TOP TIPS FOR SOCK KNITTERS
Rhian Drinkwater shares her expert advice on stress-free sock knitting, and achieving a perfect fit and finish CHOOSE YOUR HEEL Remember: you don’t have to use the heel type specified in any sock pattern you’re following. Different heel types give very different amounts of room around the ankles, and the one in the pattern may simply be the one that works best for the designer. Heels are generally worked over half the stitches and can often be simply substituted for each other. If the pattern uses a short-row heel and you have a large instep, switch it for a heel flap construction. If your heel is quite narrow, you can even work it over fewer than half the stitches – just leave the edges in stocking stitch. Read more in our heels masterclass in Issue 138.
About our expert Rhian Drinkwater is a knitting writer, editor, designer and prolific sock knitter, who has created many beautiful sock patterns for The Knitter and Simply Knitting magazines.
WHETHER YOU’RE new to sock knitting, or have made a fair few pairs already, there are many different tricks worth knowing to get the best possible results. We’ve put together our top tips for improving the look, fit and resilience of your socks.
PICK A RESILIENT YARN Pure wool sock yarns can feel lovely, but they’re best kept as house socks if you don’t want to see holes in the toes and heels. Many purposely designed sock yarns contain 20-25% nylon for a sturdier finished knit. Tightly spun yarn will also last longer than loosely spun. Meanwhile, cotton-blend yarns will look lovely at first, but can quickly stretch out of shape and bag around your foot.
KEEP YOUR CUFFS STRETCHY Getting the cast-on (cuff-down socks) or cast-off (toe-up socks) right can be tricky. You need the cuffs to cling around the calf and not fall down, but they also need to be big enough to stretch over your ankle. If you’re working cuff-down, use a long-tail or Twisted German cast-on, and consider casting on over two needles. If you’re working toe-up, use Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off, which does exactly as it says and gives the perfect sock cuff finish. You can read more about this cast-off at https://bit.ly/jenyssbo
The Knitter 76 Issue 150
Find the heel type that suits you - a Dutch heel gives a wider fit, for example
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