Knitting Sock
From LoveToKnow Crafts
It seems like everyone who knits these days is on the knitting sock bandwagon. It’s even been declared the year of the sock by some unofficial but well-meaning sources. I just couldn’t let the knitting sock phenomenon pass me by. If you’ve always been afraid of knitting socks, come along with me on my journey of discovery.
Knitting Sock Basics
The first thing you need to know about knitting a sock is that socks are tubes. That seems obvious, but socks are also knitted in tubes, which might not be so obvious. To make a knitted sock, you either use double-pointed needles or two sets of circular needles to stitch your sock.
These needles are used because you can slide the stitches around and knit from either end of the needle, making it easy to knit in a small round, like the size of a sock.
Yes, I said easy. I will be the first to admit that the idea of knitting socks is intimidating. All those needles, such strange shapes, and what are you doing when you “turn the heel,” anyway?
I’m here to tell you not to be scared. I made it through my first knitting sock with my wits intact, and you can, too. The main thing you have to do to knit socks is to trust the pattern, even when it makes no sense.
Knitting the Sock Leg
A sock starts out innocently enough. You cast on and divide your stitches among either your two circulars or three or four double-pointed needles, depending on the pattern. Stitches are divided evenly among the needles, and if you are using double-pointed needles, one needle will have no stitches.
This is the needle you use to start knitting. Mark the end of your round with a stitch marker placed between the second-to-last and last stitches (so it won’t fall off) and then begin to knit, starting with all the stitches on the first needle. When that needle is empty, use it to knit the stitches on the next needle, and so on around the round.
Pull the yarn tightly on the first stitch on each needle so that the round will be tight, making the stitches of your knitting sock uniform. Otherwise you will have “ladders” in your sock, which don’t look good and allow air to blow on your skin.
Knitting the Sock Heel
Once you have finished the leg of your knitting sock, you will shape the heel. This involves knitting only some of the stitches on just two needles instead of the normal four or five double-pointed needles. The unworked stitches can be left on their needles or slipped onto stitch holders.
Making the heel is very easy because it’s just a couple of needles. The complicated and scary part comes when you have to do what is called “turning the heel.”
Turning the heel is also where the magic happens. Up to this point you’ve just been knitting a tube. Now you’re making something that at least approaches looking like a sock.
The heel is formed by working a portion of the stitches on the needle, then turning the work and knitting those same stitches again before you have stitched all the stitches on the needle. As you work, you will stitch more and more stitches until finally you have worked the whole row and the heel is turned.
This is why I say it is important to trust the pattern. Many people have made knitting socks before you and it worked OK for them. Just do what the pattern says, even when it sounds crazy. It will all work out in the end.
Knitting the Sock Gusset
The next part of the sock is known as the gusset. This is the part that goes around the top part of the foot and connects the heel you just worked to the toe that will come. To shape the gusset, you have to rejoin the stitches you left behind to shape the heel.
You’ll also pick up stitches from the sides of the heel in order to shape the sock properly. This can be a little intimidating because you don’t exactly know what to pick up, but with practice this gets much easier.
As you knit the gusset, you slowly decrease stitches again before knitting the rest of the foot. After you’ve done this part, it’s all downhill.
Finishing Your Knitting Sock
After shaping the gusset you knit the main part of the foot and finally decrease for the toes. When you are finished you will graft the fabric together so that the sock is closed at the toe. A knitting sock goes really quickly once you get past the gusset.
Actually, knitting socks is really a quick and relatively easy project. You can have a sock on the needles all the time and always have a perfect gift for family members or friends. Handmade socks are the ultimate luxury. The only problem is, you have to make two of them!
Sources for Knitting Sock Patterns
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