Knitting

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Giveaway: Sock Knitting Books

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sock knitting book giveawaySince I’m still thinking about sock knitting this week, I thought it would be fun to give away a couple of sock knitting books.

First is the booklet I reviewed for you last week, Easy Knitted Socks. I’m also going to throw in a copy of Knitted Socks by Anna Tillman, but you’re going to have to wait until tomorrow for a full review on that one. For now let’s just say it has some really creative, colorful and wild projects your whole family will enjoy (she had me at rainbow-colored toe socks, to be honest).

If you want a chance to win these books, leave a comment on this post by the end of the day Sunday, March 22. I’d love to know what experience you have if any with knitting socks, and if you haven’t knit socks yet, why not? (If you need some reasons, check out my great list.)

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing. Good luck!

Comments

  1. I’ve knitted four pairs of socks now and I love it! Just started doing two-at-a-time socks on a fifth pair and WOW! Why haven’t I been doing that in the first place? Hope you enjoy making socks, too!

  2. I love knitting socks! It’s so much fun to see this tube turn into a wearable piece. I love learning new techniques while making socks, but don’t have any books.

  5. Would love to have these. I am a disabled Veteran sitting at home doing crafts . I could make all my grandkids socks all the time.

  6. I have not yet tried knitting socks. I have always been a bit hesitant when it comes to knitting socks.

  9. I love knitting socks and would love to win the books. I do need to learn some of the newer techniques as I still fall back on my double pointed needles. Learned that way many years ago and still do it that way.

  10. I knitted a pair for my fiancée, but they ended up too big. Quite a feat since he has size 15 feet! Maybe I will felt them down to size.

  11. I love knitting socks. Once started it is so addictive and I now have fourteen pairs of squishy hand knit socks that I wear constantly!

  13. I have knitted 2 Chirstmas stockings that as far as my sock knitting goes. My sister knits socks for me.

  14. I’m just getting in to knitting socks. I started with tube socks because the thought of knitting a heel was just too scary for me. I have now graduated to an afterthought heel and it’s so easy. Combine that with magic loop and I’m addicted to socks now.

  15. I have not yet I have been wanting to for some time now but have been afraid to try haven’t found a pattern I could follow yet,I am having open heart surgery next week so maybe I will try since recovery time will be at least 7 weeks. Thanks for this great offer!

  16. Every once in a while I realize I’ve knit more socks than I thought I have. For the most part I steer away from sock knitting because I think they will take me forever, and I just don’t have the time. I do love the ones that I have managed to knit tho!

  17. I love knitting socks. One of these days, I will get up the courage to knit Argyll socks like my mother did. I remember her sitting in her chair with bobbins hanging off the sock she was working on.

  18. I have only knit doll sized socks. I have a couple of sock patterns for myself on my “to knit” list, but somehow, I always push them back to knit something for someone.

  19. I have knitted one pair of socks – or, rather, 1/2 of a pair of socks, when my children were little (a very long time ago!!). But with circular needles and magic loops and magic circles I’m becoming interested in trying again. Maybe an actual full pair!! 🙂

  20. I’m halfway through my second sock of my first ever pair…I think I could do with some help!

  22. I have knitted a few pairs but they are always a littler larger then they should be.

  23. Socks? Love to knit them, love to wear them. Sadly most of mine have been gifted so I need to knit some for myself….soon. Also need some new ideas!

    from winter-white VT,
    the Vermonster, Patty M.

  25. I have zero experience knitting socks. BUT it is my goal for this year. I have other projects to finish so I can give my first pair of socks 100% attention.

    Thanks for the giveaway.

  26. I have a handful of hand knit pairs of socks, but am always looking for inspiration and new designs. I am currently working on a two-at-a-time pair, but need to figure out the next step before I continue.

  27. Hi! I have tried to knit socks but the heel always gives me trouble. However, I have this good friend who is willing to teach me. She is also very patient.

  28. I have knit about four pair of socks. I started out the challenging way, two at a time on a circular needle.

  29. I am a beginner knitter so I haven’t tackled socks yet. A friend was going to show me how but she moved away.

  30. I’ve only made a few pair of socks. They seem to take me a long time. I just found a pattern for tube socks I plan to make next. I think they may be easier – without having to deal with the heal and perfect sizing.

