Socks turned out to big help

#1

Hello everyone, I just finished my 1st pair of socks, a Railroad Rib Sock pattern from Fiber Trends. I like the look but they turned out way to big for my foot. The instructions given are for Worsted weight as using # 5 dpns and Sport weight using # 3 dpns and Fingering weight using # 1 dpns.

Well, silly me, I found a DK weight yarn that I just loved the color and the shop suggested using a # 4 dpns and go with the Sport cast on. They look great but just too much room especially in the foot & heal, I want to try and make this work for me some how.

My question is, in order to make smaller socks with the DK weight what would be the best way to go use a smaller needle or cast on for the next size down?

Thanks for any sugestions given,
Miss Suzie

#2

This is where the dreaded gauge comes in. If your gauge doesn’t match what the pattern calls for, your sock is going to be the wrong size. You can check the gauge for the dk sock, knit up a swatch and see what your gauge is compared to the patterns gauge. You may have to just go down a needle size to get the same size sock in the pattern. Or you can take your chances and just knit the sock with a smaller needle. No guarantee, there, though. :wink:

#3

Well, what I have done is this…I knitted one gauge using #4 dpns and got 7 st to the inch, (that is what I started with and cased on 56 st) on my first pair of socks. That is the gauge and CO the pattern called for and my socks turned out beautiful looking but way to BIG.

Last night I used #3 dpns also got 7 st per inch, so I turned to my #2 dpns and got 8 st to the inch. So, wanting to make the socks smaller, I will cast on the same # of stitchs but this time using the #2 dpns and hope that the new socks are smaller and fit better. I think that is what I should do right :??

I am sure I will buy the book some of you have suggested, and give it a try “Sensational Socks” I would love to give home made socks to my best of friends living far away, and this book sounds like I would be able to make them a pair that might really fit!

I love this place, you are all so very helpful! and Friendly, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT :heart: I hope some day I will be able to help some one learn to knitt also.

#4

Changing needle size is a good way to make things smaller. I hope this one fits!

#5

What is the gauge the pattern is asking for? Does the swatch with the #2 dpn fit that gauge? What is your foot circumference at the widest point? Do you like the look and feel of the swatch with the smaller needle? I have the book Sensational Socks and the table in it will give you the number of stitches to cast on for your size and gauge.

#6

The gauge the pattern asked for was 7 sts = 1" using sport weight with a size 3 dpn or 6 sts = 1" unsing worsted weight. with a size 5 dpn. I bought a DK weight and my sts worked up as 7 sts using a size 4 dpn. I CO the 56 sts it called for when getting the 7 sts gauge. But when making up the sock it just turned out to big for my foot. Now I am using the 2 dpn and the same CO of 56 sts. Yes, I really like the feel of the swatch and I am hoping that this will come out to fit.

Last night I went to my local knitting shop and they happened to have the “Sensational Socks” book so I bought it. Now I have a good book to go by and I am reading it from front to back before starting a new sock. I will finish this sock and if it comes out fine than I will make its mate. If not I will just go on to try one of the socks in the book. I feel this has been a great learning experance.

Thank you all for the help with this!

#7

I am so happy you got that book. Is that a great book or what! I love it so much, I feel like I should do an infomercial on it.

Heidi

#8

Heidi, have you made any of the socks in the book? What was the first ones
that you made and did they fit just right the first try? Have you made any
for someone that you only knew the shoe size & did they come out the right
size? What type of yarn did you use or what is your favorite yarn for socks?

Just interrested? The book seems to have such great info in it and I cannot
wait to give it a try!

Miss Suzie

#9

The book does give a lot of help with fitting socks. But my favorite parts are the gazillion stitch patterns that are all there in one book. Love it!

#10

I am making my first pair of socks as we speak. I have knitted for years, [b][i][u]but never made anything wearable, something where gauge is important. Things like lace dollies, tablecloths, etc, items where if the gauge is off a little it wouldn’t really matter or show. I started knitting because I wanted to knit socks and sweaters!!! Yet haven’t due to the gauge fear!! Now that I have this book, I am working through my gauge fear and doing the baby cable socks, one of the first patterns. My gauge and foot circumference says 72 stitches. I am using baby alpacha. Can you believe I am still afraid it is going to turn out too big. I am nervous yet happy to finally bite the bullet and knit onwards. I want to feel that satisfaction every successful sock knitter feels. Once I do these, I am determined to make another pair, then another etc.

