Review: The Sock Project

If you’re on Instagram and you knit, you’ve probably seen some of Summer Lee‘s colorful and fun socks. As you might imagine, when she wrote a book all about sock knitting, it, too, was colorful and fun.

The Sock Project includes 25 patterns and tons of step by step instructions to help new sock knitters feel comfortable with the craft or to give those with some sock knitting experience some new techniques to try.

It opens with a discussion of materials and fit. All of the patterns in the book have four adult sizes, as well as sizes for toddlers and bigger kids, so you’ll be sure to get a good fit for your foot.

There are basic sock patterns for knitting a sock with a heel flap and gusset, an afterthought heel, a peasant heel (which she calls a “forethought” heel because it’s shaped the same as an afterthought heel, but you do it while you’re knitting) and a heel shaped with German short rows. There’s also a toe up sock with fleegle heel. Just with those patterns you can add in your own stripes and stitch patterns and happily make a lot of different socks.

But you don’t even have to come up with your own design ideas, because Summer has offered 25 options, including stripes, fade, ribs, textured stitches, colorwork, cables and lace. There are also patterns for using DK weight yarn to make long or short socks, and a pattern that adds mohair for extra warmth.

Some of my favorites include the Trompe le Monde Socks, which feature two-color stripes and a slip-stitch pattern on the leg and top of the foot; the leafy-lace-covered Camellia Socks; the Scandiland Socks, with classic snowflake motifs worked in pastels with mustard accents; and the Harriet Socks, with little cables running down the sides.

I was able to see these socks in person at a book signing Summer did in my hometown, and they’re all lovely. You can check out all the patterns on Ravelry.

This is a great book for people who want to learn how to knit socks, for knitters with knitting friends they want to encourage to knit socks, and for folks who are always looking for different ways to knit socks or designs to try.

About the book: 192 pages, 25 patterns, paperback. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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