Oh for the love of socks....

So I’ve always stayed away from socks because I know I’m the type of person to suffer second sock syndrome and I guess I’ve never really had a basic beginner pattern that teaches basic heel toe formation. Plus, I prefer circulars to DPNs (I know the two sock at a time thing on circulars will be my friend but I would like to learn how to officially do them before starting that journey).

After reading the Knitting Harlot, I really want to figure out socks. I would love a pattern for a basic sock but not “easy for beginner” sock that’s straight. I’d like to learn the heel and probably use the 3 needle bind off to close them up. any recommendations?

If you do not want any “easy for beginner” sock, as you said, you might try my way. Yes, it might be a big challenge in the beginning, but this is my story of how I begun:

I simply love knitted wool socks! When I begun knitting, my goal was to make socks. I jumped straight in and made socks as my very first project and now many years later I have made many, many pairs of socks. Even to this date I have never followed any pattern. Instead I watched Youtube videos on heel turns, gussets, toes etc. I also read some patterns to gather ideas.

While I have made many different types of socks, I still prefer to make toe up socks with the Fleegle heel. It is the most simple heel construct I know about, but once you know it well you can take it as a challenge to improve further upon it. At this moment I knit an own modification with two gussets on each side to make a more smooth instep turn (as original Fleegle creates a bit of wrinkles there).

The beauty of learning different constructs rather than blindly following patterns is that you can combine them freely when making your own sock and you can make any size you want, any customization, using any yarn weight.

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Yay, socks! I have been knitting socks for about 1 year and started with 9" circulars and quickly moved to using two circular needles. You can use You tube videos to get the gist of how to do this and it’s easy and fun. I have done both cuff down and toe up; the cuff down requires Kitchener stitch or 3 needle bind off for the toe and the toe up requires the Eastern Turkish cast on or some such to start the toe. If you google “sock pattern for two circular needles” you will find patterns that provide good direction, even for knitting one sock at a time. I have yet to knit two at a time and don’t require it simply because I have found that sock knitting goes so quickly that doing the second one is not a chore (for me). One pattern I have used very successfully, is “Toe Up Socks for Two Circular Needles”. Best of luck and happy sock knitting!

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I use muffinchanel.com knitting socks on 9 inch circular needles. When I get to heel flap I start using pointed needles ( a lot of stitches) and then when I get to foot change back to circular. You can start the second pair while you are using pointed needles. I also use the 3 needle bind off, but easier than Kitchener.

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I found a pattern but found it confusing right at first so looked up verypinkknits and she had a great one to teach the basic concepts and I don’t know why I didn’t look her up in the first place lol…

I am sadly allergic to wool so I’ve been using cotton and acrylic (caron simply soft because it’s also not quite as dense even in worsted weight) and I completed my first pair! There are enough changes in it that I can see it being very fun and not getting second sock syndrome lol…

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Those are lovely socks and very nicely done!
Very Pink (Stacey Perry) has been concentrating on socks lately and expanding her library of patterns.

Those turned out great, congratulations!

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Are they your first sock? They are really neat.

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yep, first socks! I’ve done straight needle slippers before with only increases and decreases that I really like, but these are my first proper socks :smiley:

Made another pair and now I’m gonna try some of the things you all said with toe up socks and what not. Very excited lol :slight_smile:

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