Knitting baby socks - help please

[maggiethecat]

I am keen to knit some socks for my sister's baby who is due in a few weeks. I've recently taken up knitting and have managed so far a scarf and bag for my daughter.
Do you think I could knit something that looked like socks and might actually fit a newborn given my level of experience? I've seen some patterns on ravelry referring to knitting in the round and don't have a clue what this means.
All help welcome (easy peasy pattern would be very welcome).

Knitting in the round means knitting on four small double ended needles. You join them together and knit a tube. You can either find a pattern that starts at the calf and knit down to the toe or start at the toe and knit up.

There's lots of good vids on youtube and loads of free baby sock patterns on Ravelry. The trickiest bit is turning the heel - you do that on two needles and then pick up stitches for the gusset.

I would knit a sock with a ribbed leg for babies as they are less likely to come off!

www.divaknitting.com/blog/patterns there's a good one on this site

Good luck!

I would not start with babysocks knitted in the round if you are new to knitting.Double pointeds tend to slide and slip all over the place. See if you cannot find a pair of cute little socksies on Ravelry that are not knitted in the round, but just start at the top with a goodly bit of ribbing.
You may well come unstuck after that, because there are various techniques (like knitting on the middle stitches only and picking up stitches) but you can always come back on here or on Ravelry to get sorted. It isn't that difficult and the advantage with babysocks is that they are only small and you can easily start over again.
Look for a pattern that uses double knitting and 4mm pins.

Thank you both and will go back to ravelry and the sites mentioned. I am def going to go for ribbed as you both suggest as I know this baby's going to be a wee one so socks may struggle to stay on!.
Dutch, 4mm needles sound big for newborn size - is that bcos you suggest double knitting (going to look up what that means - you can just picture me knitting these socks can't you?)

have a search on rav for a hat pattern - i made dd1's piano teacher one in a much thicker yarn (aran-ish but a cotton blend so washable) in about 2 hours, sort of adapted one i found in a book (wish i could remember where....) good luck!

You are right Maggiethecat, it is big for a newborn, but it's the easiest combination for a starter project. No reason why you shouldn't start with something thinner, if you feel confident enough.

Just had a look at the pattern I had in mind Maggiethecat and I have made a note on it saying "double knitting is too thick" So apologies, use four ply, you find the name of the yarn on the ball band.

What I'd do, if you're comfortable working with double pointed needles, is make a tube sock in ribbing - then you don't have to grapple with turning heels and so forth. Baby socks don't really need that and the ribbing will keep it up.

Come to think of it, why not just do a flat piece of ribbing if you think you can join it into a tube neatly enough not to leave the seam bumpy? You'd need to decrease at the toe end, and could then just gather the remaining stitches in a star.

I bet there are 'knitted flat' baby sock patterns on Rav, and when I've done DS's bathtime and bed, I'll go and have a look for you!

I honestly don't think knitting socks is beyond a beginner - if you tell yourself they're too hard, then you'll not knit anything other than scarves for ages (as I did!). Try it and you might surprise yourself. And DPNs (double pointed needles) come in varying degrees of slippyness. I started on bamboo ones (Clover do them) which are very 'sticky' and hang onto the wool. Don't use metal ones yet!

Hmm. Well, I found one for you. TBH, I think knitting them in the round is easier than that!

Hats are good too!

I have found this great site...
for all sorts of baby patterns

There are plenty of knitting patterns for socks/booties, i am sure there will be one to suit.

I went to a Debbie Bliss workshop once and we knitted some baby socks on two needles - I think they were the Two Tone Socks from Simply Baby (see Ravelry, try local library for book)

They are fiddly but everyone was very impressed when they were done. Another good thing to do are funky garter stitch booties like the Cuff Booties from the same book.

These little things tend to have a lot of shaping, picked up stitches, changes of direction, TBH they are really good for practising technique and so quick to make that you can afford a few mistakes.

forgot to say that Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino is a lovely yarn for babies and well worth splashing out on a ball and some 3.25mm needles.

just bought a ball of cream baby cashmerino but 2.75mm bamboo needles - would you say I should try to get bigger needles?

Probably 2.75mm is fine - that size is suitable for ribbed patternsand socks are quite often done on smaller needles to get a firm fabric. 3.25 is the standard for plain stocking stitch (i.e. for garments) in that yarn. Happy knitting

Thanks for the site Yomojo - looking at the 2 needle baby socks. Never read a pattern before so the knitting will probably take place in front of youtube

Thanks tootired - I quite like the thought that if the socks come out looking like trousers I can always start again!

I find magic loop is good for small objects, rather than knitting in the round. Youtube again I'm afraid lol.
Looks harder than it is, promise.