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.

As we get into the part of the year with a lot of food-forward holidays, it might be time to start thinking about knitting some new things for your table. While a few of these are more fall/Thanksgiving focused, just changing up the colors would make others work for Christmas, or keep it neutral and use them all year long.

What got me started thinking about this was the lovely and simple Fresh Bread Dishtowel, a free pattern from Purl Soho. Worked in a lovely cotton and linen blend, the towel is mostly stockinette stitch with a bit of texture on the borders.

You could use this same kind of pattern to make anything from placemats to a table runner, but let’s look at some specific patterns for those kinds of projects as well.

The easy moss stitch table runner from Glass Bird Knits is beginner friendly can can easily be modified to fit your table (or, again, to make placemats instead of or in addition to a runner). This version is worked in macrame cord, but you could also use bulky yarn.

Emielle Design has a garter stitch runner pattern that’s made with braided cotton cord for a lot of texture without a lot of work. But be sure to take a lot of breaks when knitting with cord because it can be rough on your hands!

I also love the diamond pattern on the Hamilton Table Runner from Wyndlestraw Designs. It calls for a DK weight cotton and linen blend yarn and comes in three sizes with different widths and lengths. The pattern has both written and charted instructions.

Amy Marie’s Table Pumpkins (on Ravelry) is a fun mosaic knitting pattern that would be great to use as a table runner through the fall and for Thanksgiving. It uses a worsted weight cotton yarn in two colors, and you can make it as long as you like for your table.

The no cable knit placemats from Yarn Culture Studio have a fun faux cable look that would be great for the table through the fall and winter.

Or here’s another pattern from Wyndlestraw Designs, this time for an easy knit and purl stitch placemat pattern that looks different but still good on both sides. It calls for worsted weight cotton and comes in two sizes for placemats, but also has instructions for coasters, a hot pad and a table pad all using the same stitch.

Have you read?