#11

:happydance: Well my second round with the sock came out just fine! :cheering: the gauge was the trick for sure, but if I would have tried the smaller kneedles with the CO that Fiber Trends pattern asked for it would have been still to big! As it was, I turned to the book “Sensational Socks” for the right length for the size of foot I have and it worked up just right! a great BIG THANK YOU for all the help given to me! :heart: Now I think I could go on and try to make some for my friends feet.

I must say the book Sensational Socks by Charlene Schurch is a fun book to look through and learn from…lots of charts to go by and is written so very well!

Heidi Jean , hope the baby socks came out great! Just wondering what size kneedles and yarn are you useing for the Baby socks?

Miss Suzie

#12

Miss Suzie, I am so happy for you!!! I love it you have your first pair of knitted socks :balloons: I can’t wait for mine. I am using baby alpaca glimmer, (has little metallic strands that add a glimmer to the yarn), on size 1 needle. The baby cable looks really nice.

I am about 2 1/2 inches from starting the heel flap. I am not sure what she means by unknit the first stitch then slip. Does unknit mean slip with yarn in front?

I am so happy for you, I have been wondering how your socks were coming. Again, YAHOOO and Congratulations!! Which ones are you going to make next?

Heidi

#13

P.S. I am knitting the socks on page 33 the baby cable rib.

Heidi

#14

I wasn’t sure what she was saying by unknitt the 1st st, so I went back and read heel-Flap Selvages on page 23 and then it clicked. What she wants you to do is make the flap and gusset look uniform by roatating the stitchs, that will make the first and last stitch on the heel flap start and end up being the same type of stitch.

So you are going to move the last stitch you knitted on needle 3 onto needle 1,
by first unknitting it (frogging one st) then you just slip it over to needle 1 to be knitted later when working the gusset.

Now move one st from needle 1 to needle 2

Than move one st from needle 2 to needle 3

Now you will have a p1 on each side of the heal flap making it uniformed

You are going to work the heal flap on needle 3 by turning it and knitting back and forth, When knitting the heal flap you must turn the work k the first st then purl to end

Click on Abbreviations Explained scroll down to sl 1 p-wise and click on it you will see how it is done. Love this site!

Boy I hope I haven’t made things worse by the way I explained it but when you get there you will see what she is saying.

I wish you luck I am sure it will all make sence when you are ready to start the flap. Just take it one st at a time…it helps me if I read it out loud as I am working it.

Miss Suize :heart:

#15

You were quit clear. It was the term “unknit” that threw me. I’ve never heard that term before. I have never knitted socks before either!!! I have wracked my brain looking for “unknit”, what it means and how. So I did a search in the forum and all it means is re work the stitch, rip, frog, undo, is all the same. Just take the pearl stitch out (pretend it was a mistake) re work it as a knit stitch,and put it back on the needle as a knit stitch. Then move it to needle 1, then move the last stitch on 1 to needle 2 and the last stitch on 2 to needle 3. Right? I am so excited I can’t wait to get to the heel flap.
Thank you so much for the info and being the trigger that made it click!!!

#16

heidi jean,

Almost, you fog it, but you donot rework it, just slip it onto the next needle which is needle 1. Then your right, move the last stitch on 1 to needle 2 and the last stitch on 2 to needle 3.

Now, you will turn your needle 3 around and work your first row of your flap on the (wrong side the inside) of the sock and work back and forth on needle 3 making your flap.

Needle 1 & needle 2 are just going to sit there until the heal flap is done and when you begain to make the gusset you will use all three needles again.

Remember you have been working in the round at this point and all the stitchs on needle 1 and 2 have not been worked. You stop working in the round and work back & forth until you have the heal flap made on needle 3, at that point is when you start the gusset you begain working in the round once again…

Am I making sence :?? I hope so.

The pattern you pick is beautiful and the yarn sound wonderful…

Miss Suzie