Handy Tips for Choosing the Right Sock to Knit

Sock knitting is so fun. They’re great travel projects and I like to have one on the needles all the time to work on wherever I am.

But one thing that can be tricky for people who are new to sock knitting is choosing the right size to make a sock that will actually fit your (or the desired recipient’s) foot. When I knit my first socks I just assumed the pattern would make a good size for me but they came out way too big.

Kate Atherley has some great tips to help you choose the right sock knitting pattern (excerpted from Custom Socks at Interweave). It even covers the problem I had — assuming that one size fits all.

She runs through the basics of how to measure your foot and what you should look for in a sock pattern that will actually fit your foot, as well as when to be wary about a sock pattern.

Do you knit socks? I’d love to hear your sock-knitting tips!

[Photo via Interweave.]

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I happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, but I know we have a lot of Southern Hemisphere friends, too, who are heading into the cooler months as we are warming up. Whichever one of the seasons you’re in, you might want to stitch up this sweet little hood.

This pattern by saskie&co is called snug hood and it uses two colors of yarn to make a close-fitting pixie style hood (almost a balaclava but it doesn’t cover your face, though there is a neck covering portion to keep you a little warmer). You can use the fingering weight wool and mohair held together that are called for in the pattern, or use a single strand of DK weight yarn.

The neck portion and the edging around the face are worked in ribbing in a single color, while the body of the hat includes an allover colorwork flower pattern. The project is worked both flat and in the round and there is colorwork that is knit flat, which means you’ll have to purl in colorwork (which some people don’t like; also, you can’t see what you’re doing as well on the back of the work).

The pattern comes in one size and the colorwork is charted. Testers noted this is a quick and easy project and a great way to learn some new skills (chart reading, working stranded colorwork flat) if you’ve never tried those things before. They noted the hood is cute, comfortable and warm, and a few said it didn’t take as much yarn as the pattern suggests, so bear that in mind if you’re trying to use stash.

Speaking of the pattern notes, check out all the cute color variations in the projects on Ravelry. From pink and red to blue and white to gray and cream, there are lots of great options to think about.

You can buy this pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: saskie&co]

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