Inspiration
A Cool Way to Begin a Sock
Small program note: We’re thrilled to see folks registering for Sock Tips and Tricks: A Virtual Class with Fatimah Hinds. It’s coming up soon—Friday, June 21—so if you’re yearning to learn about socks, we hope you’ll join us.
Start at the cuff. Start at the toe. When we’re knitting a sock, either way works.
And that’s what we love about knitting: the many ways to make a thing. Our new Field Guide stars Fatimah Hinds’s ideas about the variety of routes to a smooshy DK-weight sock.
In particular, she shares her favorite way to start a toe-up sock. You knit a few rows, then pick up stitches around the small patch you’ve made. Zipzapzoom you’re on your way with a minimum of fiddling, no need for a special cast on. Easy.
This method is on display in two designs in Field Guide No. 27: Sock Odyssey. Fatimah does it with a garter-stitch patch in Toe-Up Lace Socks, and with a stockinette patch in Toe-Up Knee Socks.
The yarn here is Lolabean Yarn Co., hand dyed by Adella Colvin. This is her Pinto Bean base, color Confetti.
The openwork lace pattern changes utterly when worked in a different color. Here is the same base, Pinto Bean, in the delicious green of El Bosque.
See the bit of garter stitch at the toe? That’s the cast-on. So cool.
Sock Curious?
Sure you are. We’re offering a special three-hour virtual class with Fatimah on Friday, June 21. Sock Tips and Tricks is ideal for both new and experienced sock knitters. Fatimah has a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to share, so don’t miss this Zoom event.
I want to Zoom and I want to be better at socks but I have to work 🙁
This field guide and the yarns! Oh my goodness gracious!
I, too, start my toe-up socks with a small rectangle of knitting. With a provisional cast on, one only has to pick up a few stitches on each end of the rectangle. I have no recollection of where/how I discovered this method, but I’ve been doing it that way for years.
I wasn’t excited about knitting socks (okay, a little scared), but this explanation of how easy it is to start gets me going, I think. I have a trip coming up (airports, flights, waiting interminably), so maybe I’ll just take my Field Guide, some sock yarn and needles, and have at it.
Maybe I can even learn to knit socks while going through the hours-long TSA line at Seatac!
Wow. Those stairs. So great. Where is that?
Socks are also gorgeous. I like dk socks for sleeping and also knit with dk yarns for my husband’s size 14 feet. Birthday socks. He has quite a collection.
Great Field Guide!
One of my knitting goals this year it to learn toe-up socks – done! This is so exciting! I have bought the yarn – now I can get started!
Does the field guide #27 give the instructions for this rectangular toe up technique? Like thiseasy idea.
Looking forward to trying this toe up sock method!
I have also signed up for the class with Fatimah and hope to join in for the live session. I know the recorded session will be great too.