Socks!

They're everywhere -- underfoot, in your drawers, and now on the Internet! Socks are small and don't use much yarn, so they're a good project for both portability and cost; they're also ideal for working on a small-gauge intricate pattern that might get tiresome if repeated over a whole sweater. Lots of knitters have discovered the pleasures of socks in the last few years, with the publication of books such as these:

Socks, from Spin-Off magazine (ed. Rita Buchanan and Deborah Robson)
Homespun/Handknit (ed. Linda Ligon, also of Spin-Off)
Folk Socks, by Nancy Bush

There are several newer books available, too -- I mention these books because I own all three and love them.

Now there is a lively mailing list for those of us who find sock knitting a pleasure: Socknitters. The members of this list are currently working on the Magical Mystery Sock Tour, where each volunteer has chosen a free pattern from the internet, knit it, and taken a picture of it for online viewing. Be sure and look at all the photos -- these are some great knitters and some beautiful socks! You'll also find illustrated instructions for toe grafting on this site, the best I've seen. I've volunteered to do thrummed socks for the MMST from this pattern; I've been enjoying doing swatches with small pieces of wool roving held behind my knitting. It's an odd time of year to be making fleece-lined socks in North America, but I'll be warm next winter!

If you'd like to explore sock sites on the net on your own, first visit Knitting Socks! This site not only offers links to free patterns, but also to various instructions on sock heels. I'm going to print these out and study them and solve my problem with holes in my gussets once and for all!

Here's a handy Internet Sock Calculator. I tried plugging some numbers in, and it seems to work quite well. The instructions are clear; for example, when you finish your first sock, you are told to "Repeat from the top for the second sock." Wits are everywhere these days . . . Another Internet knitter has given us Linda's Sock Formula, a system for designing a good basic sock. If you want socks that fit precisely, consider buying Lois Baker's booklets on Custom Fit Socks, including cuff-to-toe and toe-up styles. This site offers secure on-line ordering.

If you're new to sock knitting, don't be intimidated! Once you've grasped the skill of knitting with four or five double-pointed needles, you've got it made, and that particular skill just takes practice -- I'm not quick at learning motor coordination tasks, and I did it -- so can you! The only other part of sock knitting that is tricky is turning the heel, but that's no problem at all if you follow the directions step by step. Socks are a great way to use small bits of handspun yarn. They're fun to knit, and they keep your feet warm, too -- try it!

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