery knitting method and apparatus wherein contoured terry-type heel and toe areas are circularly knit on a four station hosiery machine by arranging one station to knit complete terry courses on all needles and sinkers and arranging the other three stations to knit partial terry courses on only a group of selected successive needles and associated sinkers. To insure proper plating for terry knitting when reintroducing the yarns at the three other stations, a number of needles preceding and succeeding the needles selected to knit are operated to tuck the base yarn to constrain it onto the lower sinker surface.