Table of Contents
chapter1
Yarn Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Protein Fibers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Cellulose and Other Fibers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Work with Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Match Your Yarn to Your Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Needle Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Needle Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Notions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Using Stitch Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Knitting Techniques chapter2
Cast On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Pick Up Stitches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Increase: Knit Front and Back, Purl Front and Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Increase: Make 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Decrease: Knit 2 Together, Purl 2 Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Decrease: Slip, Slip, Knit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Decrease: Slip 1, Knit 1, Pass Slipped Stitch Over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Knit Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Weave in Ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Blocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Read Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Using Double-Pointed Needles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Using Two Circular Needles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Using One Long Circular Needle (the Magic Loop) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Joins for Knitting in the Round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Knit a Faux-Round Swatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Measure Your Swatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Anatomy of a Sock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Size Your Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Cast On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Knit the Cuff and Leg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Knit a Gusset Heel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Knit an Afterthought Heel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Knit the Foot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Make a Basic Round Toe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Make a Star Toe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Close the Toe: Kitchener Stitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Close the Toe: Gather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Basic Top-Down Sock Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
chapter5
Cast On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Knit the Cuff and Leg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Knit the Instep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Shape the Upper Toe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Knit a Heel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Knit the Foot and Lower Toe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Sew Up the Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Close the Toe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Basic Flat Sock Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Toe-Up Socks
chapter6
Cast On and Knit the Toe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Knit the Foot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Knit the Heel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Knit the Leg and Cuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Bind Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Basic Toe-Up Sock Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
chapter7
Slip-Stitch Ridges Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Worsted Boot Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
3 × 1 Garter Rib Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Cabled Cuff Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Two-Needle Angora Baby Booties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Toe-Up Floral Lace Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Toe-Up Thermal Sport Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Toe-Up Cables Galore Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
Toe-Up Cabled Knee Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Troubleshooting: Fixing Mistakes chapter8
Unknitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Dropped Stitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
Incomplete Stitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
Incorrect Stitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188
Twisted Stitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Knitting Inside Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Laddering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
chapter9
Care Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
Washing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197
Drying and Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Repair Hand-Knit Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201
Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Sizing Chart and Yarn Requirements . . .207
Where to Get Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
Sock Yarn and Other Materials
When you go to the yarn store and ask for sock yarn, odds are you will face a huge wall full of yarn. Sock yarn is available in an array of colors, fibers, and textures. Nearly any yarn can be used to knit socks, but some yarns work better than others. Different fiber contents and thicknesses will affect the feel, utility, and care of your socks, so carefully consider what you’ll make when you pick out your yarn. In this chapter, you learn about different yarn types, fibers, and textures, and how to best use each kind of yarn for socks. Matching a yarn to a pattern is sometimes daunting, so here you also learn how to figure out what yarn works best for different types of sock patterns.
In addition to yarn, you need a few more things to get started. First and foremost, you need needles! Depending on what form of sock you decide to knit, you need either double-pointed, circular, or straight needles. You also need a few important notions. For some types of patterns, you might need some extra tools, too.
WOOL
Wool is fiber derived from the fur of sheep. It has many excellent qualities which work well for socks. It is breathable, strong, and durable. Wool is also elastic—when stretched, it wants to spring back to its original shape. This fiber is great for knitting socks because they will keep their shape over time.
Different breeds of wool can also wear differently. Fine, soft breeds like Merino are less durable than other breeds and tend to wear out faster. Coarser breeds such as Corriedale or Romney will wear well, but might feel less soft. Most wool or wool-blend sock yarns are machine washable for easy care. However, always take care to read the label, especially when using a yarn that isn’t labeled sock yarn, because some yarns require hand-washing.
OTHER PROTEIN FIBERS
Other animal fibers include alpaca, mohair, silk, angora, and cashmere. These fibers can be used to knit socks to great effect. Mohair and silk are quite durable and can take the place of nylon in wool-blend sock yarns. Pure forms of these fibers, however— along with other protein fibers—tend to be less durable than wool and might wear out quickly. Non-wool protein fibers also tend to be much less elastic than wool, which can result in socks that stretch out. These fibers are best used for socks that won’t see a lot of day-to-day wear.
BLENDS
Yarns composed of fiber blends can capture the best of all worlds. Wool lends elasticity to inelastic protein fibers as well as plant fibers. Nylon adds strength to all fiber blends. Alpaca and cashmere give a blend of softness and a fuzzier look than pure wool, and silk gives wool a nice sheen. When considering a blend of wool and synthetic fibers, remember that blends that contain at least 40% wool have the best elasticity and resiliency.