Fun
The Wandering Socks Knitalong Is Coming!
Pack up the roll-y cooler. Find that water bottle with the solar-powered fan on it. It’s the season of road trips and ball games, wading pools and bug spray. We’re packing light, and we’re packing sock yarn.
A knitalong is coming!
The Wandering Socks Knitalong will begin on Monday, June 24.
If you’ve never knit a sock before, or if, like Wendy Bernard, you’ve knit over 100 pairs, or if, like Ann Shayne, you’ve stealthily knit five-and-a-half pairs in the last six weeks while waiting for Field Guide No. 11 to finally get itself launched, this is the knitalong for you.
The concept: an endless parade of socks from Field Guide No. 11: Wanderlust. Socks will be stowing away on all our travels this summer, near and far and even just staying on the porch trying not to melt. The idea is to illustrate the extreme portability of socks as a knitting project. Fanny packs are back in style—don’t think we haven’t noticed that. Any fanny pack worthy of its pleather can hold a skein of sock yarn, a set of needles, and a copy of Field Guide No. 11.
You will feel: light as a feather, clever as a spider, and smug as heck at how far ahead you are getting on that holiday gift list, as you crank out pair after pair of everybody’s favorite gift: handknit socks.
WE TRIED TO FIT ALL OF ANN’S RECENT SOCK PRODUCTION INTO A SINGLE SHOt. she is unstoppable.
Permission to take it easy: granted. Have you ever eavesdropped on a bunch of sock knitters talking about all the ways of making a sock? Just the heel options could shut down all brain function in a sock newbie. Eye of partridge? Gusset? Afterthought?—none of that for us!
With this knitalong, you will be freed of all that complexity. In Field Guide No. 11, Wendy Bernard gives us two supremely simple sock patterns: one that starts at the cuff and knits down, and one that starts at the toe and goes up.
The heel is the same heel, every time. The cuff options are also simple: there are just three (and we don’t mind saying, they are the best three cuffs). Get this: you can knit plain stockinette socks, and nothing else, all summer long. You’ll never be bored, because sock yarns—especially the sublime ones we’ve laid in for Field Guide No. 11—are endlessly entertaining in their own right.
Looking for more variety, and manageable challenges? Wendy has cooked up 13 stitch patterns that you can swap into either the cuff-down or the toe-up pattern. You can knit socks with an all-over texture pattern, or a panel of pattern down the center, guided every step of the way by Wendy’s experience and clear instructions.
when a “plain stockinette” sock is not that plain, thanks to an amazing yarn. ThiS is kay’s first-ever adult sock, by the way. It’s in neighborhood fiber company’s studio sock, shade: alice Gadzinsky.
You will have: a veritable hop-on, hop-off tour bus full of knitters to keep you company, in the Lounge, on Instagram, on Ravelry, pretty much everywhere you go.
There will be: weekly prize awards on Fridays, starting on June 28 and continuing through August 30. Really great prizes! Possibly sock-related prizes!
The Rules
- Begin, continue, or finish any one of the socks in Field Guide No. 11.
2. Snap a picture of your sock or sock-in-progress in situ and post it on Instagram under the hashtag #mdkwanderingsocks, or in the Lounge here. Have fun with it! Exotic backgrounds encouraged, but not required.
3. Does the sock have to be made with one of the ultra-special sock yarns we’ve got in the Shop? No. (But we will admit to being very partial to those yarns. We put our heart and soul into picking them.)
4. Because we know we’ll get this question: YES, images of socks with sandals are allowed. Geez, who do you think we are? We like a Chaco-sock combo as much as the next glamorous knitter.
The Prizes
Every week our Chief Justice of the Supreme Sock, Cristina Shiffman, will post the winning photo in the Lounge and on Instagram. Prizes will include sock yarns and other delicacies, which will be shipped to the recipient at any address in the United States or Canada.
The goal here is mutual support and momentum sharing. We knit more when we see other people knitting. It’s contagious! We will keep our knitting going through the summer, and have socks to show for it. Now’s the time to build that sock drawer you’ve been dreaming of.
We have a fresh, new topic over in The Lounge: Summer of Wandering Socks KAL. Share your strategies, lists, accomplishments, and photos. We will Like every single one of them, and you may win a prize.
The Hashtag
#MDKWanderingSocks on Instagram.
But Wait—There’s a Bonus Hashtag!
To cheer on the blushing sock novices out there, we’d love to see all the first socks people make. Use the hashtag #MDKmyfirstsock, or just loudly proclaim THIS IS MY FIRST SOCK over in the Lounge. At the end of the knitalong, three of those photos will win a First Sock Prize, to be announced on August 30 with the last weekly prize winner.
Start and End Dates
The knitalong will begin on June 24, and the last prize will be awarded on August 30, so pictures must be posted during that time window.
The official start is one week away, so there’s plenty of time to order up your copy of Field Guide No. 11 and perhaps a skein or two of one of our exciting new sock yarns. (Here’s our handy one-page pop-up shop for all things Field Guide. No. 11.)
