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Book Review: Custom Socks

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Custom Socks book reviewI love the way Kate Atherley’s mind works. Her background in mathematics and experience as a technical editor give her a mind for the analytical side of knitting and knitwear design, but she’s also great at explaining technical things in an easy-to-grasp way.

Her book Pattern Writing for Knitwear Designers should be required reading for anyone looking to publish knitting patterns online or in print, and her latest book, Custom Socks: Knit to Fit Your Feet is a great guide to customizing knit socks, whether for your own feet or those of someone you love. It’s also helpful for designers because she walks you through everything she did to make the designs in the book work in different sizes, which is super handy if you’re wanting to resize a project for publication or to knit for someone else.

The book includes basic charts for working simple socks in multiple sizes and gauges, and the patterns include four or five sizes so you can stitch them up for a variety of feet. And the rest of the book is all about how to customize sock patterns — there’s even a whole chapter called “On Adjustments for Non-Average Feet” — so even if the one you want to knit doesn’t fit your feet perfectly, you’ll have the confidence to fix it.

There are a great variety of patterns here, several of which give you the option of working toe-up or top-down. You can start with simple Stockinette and ribbed socks, but there are also patterns using cables, lace and colorwork.

Some of my favorites include the Carpita, an allover stranded colorwork sock worked from the top down with a diamond checkerboard motif; the Harcourt, with an easy zigzag lace pattern that can be worked in either direction; and the stunning Fitzcarraldo knee socks, which are shaped at the back of the leg with a lovely twisted stitch pattern. (Check out all the designs on Ravelry.)

This book is a great choice for anyone who wants to knit socks but is worried because her feet aren’t “standard” in some way (which covers everything from having skinny calves to long toes), people who have knit socks before but didn’t like the fit in the end, and people who want to really understand what goes into making a great sock, and a great sock pattern.

I hope you’ll check this one out and let me know what you think!

Book specifications: 192 pages, paperback, 14 patterns. Interweave/F+W, published August 2015. Suggested retail $27.99

Looking for more knitted socks designs and patterns to keep you warm this winter? Check out these knitted sock patterns on Etsy.

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Comments

  1. I just knitted my first pair of socks…ever, and they came out great. Not only were they my first attempt at foot ware, but they were also custom socks. I couldn’t have done it without this book.

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Knit a Glasses Holder for Your Bedside Table

knit glasses holder

Not too long ago I was seeing a crochet pattern for a glasses holder shaped like a bear all over the Internet. It was super cute, and also useful as a place to put your glasses on your bedside table instead of just throwing them somewhere random.

This project stewed in my brain for a little while and I decided I needed to make a knit version, but I didn’t want to make a bear. If you know anything about me you might know that I’m a cat person, so of course my version had to be a cat.

The base is just a basic little basic worked from the center out to the desired size, then up the sides as long as you want them. Knit some ears and add embellishments to make it whatever kind of animal you want.

The way I figured out to work the base from the center out was to use a crochet cast on, which gives you an easier way to pick up stitches from the back of the cast on than if you worked a more traditional cast on for a knitting project. It’s kind of fun to do things in a different way from time to time.

This little project is adorable if I do say so myself, and even as a plain little basket not made into an animal it’s a cute way to keep your glasses or other little things in one place. I’m tempted to make one for my desk to hold pens or even little little scissors and sewing needles that are always on my desk but somehow always seem to get lost on my desk.

If you need a little holder for your glasses on your table, check out the pattern at Our Daily Craft.

[Photo: Our Daily Craft]