  32. I would love to learn how to knit socks. Thanks for the chance to win! vickise at gmail dot com

  33. My first sock was way out of shape and too big. I gave it up for several years, but knit one last month that turned out great. Now for the 2nd one, so I can wear the pair.

  35. I started knitting socks for my kids when they were little, and now they are in college so I’ve been doing it for a few years! I’ve gotten to where I try to learn something new with each pair, for example the pair I’m doing right now I am knitting from the toe up, a first for me.

    These books look great. I’m always keeping any eye out for more sock patterns. 🙂

  36. I have been afraid to try socks (even though my husband has been hinting) , i need to give it a go!

  37. Love, love, love to knit socks! I would consider it an honor to win the books……I would definitely put them to good use 😉

  38. I have very little experience knitting socks and it was a Christmas stocking. Would love to try it again for socks to wear. Thanks for a chance

  40. I have tried knitting socks but keep getting side tracked by kids wanting Mema to make things for them

  41. I’m addicted to knitting socks, and have made many pairs.I have just learnt how to knit socks two at a time.

  43. I love choosing the colors. they are warm and comfy, made to fit.
    they make great gifts. plain and simple or bold and patterned. fingering yarn to worsted, Its your choice. Just do it!

  44. I’ve ventured into sock knitting but so far just the plain vanilla top down version. I’d really like to try something more challenging and these books look like they would supply some good ideas.

    Darla

  45. Like knitting socks because I am more apt to wear them than any sweater I might make! Thanks for the giveaway offer!

  46. Hi – I have a painful nerve condition that affects my right ankle, foot and leg. I figured out how to knit a tube sock for myself, but I would love to learn how to make more socks. Thank you SO much for the chance to win!

  47. I just knit my first pair of socks in January and am working on my second pair now. It has always been my goals to knit socks and I’m finally doing it!

  48. I love working with sock-weight yarn, so I’ve knit many pairs of socks over the years.

    I am currently knitting a pair of baby socks as a gift for a friend who is due in August. They’ll have a hat to accompany them, but I haven’t started it yet.

    I also completed 3 pairs of socks for my husband over this winter. I was trying to come up with a standard sock pattern for him so I could just grab a skein of yarn and go.

Have you read?

10 Knitted Christmas Bauble Patterns for a Tree Full of Handmade Charm

There’s always room for one more Christmas decoration, especially when it uses yarn you already own. That’s my reasoning, anyway. Those little leftover balls that aren’t quite enough for a hat suddenly look much more promising when you start thinking about knitted baubles.

I love the idea of adding a few handmade ornaments to the tree each year. They don’t all have to match, either. A traditional colourwork ball beside a slightly cheeky Christmas pudding feels far more interesting than a tree where everything arrived in the same box.

These knitted Christmas bauble patterns include flat-knit designs, festive characters and detailed colourwork ornaments. Most are free, with a paid collection included for anyone who wants plenty of designs to work through. Some suit newer knitters; others are small projects for practising skills you already know.

Christmas Baubles Knitted Flat

The free Christmas Baubles—Knit Flat pattern from Tat’sgrans Treasures is worth a look if knitting tiny rounds doesn’t appeal. It includes three sizes and charted words such as Peace, Hope, Love and Joy, worked using intarsia. The flat construction is approachable, although the lettering adds a challenge beyond basic stocking stitch. I’d choose this for meaningful gift ornaments, particularly when one of those words suits the person receiving it.

Christmas Pudding Bauble

The free Christmas Pudding Bauble by Amanda Berry has all the appeal of a festive pudding without anyone debating whether they actually like eating it. Knitted flat in DK yarn, it combines shaping, colourwork and seaming, with a little holly topper to finish. It’s best for confident beginners with some experience rather than someone learning their first knit stitch. At approximately 6 cm tall, it would make a lovely tree decoration or an extra treat tied onto a wrapped present.

Rudolf & Friends Character Baubles

The free Rudolf & Friends Ornaments by Claire Fairall bring a playful touch to a handmade Christmas tree. These character baubles are knitted flat, and the instructions include illustrations for assembly and embroidery. Hobbii lists the pattern as suitable for beginners, making it a useful option for knitters who would rather practise finishing details than stranded colourwork. The finished ornaments measure approximately 8 × 6 cm and would also look cheerful tucked into a handmade wreath.

