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Giveaway: Toe Up Socks by Wendy D. Johnson

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Hang on to your socks, Wendy’s done it again!

Up for grabs I’ve got 2 books from Wendy. Now, they’re not new, they’re a bit used, because, you know, I did have to try them out to make sure they were good. Take one for the team and all that, so we have some smudges…

The reason I like toe up patterns is because I rarely buy enough yarn to complete a project. There’s all kinds of good intentions, really, but upon walking into a yarn store my ADD kicks in, the colors and textures overwhelm me and I start throwing stuff in my basket never really checking to make sure I have enough. With toe up socks, not a problem! Start at the important part and quit knitting when you run out of yarn! It’s a no brainer, and really works out well when you happen to be “pattern challenged”.

So, leave me a comment telling me why you want this set and I’ll draw from your comments next Friday, April 30, 2010. Ready, set, go!

Comments

  1. I knit and I am fairly good at it. I have been dying to try knitting socks but have been chicken. If you say these books are good that is good enough for me!

    PS I do the ADD thingy in yarn and fabric stores too.

  2. I would LOVE to win this set! I am just finishing (right now!) my first pair of toe-up socks. In fact, it’s my first pair of socks EVER! I am moving (back) overseas in just a few months and am stocking up on yarn and patterns for the next 3 years… I’d love to make these books part of my collection!

  3. I love her books. I can’t afford to buy them so I bugged my local library to purchase them. I keep checking them out but I would like my own copies to mark up with smilies and notes.

  4. I learned to knit three years ago, and have been hesitant to try socks. Knitting them from the toe up makes sense to me, and these books would be just the thing to get me started. Thank you for the giveway.

  5. I’d love to win these books as I’m just getting good with dpn’s and perhaps ready to tackle socks.

  6. I would love to get the books as I am starting into dpn’s and would love to learn new techniques, I would be the cream of my knitting group crop!

  7. Oh wow, these would be great patterns for me since I prefer knitting socks from the toe up to the cuff!

  8. I have been wanting to learn how to knit toe up socks and I think this would be a great place to start. Thanks for all the info!

  9. I think we all suffer from ADD when we’re in a yarn shop! I have never tried socks from the toe up and it sounds like the perfect solution. Thanks for the chance to win!

  10. I would love to win this set because I’ve just bought 6 skeins of sock yarn at a fabulous price and have no patterns! Wouldn’t it be great to have such a bargain as sale price yarn and winning the pattern?

  11. Toe up socks are my next challenge! I just finished my first top down sock this week(haven’t started the second yet). I’m looking forward to seeing how different the process is when starting at the other end.

  12. lol, is the fact that it’s my 40th birthday tomorrow good enough? No, i have been following wendys blog for a few years now and have yet to be able to get any of her books. I am in love with knitting socks though and love her designs, like so many others! So, just begging along with everyone else, Smile!!

  13. I’d love the set! I’ve knit one or two pairs of toe-up socks, but have never been completely sold on the fit. I’ve only done short-row heels, but I’ve realised that I need and love a proper heel gusset. I’ve heard that Wendy’s are brilliant!

  14. I have a friend who is wanting to learn to knit socks. I would love to give the book to her.

  15. Looks like I might be lucky #13! I’d love to have these books because there areen’t many patterns for men’s large sized socks out there. Going toe up means being able to adjust more easily.

  16. I love Wendy – she pointed me to your site at some point! I also love these books and would love to win them to share with my knitting group. I don’t share books I CAN’T lose, but if I had some slightly used spares?! AWESOME!!

  17. i knit socks, but have only done them top down… i have been looking for the perfect pattern to try some toe up socks with some of my handspun yarn!

  18. I’ve thought for a long time that I have adult A.D.D. or ooh how pretty syndrome. So at the moment I really need sock books for all the sock yarn I’ve been collecting…..ooh, did you see that. what was I talking about?…. uh, please pick me 🙂

  21. My favorite ways to knit socks is from the toe up. I follow Wendy’s blog and would love to see her books!

  23. My mom and I took a toe-up sock knitting class, as our first foray into knitting. It was my mom’s idea, I was just along to soak up the instruction and help her when she got stuck later. Started out great, but the instructor and the handouts left a little to be desired. We’d really like to give it another go, but I haven’t found a good toe-up book. I enjoyed socks more than I thought I would. Thanks!

  25. I would love a fun distraction…I’ve got the needles, the yarn…now I just need the inspiration!

  26. Oh, I love knitting socks toe-up! I have both of these books on my wish list since I am always looking for more fun patterns. There just aren’t enough toe-up patterns online!

  27. OK – so, I became a sock knitter when it was the furthest thing from my mind. Now I crank out a pair a week — did I mention I only started 6 weeks ago? I need something other than “plain vanilla” sock recipes or I’m going to burn out hard and fast. These books would definitely be the “Good Vanilla” I need (as Ina Garten says!).

