Anyone here knit socks?

[Gatekeeper]

Ive been given a huge bag of the most beautiful yarn. Hand painted and the colours are wonderful. I have knitted the odd small item but its def not my forte and prefer sewing.
Im determined to give it a go..anyone have a simple ish pattern they use please?

Yes! I have knitted many socks 🧦🧦

Winwick Mum (blog, book and FB) is a really good place to start.

I second Winwick Mum! I can’t get to grips with double pointed needles so I prefer to use a small circular.

Yep, Winwick mum for starters. Then if you get the bug, I love 52 weeks of socks (vols 1 & 2) published by Laine.

If you can the hang of magic loop, I find that the easiest way to knit socks.

I started with WinwickMum too! Then moved onto using the fish lips kiss heel (look it up on Ravelry).
I don’t mind dpns but mostly use a small circular. Prefer those both to magic loop but it’s just a matter of taste.

I knit socks using Addi Sock Wonder circular needles. They're quite tiny, one needle is longer than the other. It means that you don't have to fiddle around with double pointed needles.

Your yarn sounds beautiful but I wonder if it would be too fragile for socks. Often it's best to have a small amount of manmade fibre in the yarn to make it more durable.

Also, if it's your first time knitting socks I would use a cheaper yarn to begin with as it can be a bit tricky to pick up first time.

I’m on my 65th pair of socks, magic loop and Winwick Mum pattern or Socks on a Plane pattern.
i can pretty much do them without looking at a pattern now!

I knitted my first pair of socks almost a year ago and am 3/4 way through pair no5 - which is colour work!! I joined a sock club subscription which is quite pricy but also challenges me to try different yarns/techniques

Thanks everyone...I am inspired to give it a go. There is a about 50+ balls/skeins of sock wool, umpteen of alpaca, silk mix, cashmere etc etc. Must be over a £1k worth and each one a sumptuous colour. I also fancy trying my hand at an easy lacy scarf and wrist warmers

Can you crochet as lacy scarves are usually easier with a hook rather than needles?

I’d be a hesitant at using some of those yarns for socks as they are likely to wear through quite quickly.
But I have now got terrible stash envy!

I think she's saying some are sock yarns which she will use for socks, and others aren't so she won't!

Lacy scarves can absolutely be knitted as well as crocheted! They are quite a relief to do after socks because they grow so much faster.

Another vote for Winwick Mum, she makes it all so easy and the fb group are very supportive.

Look at the labels on the yarn, for socks you need some nylon to make them stronger, generally 20 or 25% and the rest wool or merino or similar. If you go for softer yarns you will wear straight through them, such a waste after the effort of making.
So sort into different piles depending on yarn content, part of the joy of lovely yarn is playing with it and imagining the finished items. Happy squishing!

Oh, and if you use a skein, make sure you make it into a ball before starting to knit with it! It can get into a massive mess if you don’t control it.

In the event they aren't sock yarns (either wool plus nylon or old sheep breeds with sturdy wool) you can use reinforcing thread.

Very true.
If you have a lot of skeins you might want to invest in a yarn swift to make the process easier, and if you can afford it a ball winder too to speed it up.

Easy as knit have an ultra easy sock pattern with supporting videos.

I am really looking forward to having a go now!
I think the cashmere will be destined for bedsocks as I hate having cold feet in bed

Ime cashmere doesn’t last long even as bed socks but it’s fine if you are prepared to darn.

If there is any silk-mohair lace yarn in the stash, you could knit it together with the cashmere to reinforce the heels and toes - just knit it together with the sock yarn in those areas and they'll be softer, warmer and more hardwearing.

This sounds like something I want to try - one thing I hate about some wooly socks is the way they slip down walking round the house with just socks and no shoes.

Does this happen with the WinnickMum socks?

If they are knitted to fit well and with a decently tight tension they shouldn't slip @BillieJ

It might take a few trial runs to find the best fit for you, eg choosing the right heel type makes a big difference. I've got quite high volume feet/high instep so use a heel flap and gusset, but for lower volume/instep some of the short row heels are a better option.

Over to Winnickmum I go ...

I've knitted around 100 of pairs of socks, using various methods - different people prefer different techniques (eg a different heel, or starting toe up, or two at a time). You might not love the first method you try but don't give up!
I have given most of my knitted socks to DH as feet don't like them, but sock yarn can also be used to knit other 4ply (or 6ply if it's 6ply) patterns - I've made shawls, tops, and am currently making a jumper!