Three Techniques for Knitting Socks

Knitting Socks Using Three Different Techniques - Which Is Your Favorite?

Greetings Friends!

Let's talk about socks. Generally speaking we don't give them much thought.  Lot's of people wear the same style every day. I am a white cotton gym sock.  My husband is a wool boot sock and my son is a black cotton dress sock. We are dedicated to our styles and because of our commitment it is the one thing we don't have to worry about when getting dressed each morning (hooray!). So while consistency does have it's advantages, I'll openly admit that it is boring (boo!). 

Hand knit socks however, are not.  The assortment of specialty yarns geared specifically for our feet are fabulous! You can find bright colors, light colors, self striping, ombre, jacquards, fair isle, heathered, and sparkles. Hand spun, hand dyed and hand painted in nearly any fiber or combination of fibers you can name! Then of course there are the patterns. On Ravelry alone there are nearly 30,000 matches for the search "knit socks"! Wow!

It only makes sense that there are a variety of different techniques for turning yarn into fashionable footwear. Like all things in knitting, one way is not better than the other, or the "right" way to do it. It all comes down to what works best for you and the sock you're making!

Boot Sock on One 10 Inch Circular Needle

2x2 Ribbed Sock on Three Double Pointed Needles

3x1 Ribbed Sock on Two 16 Inch Circular Needles

I'm not sure how it happened, but right now I am working on three different socks using three different techniques!  I've only ever made one pair of socks so this is the perfect opportunity to figure out which method I like the best, while (hopefully) adding a little flare to our feet.

First there is the worsted wool boot sock that I'm making for John. This is a basic 2x2 ribbed, top down construction with a short-row heel. I started these on 4 dpn's, but after watching this video decided to switch to 10 inch bamboo circular needles. The needles are stubby and take some getting used to. I like the smoothness of working on circulars and don't have to worry about the stitches sliding off the needles when I toss it in my bag "to go". I know I'll have to switch back to finish the toe, but I like it enough to think that I'll be starting the second one on the circs.

Next up is the Garden Variety Knit Sock.  This has a ribbed ankle and seed stitch across the top of the foot. I'm using four US size 3 dpns. The yarn is Patons Stretch Sock in the very tasty Cherry Sour colorway. This is the first yarn that I actually bought specifically for a pair of socks.  The reason I chose it is because of the fiber content.  It is 41% Cotton, 39% Wool, 13% Nylon and 7% Elastic. As boring as my white cotton socks are, I wear them because they make my feet happy. So it was important to find something with cotton as the main ingredient (which is harder than I thought!). This seems perfect, and has the added bonus of built in elastic to help with fit and shaping. With the hardest part (the first few rounds) out of the way, I'm making quick progress on the dpns. 

The final sock that I'm working on is a top down 3x1 rib. I'm following a Back to Basics pattern, but decided to give the two circular needle method a try. Thank goodness for YouTube, because that's where I found this video. The quality isn't top notch, but the instructions are and after watching a few times I was able to cast on and get past those tricky first few rounds.  You might recognize the yarn.  This is the hand dyed BFL that I won from Danielle (A Stash Addict) quite some time ago.  I've actually started at least three different projects with it and for one reason or another I just can't make it stick. I'm hoping that this might finally be the one that works out.  At this point I'd say using these two tiny circulars is my least favorite sock method. They are 16 inch US size 1. If I were using bigger needles I think that it would be different, but size one is pretty darn small especially paired with super fine yarn.

There is one more technique that I've come across.  The magic loop uses just one long (40 inch) circular needle.  In fact, there is even a way to knit two socks at the same time using this method!  When I first started knitting I thought that might be easier for a beginner.  You know, get them both done at the same time and then you don't have to worry about the dreaded second sock syndrome.  Turns out I was wrong. I didn't know enough about the basics of sock construction and I wasn't confident enough in my skills to be sliding stitches around and pulling needles from one side to the other! It was a disastrous undertaking that ended with some choice words and a knotted mess of yarn. I haven't given up on the magic loop, and I still think there is wisdom in the two at once philosophy, especially for someone like me who has a hard time finishing all the things I start!

I'm not sure which of these I'll finish first. I've been plugging away at all of them everyday.  I like having a variety of different projects all set and at the ready.  Plus socks are great on the go. I can toss any one of them in my bag and not worry about having a pattern or keeping track of where I am on a chart. 

Did you have any idea that there were so many ways to make socks?  And we didn't even talk about the actual construction techniques (like top-down, toe-up and flat) or the many kinds of heels and toes you can make! With such a variety of options it's understandable why knitting socks is so popular.  There really is something for everyone. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love!