Your purchases support MDK’s content, which is free to all and served up hot every single day of the year, and allow us to keep doing this thing that we love so much. For all of your support—of all kinds—we’re truly grateful.
IT’S SOCK TIME, Y’ALL!
I’m psyched! This will be my first KAL. Let the games begin!
My mind is anxious to try socks again but my heart is fearful. The last attempt was a fiasco. 20 yrs now the half a sock is languishing in a drawer. Help.
#mdkmyfirstscok #mdkwanderingsock ##shakeradsockblank. Holy Moley, I am in.
Okay, I now have a deadline for my current project…because I WILL be joining this KAL (my first!) on day one!!
This will be my first KAL too, and I’m also psyched as I just got word that my Field Guide 11 is on the way. With You Tube instructions from Very Pink, I just transferred a second sock I started years ago from double pointed to Addi flexi flips, and I’m going to try to knit my socks on them. So far so good after a few rows. Has anyone knit socks on them? Woo Hoo — socks for Christmas!
YES! I love the bamboo Flexi flip needles, they’re my current favorite. I’m less apt to pull out a needle with stitches on it instead of the blank one, and less laddering occurs. They take getting used to but I like ’em.
I’m happy to think of all the first-time sock knitters who will be gaining confidence, momentum, and a new favorite fallback WIP through this KAL. The world simply cannot have too many sock-knitters, IMO.
*waving a sock on DPNs like a flag*
So excited! I’m going to use my sock blank from Shakerag! Now to decide which of the beautiful stitch patterns to use!
Very sure and all in on Wandering Socks Knitalong. Vaguely uneasy about Chaco-sock combo but known to have tried on half knit sock with Birkenstocks.
What a fun reason to try knitting my first socks!
Ooo, hoping to hear from Kay about her choice to knit on 2 circs — or maybe I just need to search the archives! I’ve got a second sock on some DPNs already, but I will try to fit the next pair (always my car knitting) into this KAL ~
Are any of the patterns applicable for knitting two at a time on circulars? I just did that and LOVED not having to start all over with#2.
Yes! I just started a pair from Wanderlust and so far it has been easy to adapt her instructions to two circulars, which is what I like best.
What weight yarn?
I must admit, I’m a sock knitter to the point where it’s almost shameful. I currently have 6 WIPs and cast on another last week. I have decided to stop buying new needles because I get the itch for a new cast on. So, I will be a good girl, and finish one of my current WIPs to free up needles for this KAL. I’m very interested to see how the panels of textured stitches play with the semi solid yarn I have in stash. Sock knitting never gets old for me. I’m excited about the KAL.
How much yardage for 2 socks using the MDK yarns?
In general, if you allow 200 yds for each sock, you’re in the ballpark. A small woman’s size will use about 180 yds, a grown man’s big ole foot will take the full 200 and maybe a tad more. YMMV
The only time I don’t have a sock OTN is when I’ve just finished binding off the second of the previous pair and haven’t cast on the new one yet – but there is always more to be learned about socks!
I learned yesterday my new FG is on its way – can’t wait. (Probably won’t Knitalong, since life in our house is about to get really busy, but I’ll be following along with what the participants are up to.)
Nope. Not knitting socks. Love sock yarn for shawls, though … and LOVE Neighborhood Fiber Arts —- lovely yarn and beautiful colors.
I’ll be sitting – if it ever warms up – at our local pool knitting a lace shawl from cotton, or reading.
Ok you talked me into it!! I will knit my son in law at least one pair for his birthday in August!! You made the sale with the portable and easy instructions. Plus I love your posts and so enjoyed your knit stars episodes. I have been knitting for a long time but have never made socks.
I have yarn for a pair of socks I want to make for a friend. Now I know I’ll get them done.
For some reason, socks are pretty much the only thing I don’t knit. I’ve knit a couple pair, after mastering hats/mitts/shawls, but then wandered into sweaters and never made it back to sock land. I think it’s time for a return, they are a nice quick knit for summer months!
I’ve tried buying the book several times but having trouble with checkout. Is there another site to purchase?
I’m definitely in! I love sock knitting! Is it ok if we sub a different heel for the short row heels that both patterns use? A heel flap / gusset heel fits my foot better, so I use it in all my socks.
I love Wanderlust! My copy came yesterday and I read it immediately! I will try to ignore my other projects calling for my attention and participate in the knitalong. Today I’ll dive into my stash to find some interesting yarn. I’m tempted to try a toe up pair but I’m not so good at turning the heels on those.. A top down pair might be a better choice for this! I hear some sock yarn calling to me….Later!
I would love to knit some socks. However the ones I have knit always get stretched out with use. If I could somehow knit some socks that don’t do that I’d be a sock knitter in addition to sweaters and cowls and shawls and all other knitted things.
Lily, you’re not alone. I knit myself some great looking socks, slightly on the snug side, but after a few wearings they are sloppy. Hate sloppy socks. Can someone help Lily and me?
ps would washing them in really hot water help, maybe shrink them a tad?
I received my MDK FG#11 and a hank of Lichen and Lace 80/20 Beach Glass yarn yesterday. Now to join the KAL and make a new pair of socks!