Suggested "starter sock" pattern? (archive)

[LooseyMama]

I'm inching closer to the idea of buying yarn and needles to make my first pair of socks.

*Inching* mind you, not rushing: somehow the idea terrifies me!

But PS's sock deal that she's offering, and then all these threads about socks, particularly the ones with beeeyoootiful yarns and patterns ... are conspiring to make me itch. In a good way!

But I know that if I just pick a pattern because it has a pretty picture, and it turns out to be too complicated for me, that I'll throw it in a corner and it won't see the light of day for-maybe-ever ...


So help, Oh Wise Knitting Glitterati! (Obiwan!) Can you direct me to an extraordinary simple sock pattern, preferably one that I can knit two at a time (since I know I'd be prone to that "second sock" thing) ... and ... dare I make my first attempt using Magic Loop (which I've never attempted) rather than dpns (which seem to terrify me more than the idea of a big Magic Loop)?



I have a friend-of-a-friend who's going through chemotherapy. and I probably *should* have my next/first knitting project to be a hat for her, but ... but SOCKS!! Just Sound Like Fun! Because I love me some bright, crazy, warm socks!


So. Whatcha think?
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"Struggle is obsolete." -- my friend Barbara

[merededeux]

When I'm finished with a couple things, I'm going to try the socks in the new Knitty that are made with straight needles instead of circulars or dpns, which scare me, too!

[arabella]

[LooseyMama]

Here's the thread in which PS tells about her sock club.

(I'm hoping she notices this thread and suggests a pattern to start with, too.)
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"Struggle is obsolete." -- my friend Barbara

[PS]

Luci, I've got an easy pattern that has a short row heel. Joelene of Misocrafty (the sock queen!) wrote it for me (for the store) and it's a really great one.

Also check out her sock knitting resources for tutorials on two socks at once, magic loop and other really great things.

http://www.misocrafty.squarespace.com/sockknittingresorces-/


If you do start out doing two socks at once on magic loop I recommend addi turbos, probably size one (esp. if you are getting the yarn from me!) And I like to use 32" for two at a time, but you could also use 40" or even longer.

does that help?
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[knittykat]

I was going to list the same link as PS; there's an easy two-at-a-time pattern listed on there.

However, I must say I definitely recommend a 40" Addi turbo circ for two at a time, I tried 32" and I spent a lot of time fighting with it. I like the extra "space".

And although Addis seem pricey, it's worth it. Very worth it. I avoided them for years and then found I would have traded all of my other options for one Addi circ :-)

Some people are intimidated by "thin yarn". If you are, that doesn't mean you can't make socks. You can use sport weight yarn (which is still pretty thin, but a big difference from sock yarn) or you could use Interlacements Toasty Toes, which is a heavier sock yarn.

I did my first pairs of socks with sport weight yarn and size 5 needles, and then I felt ready to tackle regular sock yarn.

But don't take that to mean that I think using sock yarn is too hard for a beginner, I definitely do not think that. Just tossing it out there as an option if you are scared of the "thin yarn" :-)
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"Fun is where you find it" - jackierocket

[neurochic]

I actually took a class to learn socks. They had us make a mini-sock with big needles and yarn (I think a 10 and bulky) so we got all the basics of construction on a quick project and weren't intimidated by the tiny yarn and needles. I can try and see if I still have that pattern at home and fax it to you or something. It was also my first time using DPNs, which had always intimidated me but are, in fact, not scary at all.

What I didn't like about the mini-sock thing was that it was a gusset heel, I much prefer a short-row heel as I think it looks better and I suck ass at picking up stitches. My first real pair of socks was a basic top-down pattern with a short-row heel that I bought with the yarn. I think that having had some sock experience made it a lot easier to do socks on ML and toe-up because I was familiar with the basic process and ideas of construction, plus the fact that I was learning two new techniques wasn't so overwhelming because I knew I could make socks, it was just a new way to do them.

If you do go the ML route, I'd recommend the 40" length. 32" is way too short for me, I like having a lot of cable to work with. I feel like the loops of cable sticking out the end mirror how my elbows stick out when I'm really concentrating on turning a heel and stuff.
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grad school sucks

[slowgraffiti220]

i say go for it. most things in knitting are way easier than people make them out to be... i have a pal who saw me knitting two-at-once magic loop and was like, "hell, that's all? i can do that!" and she had a pair of worstered weight slipper-socks whipped up within two days. i do recommend that you practice magic-looping something uncomplicated first (i did a sleeve from my husband's sweater) just to get the hang of it before doing 2 at a time. you will really need to get a feel for it... like, everyone is recommending the longer addi's, but the socks i was knitting on at glittercon were on 32's and, as you saw, i wasn't having any issues. i actually prefer a shorter cable because i feel like the extra room slows me down and often gets tangled in other stuff...it's all personal preference, which you will quickly know after knitting a few inch long practice tube.

