Socks
Knitting socks is a popular project worked in the round with a heel and toe. It serves as a great beginner project for learning circular knitting methods.
Explanation
Socks are a project many knitters come back to: small, portable and quick enough to finish. They are usually knitted top-down: first ribbing around the ankle, then stockinette down to the heel, a shaped heel (often using German Short Rows or a heel flap), the foot in stockinette, and finally a shaped toe. Socks are knitted on double-pointed needles, short circulars, or using the Magic Loop technique. Sock yarn is specially designed to withstand wear and tear, often with nylon added for strength.
Also known as: Sock knitting
The parts of a sock
A sock consists of ribbing, leg, heel flap, heel turn, gusset pick-up, foot and toe decreases. The order reverses if you knit toe-up rather than cuff-down.
Cuff-down is the traditional method. Toe-up lets you knit until the yarn runs out, which helps when you only have one skein.
Yarn and wear
Sock yarn is nearly always wool blended with 20 to 25 percent nylon. Pure wool wears through at the heel quickly, which is why sock yarn is its own category.
Superwash is almost always right here: socks are washed often, and shape retention matters less than durability.
Sizing
Sock size is governed by foot circumference, not length. Allow about 10 percent negative ease: a foot measuring 8.5 inches around wants a sock of roughly 7.75 inches, so it grips without sliding down.
Common mistakes
- Using sock yarn without nylon for everyday socks.
- Knitting the socks one after another and never finishing the second.
Keywords
- socks
- sock knitting
- hand-knit socks
Frequently asked questions
How much yarn does a pair of socks take?
Around 3.5 oz (100 g) of fingering weight for adults. A single 3.5 oz (100 g) skein covers most sizes.
Cuff-down or toe-up?
Cuff-down is the traditional direction, and the one most of the sock patterns we read use. Toe-up lets you knit until the yarn runs out and use the whole skein.