Everyone seems to love knitting socks. I have Silver’s Tutorail, and I have gotten to the heel twice, and meesed it up, I have quit. The last one, I just threw it away, I undid the yarn so many times. Please tell me what is so great about knitting socks?? I went and bought a new sock yarn just because I was so frustrated with the other, and it is calling my name. I have been at socks for a year, on and off, and have not completed one yet!! Convince me to try again!!! Thanks…Lori
You don’t really [B]have[/B] to knit socks. Only do them if you [B]want[/B] to. I haven’t, really don’t have an interest in it, though I might do some heavier weight ones to wear at home with my slippers. Someday.
You can knit other things than socks with sock yarn too if you want to use that nice looking yarn. There’s hats, fingerless mitts, shawls, scarves and a couple books Not Just Socks, and Not Just More Socks will give you ideas.
I wish you could take my “sock in one sitting class” I teach sock knitting by doing baby socks in worsted weight. Maybe that’s the trouble. Are you trying to start using very fine yarn (fingering weight?) I would try starting with something more bulky - so fewer stitches. I can post the baby sock pattern that use to teach. It’s made just like an adult sock, so you learn the whole theory of doing the heel flap and turning the heel and making the gusset. It takes 2 hours (with all my instructions) and you wind up with a finished baby sock and learn all the parts. Doing adult socks is just the same, but you have more stitches. Once you understand the whole process it is very simple to do. When I first started making socks (was only 3 years ago I think) it totally freaked me out, but now it’s nothing. I can turn a sock without even thinking about it now.
Oh, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Once you start wearing your socks all those Individual Pattern Enhancements will just sort of vanish. Really. YOu can do it. We’ll hold your hand. Note, though that there are people who find no joy in making socks (My mom is one) so don’t feel you have to in order to be a Real Knit. YOu knit therefore you are real. :woot:
i just started because it was something to do and i was getting bored with what i was working on.
i picked up a sock book at joann’s (don’t remember the name of it right now, i’ll find it when i go downstairs in a bit) and just started going.
not everything is going to interest everyone. personally, i love knitting socks and i had a hard time at first but once you get the hang of it, they are all the same. i like them because they use a small amount of yarn, you can do any number of stitch patterns/colors that you wouldn’t necessarily do on a sweater but really want to try, and there isn’t a huge issue with fit/size.
i would recommend the same thing as knitncook, try a smaller sock with bulkier yarn. but don’t force yourself to like it. you should only enjoy knitting. 
If you’re like me, you might try knitting with bold colors. If I hate the yarn I am working with, then I hate the project I’m knitting. You could try knitting stripes or use multi-colored yarn. 
Like Sue said you don’t have to knit socks if you don’t like to or don’t think you would… I have thing about hats… I’ve tried to knit hats and they come out to small or HUGE… I finally made 2 this year that fit my kids but really one could be a bit bigger and one could be a bit smaller…I don’t know what it is about hats :teehee:
I love to knit socks cause they are fast for me… I get bored very easily with a sweater or afghan… and then I find myself casting on to more projects…with socks by the time I’m tired with the cuff…it’s time for the heel… then the by the time I’m bored with the foot…it’s time for the toe :teehee: …I also like that to me they are very portable… just throw the stuff in my bag and out I go…I also like that I can use color work but on something small and not something that will take me a long time to finish… there are so many great patterns out there… I also love to wear hand knit socks :happydance:
It sounds like the heel is giving you the problem. Bring your knitting to the forum and someone can work you through that part and once you get the first heel under your belt it’s generally smooth sailing and each sock after that gets easier. Soon you’re looking for fancy stitch designs etc to increase the challenge.
I started with worsted wool to make socks for hubby to wear in workboots. We weren’t worried about pretty just that they fit and stayed up. Now I can get as exotic as I want for my feet after experimenting on his.
Think of all the gifts you can make with minimal yarn and time.
I know EXACTLY what it is about hats. It has to do with people’s heads not being uniform! Seriously, not only are they all different diameters, but they are all different shapes. My dh and son have the same size circumference heads, but my dh’s is taller, so they wear hats differently. I think hats are about the hardest thing to fit on people. And it isn’t always the gauge or ability of the knitter but just the sheer variation of heads out there!
Thank You for all of your replies. I am going to try socks once more, with my new yarn. I do get bored doing sweaters because they take so long. It is not that I dislike knitting socks, I have just flubbed it twice now. Hopefully, three times is a charm!!
Lori
i like making baby hats… i HATE making them for dh’s side. all the males have what my FIL calls “The Mureness Big Head”… normal hats don’t fit them (my son, the 9 year old, had to have a LARGE football helmet this past season, one usually reserved for the kids on the big teams and even that was a tight fit by the end of the season!)… our youngest son takes after our side and his head is more oval shaped than round…
Don’t give up. Once you master the knitting of socks you will love it.
I went to a lYS and walked in and said I want to learn how to knit socks. The owner helped me all the way and when I finished a sock we would cheer. It is wonderful to do something you really want to learn.
Cheers and don’t give up
Until I started socks on two circular needles I didn’t them either. I can knit with double points, but I found I just wasn’t finishing them. I kept putting them aside. If you don’t like one method try another and see if it clicks. If not, maybe you just weren’t meant to knit socks. That’s okay, there are plenty of things to knit.
Until I started socks on two circular needles I didn’t them either
Same here. Silver’s got some awesome tutorials here, they really helped me out.
I’m currently knitting my first sock ever with Silvers two circ tutorial and I’m loving it so far :cheering: I managed to cast on and get the toe part done last night :woot:
I agree with Jan, you should try a different method and see if you get on any better
I flubbed many times. In fact I have made 6 pairs and I JUST learned how to fix a recurring problem I had. (twisted in the first row - fixed 100% when I started doing magic loop). I agree with whoever posted about doing your first one in worsted or sport weight.
Once you get it, they are addictive because they are small and portable. But they can be frustrating. SSS is an issue - you finish the one and then what the heck you have no idea how many you cast on and all that…many non-knitters think they are the stupidest thing ever to knit. My friend at work who is an excellent knitter has absolutely no interest. So its all about what appeals to you!
Suzie
Here is a pattern to make a beginner baby sock with worsted weight yarn.
And here’s another online tutorial. It never hurts to see things done from several viewpoints.
http://www.royea.net/sockdemo1.html
I have always been kind of sock obsessed, even before I was a knitter. But when I realized I could actually knit them, I knew I had to learn even though I wasn’t a great knitter yet. It took me quite a few tries to figure it out since I am self taught. Now, I LOVE it!! They are so small and portable and it is great to have a little project with me wherever I go.
Alright, I copied off Silver’s Tutorial on the Toe-up sock on 2 Circular needles. I will start it tonight. I will see how it goes. I would LOVE to accomplish some socks!!!
Lori
I made a pair of socks. It was fine. I like wearing them too. I have a few pairs in my Ravelry queue, like Firestarter and Leyburn. I might get around to them, I might not. I have one sock OTN at the moment, where it’s been since Sept. I’ll probably frog it, I’m not that excited about it. I prefer afghans and sweaters, though I don’t like bulky yarn. I prefer DK and worsted, and I do actually like sock-weight yarn and teensy needles quite a lot. I’m just not that crazy about knitting socks.
I taught my mom to do socks in September and she has become a FANATIC. Go figure. A non-fanatic sock person can turn someone into a fanatic, who knew?
There’s just so much to knit, I wouldn’t worry about not getting the sock thing. Someday it might grab you or maybe it never will. I don’t think it’s because you are “missing” some fabulous aspect of sock knitting…unless I am missing it too…