making: how to knit socks
this is one post in a series of technique blog posts. you can also find how to knit cables, how to knit lace, how to work in the round, and knit that sweater in this series. each blog post gives a couple of pointers, some helpful links, and suggests a collection of patterns to build up your skills. if you want to spend some time practicing a specific skill, these posts are the ones for you!
socks are one of those things that knitters either love or hate, and in my experience the vast majority of knitters switch to the love side once they’ve knit their first pair. the best part about socks? you can never have too many of them! if you’d like to learn how to properly select and care for all-natural sock yarns, grab my ebook operation sock drawer.
some of my favourite tricks for knitting socks are:
investing in a good cable needle with a smooth join and a sharp tip. this is especially important if you do the magic loop method, but even if you don’t, a flexible cable will make your experience a lot more comfortable for your hands and wrists. i like chiaogoos because they have a metal cable covered in a slick nylon coating with a seamless join on their interchangeable sets. it’s flexible, doesn’t need to be warmed up like the old plastic cables (extra important living here in the north), and never gets a kink in it.
do a plain sock when you’re practicing a new technique or working from a new-to-you designer. gauge is super important on socks and with so many possible variations on toes, heels, and shaping, it’s a lot easier to work up a basic sock using their techniques and stitch counts first to make sure that the sock will fit your foot nicely. if you’re off gauge, try going up or down a needle size first before messing with anything else - sometimes that’s all it takes to get the right amount of stretch for a comfortable fitted sock!
once you find a fit that you like, keep going with it! sock knitters are some of the most adventurous knitters i know, and they’re not afraid to adapt a pattern to accommodate their own preferences, whether that’s flipping a chart to work toe-up rather than cuff-down, lengthening or shortening the leg and foot to fit better, adding or subtracting some stitches to accommodate a wider or narrower foot, or replacing a heel or toe for a preferred variation instead.
patterns to build up your skills
(click on the photos to get to the patterns)
les legumes is the perfect place to get started with socks because who doesn’t love teeny tiny baby socks?? seriously though, you don’t need littles in your life to benefit from the two patterns included in this wee collection. you’ll learn some of the basics about knitting socks, including getting over your fear of turning a heel, and then afterwards you have the world’s tiniest stocking ready to hold cute tiny gifts.
blank slate is your vanilla sock, as they say, with no distractions and just simple shaping to help you get going. it’s a great option for showing off any yarn, especially those self-striping beauties, and is going to be important for you as a base if you’re going to knit any of my other sock patterns. the shaping and basic math gets replicated in all of my sock designs, so knit up a pair of blank slate first to easily make notes about whether there are any areas you want to modify with other patterns before casting on something more complex.
ready to add some texture? alycone is your sweet pea here, with a shortie length that means you can conquer that second sock syndrome easier (or lengthen them if you prefer instead). you’ll also get used to shifting from knitting a texture on the top of the foot to translating it around the full leg with this pattern.
black bess is a fantastic step up from blank slate and is interesting enough to hold your attention while not actually requiring it, making it great for vacation knitting! try out your self-striping yarns with this textured sock to see how fun they can be!
whisky shot is a personal favourite, because who doesn’t love a good herringbone? this one will require a bit more of your attention once you get to the leg, since the herringbone repeat requires adjusting your beginning of round back and forth.