Dear Kay,
As for the One-Sock Knitalong, all I can say is WHOA. The quantity and quality of unfinished socks bubbling up from the La Brea Tar Pit of Languishing Handknits is frankly astonishing. OK, maybe I suspected that we’d have some well-aged Prime socks in the mix. But these are Carter-era socks, socks used to hide whisky barrels during Prohibition, socks that came over on the Mayflower. You can see the tender reunions, resuscitations, and regurgitations going on in the Instagram hashtag #onesockKAL. And I’m learning a lot over in the Ravelry Modern Daily Knitters One-Sock Knitalong forum.
In the interest of Continuing Education, Dept. of Socks, I thought we should have a bit of review and enhancement. The accumulated wisdom about sock knitting on the Web is astounding. Gobsmacking. When I say these people wrote the book on socks, literally they have written books about socks.
From yarn know-it-all and sock smarty pants Clara Parkes (The Knitter’s Book of Socks) comes a nice little thought piece on Finding Your Ideal Sock Yarn.
(photo by Glenna C)
Kate Atherley (Custom Socks: Knit to Fit Your Feet) is the clear-eyed mathy friend who never makes fun of you for botching your gusset. (“Botching your gusset” sounds like a Victorian remedy for gout.) She gives pros and cons for toe-up vs. top-down socks, even providing tiny adorable practice sock patterns to get the hang of the top-down and toe-up techniques.
Kate also answers the burning question: “Should I add nylon reinforcing thread when using 100% wool yarn?” Haven’t you always wondered?
Reena Meijer Drees has created a virtual temple to the art of sock knitting in her website Knit Better Socks. No way can you leave this site knitting worse socks. Of special note amid the dozens of juicy topics is a deliciously opinionated Sock Wool Review. (Please note: Reena’s opinions are her own and if she doesn’t like Malabrigo Sock, well there’s a throwdown I’m ready to take on.)
Reena waxes philosophical about Using Slow-Striping Yarns and Striping and Pooling: Working with Hand-dyed Yarns. And if you’re really trying to burn a day, here’s a massive grab bag of sock techniques. Epic!
The sublime, unparalleled TECHknitter—the Batman of knitting because his/her/their identity remains a mystery—gives and gives and gives the wisdom at TECHknitting. One nifty little trick: How to see if socks will fit without trying them on.
Susan B. Anderson writes excellent reports from the magical land where people have drawers full of handknitted socks. I envision my own sock drawer filled with the rainbow from gray to Saturn V rocket to Crazy Zauberball and everything in between.
Susan’s sock drawer is going to end up at the Smithsonian.
(photo by Susan B. Anderson)
Finally, GlennaC writes a lovely aria for anyone on the verge: “So You’ve Discovered Sock Knitting.”
MOAR SOX. Can’t stop, won’t stop. Jump in if you haven’t already—knitalongers are finishing pairs of socks at a gratifying rate.
Love,
Ann
I have an acquaintance threat when knits socks, she knits socks from yarn from her own sheep she then spins and dyes before getting jiggly with it. For someone who either buys white socks in bulk or what ever has a amusing holiday theme I stand amazed at all this sockiness.
I’m on my way over to Insagram to look at the plethora of single socks and their friends, the balls of sock yarn. I told myself I wouldn’t join this KAL because I have so many projects and I haven’t (guilty head hang) finished my sweater from the Bang Out A Sweater KAL. Those footie socks look pretty quick, though.
Oh. My. Goodness. That sock drawer!!!!
I’m really enjoying the rav thread and the few (why not more? need more!) #onesockKAL twitter posts. The timing of this KAL is perfect for me; got “knitting” pushed toward the top of my priority list again, which is obviously where it belongs. Progress: the dust-gathering socks of March finally have toes, which is a feature I really enjoy in socks. The hank of merino/tencel sock yarn I dyed yesterday is still drying, but the orange-y glow is lighting up my kitchen on an otherwise gloomy morning. With luck I can cast on – I’m thinking “picot edge” – tonight 🙂
I know this is a long shot but I’d love to knit the Chakra Socks by Lisa Grossman. The pattern doesn’t seem to be available anywhere and I’m wondering if someone could help me out with this. Sadly, we lost this genius designer to a horrible disease but her designs still inspire. Thanks for any help.
I love all the sock wisdom you are gathering. But this very linky post reminded me to ask you something I have been wanting for ages. Please, MDK ladies, have those wonderful links open in a new page. It makes it so much easier to toggle back and forth. Thanks!
I’m another open-in-a-new-tabber, too. Lee, if you hit the control key while you’re clicking on the link, it’ll open the link in a new tab. That’s the case with IE & Chrome. Can’t speak to the other browsers.
You can also click the link with the scroll wheel of your mouse to open it in a new tab. It’s my preferred method and only takes one hand.
Here’s a dissenter. I like having them open on the same page so I can easily go back to the blog itself by hitting the back arrow. I don’t want to open a zillion new tabs in order to see all the links. I look at them one at a time, and if I really want to save something, I still can do that.
Well, whatever I just did to make new windows open totally did NOT work but DID manage to double the categories across the blog. YAY INCOMPETENCE! Will keep fooling around with this. And now am fascinated by Judy’s point of view, along with Lee’s point of view. Apparently there’s a right-click thing that will open a link in a new window? I’m on Mac, so I don’t use this function.
Command+click is the same “open in new tab” function on a mac.
just FYI
Thanks for those sock drawer photos!
Thank you so much for this! I love knitting socks. I thought about participating in the one-sock challenge, but decided to be monogamous and finish the top I’m knitting. I’m in the South and we’re heading into that time of year where wool socks are less ideal. Combine that with teen boys who have rapidly growing feet and, well, I think I might want to wait a bit. All your links will make for happy, interesting, reading, though. And wow, look at that sock drawer!!