Cute Christmas Baubles With Little Faces

The free Cute Christmas Baubles from Marianna’s Lazy Daisy Days turn small amounts of DK yarn into cheerful character decorations. Worked flat and seamed, they use simple shaping, stuffing and added facial details to create their personality. They suit knitters comfortable with knit, purl, increases and decreases who enjoy a little assembly afterwards. I rather like Marianna’s idea of using them on the Christmas dinner table before adding hanging loops for the tree.

Rudolph’s Nose Christmas Bauble

The free Rudolph’s Nose Bauble from DROPS Design is a useful choice when you want a traditional ball-shaped ornament. Designed in DROPS Flora, it uses knitting in the round with increases and decreases to create the shape. Choose this if you’re comfortable handling a small circumference and want a project focused on construction. I’d make a few in coordinating colours to bring a little consistency to an otherwise wonderfully mismatched handmade tree.

Merry Mints Bauble

The free Merry Mints Bauble from DROPS Design offers another festive option, this time designed in DROPS Cotton Merino. The instructions include working back-and-forth rows and shaping, so it’s worth considering if you prefer that approach to tiny rounds. Read through the construction before starting and pay attention to the instructions for working yarn overs to avoid unwanted holes. This would be a nice project for a knitter who enjoys seeing a shaped decoration emerge from a small piece of knitting.

Caorann Fair Isle Christmas Bauble

The free Caorann Christmas Bauble by Sarah Berry brings delicate Fair Isle detail to a small ornament. It uses fingering-weight yarn and 2.5 mm needles, with instructions sized for an approximately 60 mm bauble insert. Worked in the round, the design includes both written and charted directions for its repeated segments. I’d save this one for knitters with some colourwork experience who want to make a particularly special keepsake.

A Dated 2026 Christmas Bauble

The free 2026 Christmas Bauble by Smaatterier combines the year with two traditional Selbu rose motifs. It’s knitted in the round using stranded colourwork across the middle, with either fibre filling or a suitably sized plastic bauble inside. The charted design is listed as intermediate and finishes at approximately 6.5 cm tall. This is a lovely choice for marking a first Christmas in a new home, a family milestone or simply another year of making things by hand.

Colourful Christmas Balls From Two Strands

The free Christmas Balls by Mary Ann Stephens are full of colourwork detail, with optional touches such as duplicate stitch and nupps. The designer also discusses I-cord hanging loops, which give the ornaments a pleasingly substantial finish. These are better suited to knitters comfortable following charts and managing several colours than complete beginners. Follow the updated download directions in the post to find the patterns on the designer’s current website.

ARNE & CARLOS Christmas Ball Collection

The paid Twenty-four Christmas Balls 2024 collection by ARNE & CARLOS includes a basic ball pattern and 24 different motif charts. The ornaments are worked in the round using stranded colourwork, with a linked tutorial to help you follow the process. Although the designer lists the collection as beginner level, I’d be comfortable knitting in the round and making increases and decreases before starting. This is the pick for someone who wants a whole collection of coordinated ornaments rather than just one small project.

Choosing Yarn for Knitted Baubles

Small decorations are tempting stash projects, but check the yarn weight before diving into that leftover basket. A thicker yarn can make a much larger bauble, while changing the yarn in a fitted cover may stop it fitting the recommended insert.

For colourwork, choose shades with enough contrast for the motif to show. Two lovely colours can look surprisingly similar once they’re knitted together, especially on something this small.

Smooth yarn also makes it easier to see your stitches. Save the fluffy, sparkly and slightly mysterious leftovers for a pattern where you’re confident they’ll work.

Getting a Nicely Rounded Finish

If your pattern uses stuffing, add it gradually and spread it evenly. You’re aiming for a rounded ornament without stretching the stitches so far apart that the filling shows through. For designs worked over an insert, check the diameter and follow the instructions for when to put it inside.

Give the finishing a little time, too. A neat seam, securely woven ends and a tidy hanging loop help a small decoration feel properly finished.

I’d start with a pair for the tree and one to give away. Of course, once you’ve laid out all those yarn colours, “just three” may become a rather flexible arrangement.