(no subject)

[avendya]

Socks! Someone tell me about socks!

Or, rather, tell me how one gets started on making them. I am a beginning knitter, about two feet into an Irish Hiking Scarf. I was playing around with some size 3 needles, and really, really liked them. It seems like socks are the most common thing made on small needles, and I would rather like a nice warm, fuzzy pair of socks. (Emphasis on warm -- my goal would be socks that can be worn in the house, instead of shoes, by a person with the world's worst circulation.)

DPNs look slightly terrifying, but they are probably manageable, right? Anyone want to give me pattern recs? The nicest looking pattern I've found is the skew sock, but oh dear god complicated stitchwork. (At least to a beginner.) A Coraline sock looks less terrifying, but also less pretty.

So: should I avoid socks for the time being, and knit a couple other things that use increases/decreases (the Saroyan scarf comes to mind), or try to make socks anyway? And, if I should knit socks: pattern recs?

Comments

[rainbow]

i've been doing socks and slippers for ... hmmm. 8 years now, i think, and i still only do super easy plain ones. judy's magic cast on toe, increase to fit, knit til i'm a bit from the heel, do a short row heel, then a bit of ankle, then ribbing, as much as a i want.

wool is wonderful for comfy warm fuzzy socks. if you make them anywhere from a little bit to 1/4 to 1/3 too big and felt them (anywhere from a little to a lot) you get warmer and thicker ones (more like slippers) -- it's best to leave off the ribbing in that case, or add some on after felting if you want snug ankles.

a lot of ppl like superwash yarn; i break out from it so don't use it. it won't felt, so the socks will be machine washable. cotton/bamboo/etc are also machine washable. (i prefer untreated wool and handwashing, since it feels so much better on my skin).

there are pretty sock yarns dyed to be stripey or splotchy that are fun (or you can dye them yourself, which is omg so much fun!)

i like using 2 cable needles vs dpns when i can. it's easy for me to deal with the lack of extra pointy bits *g*

you can also make socks on bigger needles with thicker yarn; i made some in heavy single ply wool on either 6s or 8s and then felted them, and i ♥ them to pieces. (

[jumpuphigh]

cotton/bamboo/etc are also machine washable

Warning: Bamboo will felt in hot water. It, however, doesn't felt into something nice and soft. It felts into something prickly that will make you fall down crying because all your work has now been ruined.