You had me right up until that last line: knitalongers are finishing pairs of socks… I’m on my way to a meeting where I will cast on my first pair. May I one day join the ranks of sock finishers! Three cheers for two-hour all-staff meetings on topics chosen by administrators, which is to say completely irrelevant to the daily work of the employees.
That sock drawer made me swoon! Also, highly recommend Clara Parkes book. Refer to it often. Really learned to kitchner using her instructions.
I finished my first sock and immediately started #2. I don’t see a One Sock Anonymous meeting anywhere local so will do my best to finish a pair. I can see why hats are fun- only one head!
If you are a beginner sock enthusiast, I highly recommend Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd. My current favorites are Clara’s Book of Socks and Kate Atherley’s new book, which you mention. What a great post!
I think Glenna C’s socks are going to be my next pair. After making the first pair with Sport, the Fingering will be a truer test of my newfound sock passion.
Also, it is my thinking that cuff-down is the better choice for me. My big toe can punch a hole in socks in very little time (I think because it sticks up so much higher than my other toes?). This is one of the reasons why I have avoided sock knitting. But with cuff-down, replacement of the toe area would be really fast and easy. Does this make sense?
Great post full of helpful sock info, thank you, Ann. I hold you responsible for my new obsession, btw. 😉
I have a big toe problem too. I do my socks toe up, short row toe shaping, using eye of the partridge stitch (knit one slip one across, then purl back). It works perfectly with the short rows, and is enough reinforcement to keep my toe from poking through.
Thanks, Martha. I hadn’t thought about using a particular stitch to strengthen the toe part, but it makes sense.
Ha! I know TECHknitter’s real identity — I did a test knit for her once. Actually, I am not that special; she taught a class at Yarnover (Minneapolis) a few years back, so everyone who got the brochure for the event knows who she is. I will tell you, however, that she lives in Wisconsin.
Sssssshhhhh! I like the idea that we have a Batperson of Knitting. : )
I went to a class of hers on button bands and a class on inserting zippers– extremely mind expanding.
That sock drawer is a thing of beauty. And envy.
I don’t know how to use that #-tag thing, but I’m in. I have one sock with about 3 rows to go before the toe decreases and then my niece with finally have her second pair of socks. She graduated from college a year ago and theses socks were supposed to keep her warm while trekking around campus!
The sock drawer picture has inspired me to add this to my bucket list (luckily the only item on said list so it stands a chance).
More knit-alongs for unfinished projects, please. It’s a real motivator.
Does anyone have advice for knitting with a cat in the house who loves to chew moving yarn?
I was working on my second sock. But this morning I fractured my right arm, it’s in a sling, and I am due to get a real cast on it tomorrow 🙁
Ok. I feel bad ranting about my own misfortune after reading Helen’s post, above, but I will anyway. Motivated by this KAL to finish a long-languishing (but not quite Mayflower-era) second sock, I enthusiastically tried on the pair. Only to realize that in casting on the second sock, I had forgotten that I increased the stitch count on the first to account for smaller needles and a cable design. Anyone out there have one leg and foot much skinnier than the other? I’ve got a pair of socks for you!
OK! I was going to ignore this sock thing. But. It has grabbed me by the throat (well, hands, maybe) and I’m all over my socks. I think that what threw me over the edge was when I sat down on the couch the other night and noticed a long lost project bag there and as they say in the South :” It’s a maricul”… There were a partially complete 1st sock of a pair!!!! Anne can translate the maricul thing
I completely understand you! Southern is my native tongue…. Bless my heart …..
I love all of the links – thank you!
Couldn’t handle the sock thing–finish one, then have to start all over again on the second one. Too boring, dreary. But then I discovered ANTJE GILLINGHAM ‘s book “Knitting circles around socks: knit two at a time on circular needles”. 2007, http://www.martingale-pub.com.
Life was transformed!! My joi was indeed re-vived. It is not the simplest of ideas, but if you stick to it , you can figure it out. and it is perhaps a bit slow, as you are doing both socks, one after the other (on the same needle), but once you are done , you’re finished altogether! No repeating yourself, and BOTH socks are the SAME SIZE (cause you made them at the same time).
I think it’s a great idea for sock knitters, have introduced it to fellow knitters. Check it out!
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Duly restarted. Since Monday I have knit around one and a quarter inches on to my second sock. Clearly I need motivation.! I mostly knit socks as gifts and gift socks have hard deadlines.
This, however, has not stopped me from daydreaming about a ball of hand dyed red yarn which would make fabulous Monkeys. I used to put down knitters who wrote constantly about the new and shiny but now I know why.
I have tried toe up, not bad except for the fiddly start, and two at a time on circulars, never again. I would unquestionably finish Fair Isle socks or other stranded socks but they are way too warm for my climate. Oy. Clearly I am just going to have to find a good book and power through the last sock. Books. particularly ones read on the laptop are very useful. I find I miss important parts and have to go backwards all the time when watching movies; books are easier to backtrack in.
Valerie, if you ever get to knitting those Fair Isle socks, knit them inside out. It helps to keep the stranding loose, nearly automatically. AMAZING!
Happy Knitting,
MJ, the SKEINdinavian
Yes, I have heard this. I was making one for a gift and had to do something else as I had a hard deadline. I wrote about this eary issue to the Stranded group on Ravelry and that’s what was recommended. Are you a member?
In the mean time I knit five more rows on my sock yesterday while reading my email: a small gain, but a gain no less. Best wishes on your sock goal.
Valerie