Can I Learn To Knit Socks? (archive)

[moonlady]

uh-oh . i'm doing this pattern
http://www.keyway.net/crafts/SeaSocks.htm

and i messed up the first row cos i wasn't taking all the stitches off properly. got that sorted out but i just counted my stitches (after working for about 4 inches) and some extra ones have appeared , i have 72 instead of 48.
i'm about to do this bit :

Bind off 12 stitches, knit 24 stitches, bind off remaining 12 stitches and cut yarn.

so can i bind off the extra stitches here and it'll work or do i have to start again?

[cinderellen]

It's not too hard - by all means go for it. Socks were (sort of) the first thing I ever knit. Unfortunately I did them with my mother - she turned all the heels and grafted the all the toes. When I returned to knitting after many years I was still comfortable with dpn's, though, so no ladders. That's just a matter of practice. It took me several attempts and looking over more than a few patterns to find a heel I could do well - pretty much the same heel on the sock tutorial someone linked for you. My advice - 5 needles is easier than 4, don't try to hold you instep stitches on a dpn while you futz with the heel - use a nice long stitch holder, don't be afraid to frog back to where you went wrong. My first socks made everyone snigger (gappy short row heels, among other defects), but the ones on the needles right now have been demanded by two family members who previously laughed at my socks. My first socks? Comfy house socks, function not impaired by the ugly heels.
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honi soit qui mal y pense

[miss e]

This is my generic cuff down sock pattern that I use when I have a really busy yarn. It's a Frankenstein of a bunch of sock patterns that I liked one thing or another from. This is for 4 needles, but it's easy to modify because I usually do magic loop. Adjust the numbers if you have a different measurement.

I wear 8.5 shoe with a medium/wide width. I generally cast on 64 sts on a size 1 needle.

1. Measure circumference of where the sock starts on the leg and of the foot. Generally, (for me) these are around the same number. Plug in the number of stitches per inch from the yarn and then cast on that many.

2. Knit ribbing of your choice for 1-1.5".

3. Knit stockinette until 2" above the bottom of the foot (or at the start of the heel).

4. Put 32 sts on hold, and knit heel of choice with the other 32 sts.
I like:
Row 1: Slip 1, then purl all
Row 2: *Slip 1, k1*; repeat **

5. Turn the heel (for 64 sts).
K17, ssk, k1, turn work.
Sl1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn work.
For the rest of the stitches, Sl1, K or P to the stitch before the gap, then decrease (ssk or p2tog), then K or P 1 st, and turn work.
18 sts remain. Knit across.

6. Pick up the sts on the side for the gusset, and knit across the 32 sts on hold, and pick up the same number of sts on the other side for the gusset. Knit one round, and k tbl for newly picked up gusset sts.

7. Do the gusset decrease.
Round 1: K to 3 sts from end, and k2tog, k1. Work across instep. K1, ssk, k to end.
Round 2: k all
Repeat until you have 64 sts again.

8. Continue to knit stockinette until you reach the bottom of your big toe (or 2" from the end).

9. Toe decrease.
Round 1: K to 3 sts from end, k2tog, k1.
K1, ssk, at 3 sts from the end, k2tog, k1.
K1, ssk, K to end
Round 2. K all
Repeat until you have 10 sts left.

10. Kitchner the toes!

11. Seam

[knits]

I'm bumping this because there has been some sock knitting discussion lately.
_________________
Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it.
- Lucy Maud Montgomery
Swagbucks.

[knitting_pretty]

danka!

[knits]

I think we might just need a sock-a-long thread, but for now, we have two other sock threads (magic loop and short row heels and favorite sock patterns)in the craft archives. If anybody wants them (or any other archived threads) moved back you can post to them and I’ll move them or you can send me a PM and I’ll do the move and bump them myself.

ETA
I just read a bit from an old thread about short row heels. I'm quoting it here to make it easy to find because I think it might help people get over their fears of short row heels.


Quoted from the no-fail sock pattern thread

[IrmaVep]

So I have a stupid question. The sock pattern inside the band on the sock yarn I bought is for 3 different sizes. I'm pretty much the smallest foot size, but I have large calves and ankles. Can I knit the "width" of a larger size, and do the foot "rows" to the smaller size so the foot is the right length? (I know, I should use a pattern that requires maths, but I'm too lazy)

[knits]

[IrmaVep]

Thanks knits. I'm thinking now that maybe I'll do some decreasing just before the heel so that the foot width is more in line with the length.

Now I have another stupid question... I've cast on to a 40cm circular needle. Um, how do I get the stitches to meet? I know on dpns you can just slide from one end of the needles to the other so you don't get a gap. But I can't get them to slide enough around that there's not a huge gap. Should I just transfer onto dpns instead? Or is it somehow easier on a longer circular (I bought an 80cm as well, which ironically was less than half the price of the 40cm one).
If I switch to dpns, if the pattern calls for 5, can I get away with 4 so I don't have to go buy an extra set of needles? (Why does the pattern call for 5 when they are sold in sets of 4. That just seems counter productive and wasteful to me)

Thanks in advance for help!