as for a pattern, i don't have any good recs per se... i would just pick a sock pattern that looks doable and go for it. converting patterns to ML is as easy as dividing by two... just be sure to keep the heel on one side and the front on the other, and it will go off without a hitch. i did the cabled footie socks from one skein as my second pair of socks and they were easy as well as satisfying... knit in some alpaca, organic cotton or one of those easy-care cashmere blends (cashsoft, cashmerino, etc...) they would be a pretty good/luxurious gift for someone going through chemo, as well ; )

[PS]

Neurochic, you reminded me to mention that we teach all our beginning sock classes on worsted weight yarn (Cascade 220 Superwash is great for this!). I wrote a pattern for top down socks with a short row heel using size 7 needles and worsted weight yarn, I would be happy to email anyone the pdf, so let me know.
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[chairs]

Just throwing in another vote for you to go to misocrafty's sock tutorials page. That's where I got started. My first pair were cuff-down, 2 at a time magic loop style. My second pair which I'm binding off today were toe up 2 at a time with cables, so they're a little more complex. I definitely liked toe up better, and go with a short row heel instead of picking up stitches and all that.

In fact she just posted a short row heel tutorial today!

Good luck and enjoy!

[rahime]

Knitty's Universal Sock Pattern is nice and simple, I'm using it now on what is technically my first pair of socks on ML (I got midway through some Jaywalkers and frogged them). And I second the recommendation to get 40" needles, I sometimes feel like mine are pulled a bit tight.

[LooseyMama]

Okay, after reading some of the patterns, I think I'm going to have to take a class. Trying to decipher some of the instructions, although I'm sure they're very clearly written, makes me feel anxious ... and who needs anxiety, right? Plus, my LYS seems to have a class for knitting socks two-at-a-time on a 40" circ (which I assume would be Magic Loop, even though the description doesn't say that).

[knittykat]

Sock yarn varies in price. Interlacements is very expensive. And yes, you'd get two socks out of one skein; the skein is enormous.

Most sock yarn is labeled "2 socks from 1 skein" or "2 socks from 2 skeins".

You can buy very inexpensive sock yarn from Michael's but I wouldn't recommend it.

Regia sock yarn is about $7 a ball (for basic sock yarn, more for fancier stuff like silk or bamboo) and you need 2 balls for a pair of socks. 1 pair = $14 or so. It's nice basic stuff. I don't like the colors as well as other lines.

Opal sock yarn is about $16-18 a ball, and you get 2 socks out of a ball, with quite a bit left over. 1 pair - $16 or so. These wear very well and get considerably softer after one washing.

Lorna's Laces sock yarn is about $12 a skein, and you need 2 skeins for a pair, with a generous amount left over. 1 pair = about $24. They are super duper soft; heavenly soft! And hand dyed in beautiful colorways.

These are my favorites for socks; there are certainly other brands but these are some of the more popular. I've never knit with Interlacements but they certainly are lovely and yes, expensive :-) And so you're aware, Toasty Toes is a heavier weight yarn, I think it's sport weight. It's meant to be knit down on regular size sock needles to make a VERY warm sock.
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"Fun is where you find it" - jackierocket

[LooseyMama]

Thanks, knittykat. Those prices seem much more reasonable to me. I mean, I think it's great to have nice things, and I want to pay artisans reasonable prices, but I also don't want to take up a new hobby that's too pricey for my budget, ya know?
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"Struggle is obsolete." -- my friend Barbara

[knittykat]

Without a doubt, knitting socks is expensive in terms of materials and time, when you compare them to store bought socks :-) But store bought socks just don't measure up in wearing comfort and enjoyment!

Once you obtain the needles (which can be pricey in and of themselves) and the instruction, the hobby itself is not overly expensive.

And in fact, knitting socks is a good way to keep yourself out of trouble, in terms of yarn purchasing. A pair of socks, even expensive socks, like Interlacements socks, will take you many hours and cost much less than a sweater or shawl out of heavier yarn.

$50-70 is pretty standard for a sweater, and that's not using super fancy pants yarn. So a pair of socks at $25 or less is a pretty good deal.

Oh, and a word of warning to all new sock knitters. When buying wool sock yarn, make sure it is superwash. This means it's been treated to prevent felting. Knitpicks has some very lovely sock yarn, at incredible prices, but it's not superwash, and thus it can felt...not just when you wash them but when you WEAR them. If you think about it, felting requires two of the following; hot water, detergent, and agitation. If you think about sweaty feet in socks, you've got hot (moisture, if not really water) and agitation.

I would hate to see anyone put hours of work into socks just to have them get ruined on them during the first few wearings!
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"Fun is where you find it" - jackierocket