How to Knit Socks that Last

Pretty much everyone who has ever knit socks or worn handknit socks thinks they are great, and many of us have a goal of replacing all or most of our socks with knit ones (at least for use during the cold months).

But we expect a lot from handknit socks. Not only do they need to be warm and comfortable, they also need to be able to take a lot of abuse, rubbing on our feet, the floor, our shoes, etc.

Kate Atherley wrote a great post for Mason-Dixon Knitting all about how to knit socks that last. From choosing the right yarn and the right gauge to start with to ways to reinforce potential problem areas, there’s lots of great advice here on what to do — and what not to do — to keep your socks looking great.

As I prepare to embark on fixing a pair of socks for the second time (I knew the yarn wasn’t a great choice for socks from a wearing perspective, but they sure are warm) I’d like to know if you’ve used any of these tips or what you do to help make your knit socks last.

[Photo: Mason-Dixon Knitting.]

Looking for more knitting patterns for socks? Check these out on Etsy. And these Knitting Pattern books on Amazon.

Next Pattern:

If you’re looking for a sweater knitting pattern that uses up some of your stash and allows you to make just the sweater you want, the Marlina Rib by Shay Johson might be just the thing.

It’s worked with two strands of fingering weight yarn held together to make a DK weight gauge, so you can use the same two yarns throughout or change one or both regularly for an even more colorful look.

The pattern has options to make it either a crewneck or a henley style with buttons, tapered or relaxed sleeves, and a straight hemline or a split hem with buttons (which sounds so cute if you do the henley with split hem and match the buttons on both parts).

It’s also knit from the top down so you can make the body and the sleeves as long as you want. There are 10 sizes available in the pattern, with a chest circumference ranging from 32 to 68 inches, or 81.5 to 172.5 cm. It’s meant to be worn with 4-6 inches/10-15 cm of positive ease at the chest.

The pattern page on Ravelry includes tons of measurements and yardage estimates so you can make sure you’ll get a good fit for your body before you even buy the pattern. Shay also shows a few variations of the sweater so you can see how different options look before you decide how you want to put them together.

The stitch pattern is 1×2 ribbing, which is really easy to do and gives a look almost like fisherman’s rib that’s relaxed and easy to wear.

This sweater looks like a great option for people who are somewhat new to sweater knitting or those who love to have lots of customization options (because it’s like getting multiple sweater patterns in one!).

Check out all the details and grab a copy of the pattern for yourself at Ravelry.

[Photo: Shay Johnson]

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