Sock Tutorial - Part 1

Socks! You might think they're hard - but really, if you can knit, purl and count, then you're well on your way to being able to knit a pair. I have been knitting baby socks for new baby nephew Tom, and thought I'd take you through each bit step by step, as I do it.


It's in 3 parts


Sock tutorial part 1
Sock tutorial part 2
Sock tutorial part 3

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The creation of a pair of socks can be broken down into several parts, each with its own focus, but if you concentrate on one at a time, in no time you'll find you're stitching up the toe! 

Basics

Get a sock out of your wardrobe, have a good look at it.

It's made up of 2 tubes - one for the ankle and one for the foot, joined together with a bend in the middle - the heel - sealed at one end - the toe, and open at the other - with a ribbed band. In between the two is a tringular piece known as the gusset. Each of these bits is knitted in turn, separately. 

Another skill which is quite easy to learn, is knitting 'in the round' - now there are many good videos on youtube which will teach you how to do this, and in my opinion, the best way to learn something is to have a reason for learning it - and so, lets use this sock as your reason to learn! I shall talk you through the basics, but you might feel the need to practice a round or 2 before embarking on the sock. I have to say that my 1st attempt at knitting on 4 needles was the 1st sock I made and that turned out OK!

Usually you use a 4 ply wool for socks, a nice thin one, and slim-ish needles. I'm using debbie bliss baby cashmerino and 2.75mm double pointed needles (dpns). You can probably go up to 3.5mm - but I'd suggest you don't worry really about the gauge for this first pair, and just get the hang of the sock - then you can worry about sizings and stuff for your next pair.

So lets get started...

Rib 

Using just 2 of your dpns, cast on 32 stitches.

Being careful not to twist your stitches, spread the 32 stitches onto 3 dpns - I'd always recommend an even number on each needle, so 10, 10 and 12. Doesn't matter which needles.

In normal knitting, when you've finished your cast on stitches, you turn the work around and continue back in the other direction...for knitting in the round, you continue from the last stitch onto the 1st one. 

To do this, bend the 3 needles into a triangle, so the 1st stitch and the last are nearly touching - be careful not to twist the stitches! 

You can see the 1st stitch which has a tail - keep an eye on the tail - this marks  your starting point.

You will be doing 8 rows of K1 P1 rib.   

Taking a 4th needle, insert it knitwise into the 1st stitch that you cast on...that's the one with the tail...and knit it using the wool from the most recent stitch pulling REALLY tight as you put the yarn over. 

This is what it looks like after knitting 2 stitches.

Because the thread was coming from the last stitch - this has the effect of joining the 3 needles together. For the 1st few stitches after the join, pull the wool really tight, much tighter than you'd normally do. 

About half way along the 1st needle. The best way to deal with knitting  on multiple  needles it to totally ignore the ones you aren't currently knitting on and just concentrate on the 2 'active' ones. 

Continue along the 1st needle in K1, P1, and when you get to the end of it, you'll have freed that needle of stitches. You should have a wobbly triangle of stitches on 3 needles. 

If you have put an even number of stitches on each needle, you will start each needle with a knit and end each one with a purl. I think this is easier!!

Start ribbing the next needle, remembering again to pull the wool REALLY tight for the 1st 2 or 3 stitches on the needle. Continue onto the final needle, remembering about pulling tight for the 1st 2 or 3 stitches on each needle.

This is what you get at the end of the 1st row - usually there's a bit of a looser thread between  the 1st and last stitch - to counteract this, make sure you pull really really tight for the next few stitches.

The 1st 2 or 3 rows of knitting in the round are always very awkward even for the experienced knitters - you just have to persist. Concentrate on the 2 needles in your hands, ignoring the other 2. When you get to about row 4, you will notice that the work starts to resemble a little tube, and at that point it becomes much easier. 

Tip: remember that your starting point will be between the 2 needles which have the tail of wool which marks the start of your cast on row! This 'tail' will end up in the middle of the back of your sock. Keep an eye on this tail's position in order to make sure you're completing a full row/round each time.


Notice how there is no turning of your work in knitting in the round, you just get back to your starting point and then you keep going round again! 


So continue like this for 8 rows of K1 P1 rib.

This is my sock after the 8 rows, with the red arrow pointing to the  last stitch completed and the white arrow showing the 'tail' which marks the beginning/end point, and so I can see that my final stitch completes a full row.

Ankle 

After your 8th row of K1, P1 rib is completed, you can then continue in the round with 16 rows of Knit - note that because you're not turning the work, 'stocking stitch' doesn't mean knit one row, purl the next - just knitting every row gives the outside of your sock the smooth finish we're looking for!!! 

Make sure you finish at the correct point, in line with the 'tail' So now you must be feeling good - I bet your sock is looking quite sock-like. 

Continue on to the Sock Tutorial Part 2 for the Heel.

Sock tutorial part 1

Sock tutorial part 2

Sock tutorial part 3