Solefull Socks, review and giveaway
I got to know Betty Salpekar last spring at the writing retreat I attended in Washington (that’s her in the back row, fifth from the right). She was there talking about her fantastic new way of knitting socks. I got to see many of her amazing creations, and have spent the intervening year trying hard not to follow her around going ‘is it done yet, is it done yet, is it done yet’ like a demented parrot (I figured it wouldn’t actually speed things along, so I refrained). But now the book is done and out, and I get to share it with you!
So, please allow me to present Solefull Socks: Knitting from the Ground Up. Betty’s done something marvelous here. She’s worked out a new way of making socks. Not top down, not toe up, not even side to side. Instead, this sock starts with the sole and works its way up your foot and leg. Betty puts it perfectly when she says she “imagined the knitting proceeding exactly like water covers your foot when you step into a warm bath.”
And she’s created precisely what she imagined. All these socks start with the sole, then work upwards, using clever built in shaping for the heel, toe, and ankle. This approach creates socks that are both lovely and practical. This construction allows you to easily reinforce the sole (or replace it down the line if it wears out) and gives you new set of design possibilities for the top of the foot. The results are stunning.
The construction is perhaps most easily seen in a plain sock knit with a long color repeat yarn:
But it plays beautifully with fancy stitch patterns too:
And colorwork looks smashing as well:
You really can’t go wrong! And once you see how these socks go together (and try one on), I think you’ll be hooked. Betty has kindly agreed to help get one of you addicted to this clever new construction. She’ll send a copy of the book to one lucky winner. If you think it should be you, just take a look at the patterns in the book and leave a comment here saying which one you’d cast on first!
Comments left between now and the end of the day (eastern time) Sunday, June 1, 2014 will be entered to win. I’ll pick a winner, contact them to get their addresses, and arrange to send the book their way. Be sure to use a real email address so I can contact you if you’ve won (I won’t do anything with those email addresses besides notify the winner). If I do email you, I need to hear back from you within 72 hours or I will pick a new winner and contact them. The images in this post are from the book and are used with Betty’s permission.
Fair Isle Trellis is my favorite. Thanks for the introduction
& giveaway.
I love the idea of this new technique and can’t wait to try it out. I would make the Traveling Trellis socks first.
What a concept! I would like to try the Poinsettia socks – love the pattern.
Oh wow. I love the Traveling Trellis, but also the argyle.
What an interesting way to knit socks! I would try the long color repeat socks becas they look pretty cool.
wow-these are stunning. I am really not sure which I would cast on first-they’re all beautiful! but since it is a new technique for me I’d probably get some cool gradient yarn and do Let the Yarn Shine to see how the construction goes. I love how this book shows that we can never come to the end of new things in knitting=)
Fair-gyle! For me – such a fun color work/argyle sock! I have been wanting to do both.
I do love that Semi Aran, but I think Traveling Trellis would be my first stop. The color work ones are amazing too.
They are all lovely, but Twining Vines speaks to me.
Would love this book! At first I’ll make those lacy ones on the cover.
Oooooh, talk about a challenge. After about 100 socks, I still can’t bring myself to work on toe up. Maybe smack in the middle, at the sole is the way to go to break my habit. I love Poinsettia…
These are fascinating socks!
I really like the Balanced Biases and the Poinsettias.
Purl Parallelograms looks so cosy and yet refined.
flaming arrows looks like my place to start.
I would knit Let The Yarn Shine or Twining Vines.
Flaming Arrows would be the one I would like to try out
Ooh, I love me a new way of constructing socks! Twining Vines is my fave.
I think that looks fascinating! I love the colorwork ones, but I’d probably try Traveling Trellis first. Gorgeous!
Wow – this looks fascinating. I think Travelling Trellis is calling my name ….
i’m already addicted. got the interweave summer knits issue, and need to get started. Would love even more patterns.
Love them all, but I think I’d start with the Semi Aran socks. What a cool and unique book!
I’d start with Let the Yarn Shine – love the colors, and they show off the unique construction the best. Plus, they would be great using handspun, space-dyed yarns.
I like Traveling Trellis for me, but Twining Vines inspire me to knit them for a friend of mine!
Clever and beautiful–I’d try Let The Yarn Shine first, to get the hang of the construction. Then Twining Vines for my mom.
I think it would be hard to choose my first pair because I’d want them all right away, but I think first would be “let the yarn shine”
Beautiful and a great giveaway. Thank you