Great Tips for Knitting Faster Socks

Sock knitting is a lot of fun, but the sad truth of the matter is that knitting a pair of socks takes a long time. So many little stitches, so many knitting needles (often) and you have to knit two of them.

It’s worth it, but anything you can do to speed up the process and get those glorious socks on your feet would be great, right?

This Knitted Life has a great collection of tips for knitting socks faster, including using metal needles in your preferred configuration, knitting plain socks and using fewer stitches, both for better fit and faster knitting (I usually do 60 stitches instead of the more common 64, but could probably go even smaller).

I’d also add that I think working on fewer needles, once you get used to it, makes it go faster because there’s less fiddling with the other needles to do. I love Magic Loop, but you can also knit a sock on two circular needles instead of one long one.

And of course there is always the option to knit two socks at once. Have you ever tried that?

I’d love to hear any thoughts you have on making sock knitting faster or easier!

[Photo via This Knitted Life.]

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

Looking to buy your Yarn online? Check out these online yarn specials.

Even more than normal this year I’ve been trying to use yarn that I already have. I’m doing lots of odd ball projects, scrappy things and small projects, but it’s also nice sometimes to be able to use a whole skein, and just a single skein, on a project for yourself or for a gift.

The Sunburst Shawl by Jem Arrowsmith is a great option if you have a single skein of sock yarn (100 grams or 400-425 meters, which is around 437 to 465 yards) that you don’t want to make socks out of.

The design includes a section of stockinette with blocks of simple lace mesh offset to make a zig-zag design across the shawl that looks sort of like the rays on a drawing of the sun.

The lace is just yarn over, knit 2 together repeating, so this would be a great first lace knitting project if you haven’t tried that before. The designer also has a video tutorial on their website if you need more help with the technique.

You can use any sock yarn you have on hand, but this one is especially fun with the brightly colored, variegated, speckly and sparkly yarns that you might not otherwise know what to do with. The solid section lets the colors play uninterrupted, while the lace part adds a bit of texture and gives a different look to the yarn.

This asymmetrical triangle shawl measures about 73 inches or 185 cm in wingspan and is 18 inches/45.5 cm deep.

There are several completed projects on Ravelry already so you can see who the design looks in different colors and types of yarn, from self stripping to more solid and tonal options.

The pattern is available for free on Ravelry (note: on the designer’s website it says the pattern is free through Aug. 31, 2026, so I’m not sure if it will be free after that on Ravelry), and if you don’t happen to have the perfect skein of yarn to make this project, the designer also offers kits on their website that include the yarn, pattern and a stitch marker.

[Photo: Jem Arrowsmith]

Comments

Rita says
January 7, 2017 at 11:14 pm
I knit my socks flat and seam them. The seam is never a problem as I just make sure to join it carefully as it is on the bottom. They go way faster than four needle socks. Thanks to Ms. Gail Thomas, these socks are the best pattern I have found. http://www.crochetnmore.com/knitted babysocksbygailthomas.htm.

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