Any advice on teaching myself to knit socks?

[januarysnowdrop]

I have a long-held ambition to learn how to knit socks (I like the idea of a project that doesn't take too long but can still be complicated enough to be interesting) but I'm not sure where to start - I've been looking at possible books on Amazon and wondered if anybody had any recommendations?

I'm a reasonably good knitter and can follow patterns okay but I've never tried using double pointed needles or knitting in the round before, and tbh it rather intimidates me.

Any advice gratefully received!

[JoffreyBaratheon]

The clearest, most straightforward run through of every kind of sock heel and toe (and loads of really nice vintage-inspired patterns), in this book by Nancy Bush:

www.amazon.co.uk/Knitting-Vintage-Socks-Classic-Patterns/dp/1931499659?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

I always have a sock on the go although essentially knit for a living, so sometimes they may take ages to finish as I'm having to go full stream ahead on other things. But sometimes it's nice for some brainless knitting! (I know when starting out it doesn't seem brainless, but once you've done a couple of pairs... it is!)

[januarysnowdrop]

Look at this! Actually I've done a bit more than this now - I've done most of the heel flap of the first sock and have been studying youtube to work out how on earth the heel turn works. Really enjoying this project so far - I love the way I could put it down at any time when I was knitting in the round, rather than telling the small people in my life to wait until I'd finished the row.

[TheGreenNinja]

I love knitting in the round but have never tried a sock, you are inspiring me to give it a go!

[januarysnowdrop]

Look! A sock! With a heel and toes and everything. Thank you so much to everyone who posted advice - I found the verypink knits videos incredibly helpful when I got confused about how to tackle things like picking up stitches for the gusset and grafting the toes, and the book was a great overall guide.

Now all I need to do is to knit another one....

[tribpot]

Well done you! Key thing next is to learn two at a time, so you can fight the problem of not wanting to do the second sock

[toofarfromcivilisation]

I've just finished my second pair (so much better than my first!). I cast on my third pair before I left fo work today & they are all I've been thinking about! Sad knitter person!

[januarysnowdrop]

Well done, toofarfrom! Fancy posting a picture? I am currently working on the foot of my second sock, so not a million miles further to go.

[januarysnowdrop]

Finished! One pair of socks. I did have a go at matching the stripes, but I got the wool all tangled up and eventually decided life was too short. I quite like the slightly odd effect, anyway.

Thanks again to everyone who posted - your advice was brilliant. I would thoroughly recommend sock knitting to anyone thinking of taking it up - it's lovely to have a project that is interesting but doesn't take too long. And it amuses me greatly that the grafting-the-toes bit is named after Lord Kitchener.

[Footle]

The law states that you cast on the second one as soon as you finish the first. Otherwise you're in danger of developing Second Sock Syndrome.

[Footle]

Socks made with variegated yarn are allowed, even supposed, to be fraternal rather than identical, btw.

[januarysnowdrop]

I love the idea of fraternal rather than identical socks! Although, speaking as a fraternal twin myself, I have to say that my socks look considerably more alike than I do to my (bearded male) twin.

[sooperdooper]

Your socks are ace! I've just started learning too, I'm not as far into it as you but I've been using the Winwick mum sock along I found via Ravelry & the FB page is great too and full of excited sock knitters

I haven't done much yet, only the ribbing and a few rows of knit - getting used to the double pointed needles but it's a bit fiddly!

[januarysnowdrop]

Lovely wool, sooperdooper - where's it from? I wonder what on earth activeme can have posted on a thread about knitting socks to get themselves deleted by MumsnetHQ?! This isn't exactly AIBU territory....