> Other Knitty Things: Socks were one of the first things I learned to knit. I was attracted to the challenge of using tiny needles as well as the adventure of learning a bunch of new techniques over a short amount of time - socks are so quick to knit up! Even if you find sock knitting intimidating, I'd encourage you to give it a try! There are many free, basic (or, vanilla, as they are sometimes called) sock patterns as well as tutorials that can be found online to get you started. To offer more encouragement, I wanted to share a few reasons that I love to knit socks! Sock knitting is perfect for when you're on-the-go.Whether you're in the car, out for a walk, or visiting at a local park or tourist destination, socks are a great project to bring along with you! Everything about sock knitting is small - from the needles, to the yarn, to your sock WIP (Work In Progress). Most basic sock patterns call for a needle size of US 1 or US 1.5 - these are skinny, lightweight needles. Many patterns also call for thin, fingering weight yarn, and you usually only need one skein to knit up one pair of socks. So, your WIP won't take up too much room and can be carried in a small project bag, making it perfect to fit on your lap during a car ride or just to carry around with you when you're out and about! Check out @craftylena, @knitting.for.julia, and @zudrazil to see how they bring their sock knitting projects with them when they're on-the-go! ABOUT SOCK KNITTING NEEDLES Beyond the sock knitting needle size, you have some choice as to what type of needles you'd like to use for your project. Also, many sock patterns specify the type of needles or technique the designer wrote the pattern up to use. Some people prefer using double pointed needles or DPNs. DPNs are used for knitting up small circumferences, and when using them your stitches are split up over three or four DPNs while knitting up your socks in the round. Another choice is to use the magic loop method. This method involves using a circular needle with a long cord. Here is a good example of using the magic loop method for knitting up socks. A third choice is using a small, 9" circular needle (this is what I prefer to use). If you don't mind how small the needles are, it's an easy way to knit in the round since you don't need to move stitches across DPNs and you don't need to maneuver the long cord of the magic loop method. I enjoy the short, defined sections of sock patterns.Basic socks are quick to knit up - much faster than larger projects like sweaters, larger shawls, and blankets. I always love having a sock WIP that I can switch to when I want to take a break from my larger, heavier projects. And, one thing I really love about socks is that most patterns have the same basic sections to work on. Once you know the basic techniques for sock knitting, you will be able to handle almost any sock pattern that you find! BASIC SOCK PATTERN SECTIONS AND TECHNIQUES I have a basic sock pattern up for free download on my Ravelry page! In it, I tried to give clear instructions and accompanying photos for each of the seven standard sock sections: 1) Cuff, 2)Leg, 3) Heel Flap, 4) Heel Turn, 5) Gusset, 6) Foot, and 7) Toe. In the design, you'll learn techniques such as knitting a slipped stitch heel flap, picking up gusset stitches, the kitchener stitch, and more! Socks are not a heavy project, so they're perfect for warm weather knitting.When the weather gets warm and summer really kicks in, it's nice to have a light, small project to work on that won't lay in my lap and overheat me! I love knitting outside when I can, even in the summer on hot days. So, having a light and breezy sock project to take outside is perfect for me! It's much less effort to carry around a small sock project than a big, worsted weight sweater project. You can easily enjoy sock knitting out on your porch, by the pool, or at the beach! There are so many yarn colorway choices!I think that fingering weight yarn (which many sock patterns call for) is the easiest weight of yarn to find! You'll definitely find a lot of choices at larger yarn stores, and small dye shops and indie dyers tend to stock fingering weight yarn more than other yarn weights. When you start to look at your choices, you'll find that there are endless colorways out there and so much creativity that has gone into creating these beautiful yarns! And, since you'll only need one skein to knit up one pair of socks, it's a more economical project to work on as well! SOCK KNITTERS TO FOLLOW There are many knitwear designers that create fun and engaging sock patterns! Here are a few sock knitters and designers that I have enjoyed following: @thecrazysocklady @summer.lee.knits @stoneknits Sock knitting can be a challenge at first, but once you get the hang of the basic steps, it's so much fun! Maybe you'll find yourself casting on a pair of socks this summer!
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