  28. I’ve crocheted socks, but have always been intimidated by knitting socks. I read Wendy’s blog daily and would really like to try out her sock patterns 🙂

  30. I have only made cuff down socks before and would love to learn how to make toe up socks, I think that they’d fit better and I tend to run out of yarn partway through my projects too.

  31. I’ve learned top-down socks and have been dying to learn toe-up socks for the same reason — my ADD in yarn shops! Also, it’s the next big challenge that I want to take on. I follow Wendy’s blog and have been longing to get my hands on these books.

  32. I want to learn to knit socks – I’ve heard it’s easier to try toe-up, for the reason you mentioned but also because you can try them on as you go.

  33. Socks are one of the few things I’ve never tried to knit. I even have the yarn. Maybe these books would get me to pick the yarn up.

  34. Pick me! Pick me! At age 63 I’m just learning to knit socks. Bought the yarn, got the needles……really need these books!

  36. I’m moving to China in three months and amongst the very many things I need to sort out, pack up and generally organise is a good stash of yarn and patterns to help my state of mind(fulness) and sanity as I learn a new language, a new job and a new country! Toe-up socks are my favourites!

  38. Pick Me! I am 69 years young and just started sock knitting a few months ago. Old dogs can learn new tricks! Now after learning much (and ripping out much) through four pairs I am ready to tackle the “toe-up” method. Even one book would be a great help. Thanks for the give-away. Joyce

  39. Hello, you sound like a very generous knitter and my kind of gal. I just learned to knit socks, yeah!, this winter and have tried the toe-up sock several times and without success just from a written pattern. I think I can actually be successful if I had a ‘picture book’ as I’m a visual learning; being 64 doesn’t help. ha Thanks! Kay

  40. What does “Your comment is awaiting moderation” mean?
    My sister left a comment yesterday evening and it does not show. Mine showed up very quickly after I clicked Submit. Just wondered if there is a problem?

  41. I am 65 and a visual learner so could well use the book you are generousy offering to learn the art of toe-up knitting of socks. I tried a printed patterns and was not successful so know I need pictures to really learn this technique. Thanks! Kay

  42. I have been crocheting for a while. I am now starting to learn the skill of knitting. in the past couple years I have been blessed with 3 new grand babies (at the age of 44). I have been trying to learn so I can make special things for them. I have been intimidated by socks, but I am dying to learn.

Have you read?

Book Review: The Knitting Book

There are two schools of thought when it comes to instructional books about knitting. Either focus in one particular technique or kind of knitting (stranded knitting, say, or brioche) or try to cover a little bit of everything in a reference book that knitters will use throughout their careers. 

The Knitting Book by Frederica Patmore and Dr. Vikki Haffenden aims to be the second kind. The subtitle is: a step-by-step guide to creating imaginative projects for the home and to wear. I’m not sure it does that, exactly, but it does include a quick look at a lot of different techniques and stitch patterns you might use in your projects. 

A “guide to creating imaginative projects” sounds to me like it’s about design, but this book is not. There’s 1/3 of a page about altering patterns that only talks about how to add length to a sleeve and adjust where the increases go.

There’s nothing about measuring your body (the section on choosing a size in a pattern only suggests measuring a garment you already own), general garment construction, ease or stitch pattern multiples. The section on gauge (which is the last third of the page with choosing a garment size and altering patterns, discussed above) just says to knit a swatch, block and measure it to compare to a pattern, with no discussion on how you might use your swatch to design your own project or alter a pattern to meet your gauge. 

If you ignore the subtitle, what you will find is a lot of information about different kinds of knitting and various techniques you might want to try on your projects. There are 20 cast ons and 15 bind off options, for instance, all discussed before you learn how to knit or purl. (Another quibble I have with this book is the order in which things are presented, but that’s relatively minor.)

You’ll find quick hits on increases and decreases, twists and cables, lace, colorwork, textured effects like fisherman’s rib and brioche, loops, mosaic knitting, double knitting, decorative stitches, shadow knitting, bias knitting, mitered squares, entrelac and more. There are tips for selvedge stitches, knitting with beads, adding buttonholes, picking up stitches and more. 

A few patterns at the back give knitters a taste of some of the techniques included, but they’re not rated by skill level and the first one is a bias knit gradient scarf worked in six different colors of mohair, which isn’t a thing I’d wish on any beginner. 

And I guess that’s maybe what my issue with the book is. I don’t know if it’s meant for beginners and it doesn’t seem to, either. I feel like this book would be overwhelming to new knitters and doesn’t really give you a place to start or all the information you might need to do projects well.

The variety of techniques included is fun, and there are also stitch patterns in the back you can use on your own projects, but again it doesn’t really provide any guidance for how to design your own projects so I don’t know how helpful all of that is. 

I want to like books like this because having one reference that helps you with a lot of different things is great, I’m just not sure this is the one. If you can find it at your library or local book store and flip through it before buying, I think that would be a great idea to see if it’s a book that would be helpful for you. 

And if you have this book and love it please let me know! I’m sure it’s good for someone I’m just not sure who. 

About the book: 336 pages, hardcover. Published 2026 by DK. Suggested retail price $40.