The Reference Shelf (review and giveaway)
Remember when you first started knitting? You probably had a ball of yarn, a pair of needles, a pattern, and maybe some sort of basic guide (online or on paper) that walked you through a few simple stitches. Then, once you realized you liked this tying fancy knots thing, you started acquiring stuff. Yarn and needles sure, but also patterns. I’m guessing you eventually got around to having lots and lots and lots of patterns. The next step, at least for me, was to begin acquiring what I always think of as The Reference Shelf (I hear the capital letters in my head, and, if you’re prone to acquiring these sorts of books, you probably do, too). These are the books you turn to when you want to know a host of different ways to make a buttonhole or how to do that fiddly decrease on the wrong side of your work or which cast on to use or what to expect from a particular fiber blend. They are the books that deepen your knowledge of a subject in a way that individual patterns or even pattern collections really aren’t trying to do. They are the books that you go to when you really want to know how knitting works, rather than just make an awesome hat.
And now, Lara Neel has created one of these reference books. It’s called Sock Architecture: Heels, Toes, & Techniques for Knitting Awesome Socks, and, if you’re the type of knitter who wants to understand your socks better, it deserves a place on your own personal Reference Shelf.
In Sock Architecture, Lara starts by walking you through sock history and anatomy. Read this carefully, and you’ll know what the heck people mean when they say “high arches” or “square toes” or any of the other mysterious things they say about their feet, how to measure your feet to see where they fall in the spectrum, and what to do with that information.
Next she gives you detailed instructions for dozens of different heels and toes (of course for both top-down and toe-up socks). This section makes the book a real treasure. Sure, you can poke around on your own and find different heels and toes. But Sock Architecture brings a huge number of them together in one place, clearly and consistently explained, with pictures of what they look like, and information about why you might pick one over the other. There isn’t anything else out there that does that. If you’re interested in experimenting to make your socks fit really well, then this is just the resource you’ve been looking for.
Finally, to round things out, Lara gives you 17 patterns on which to try out your new techniques. I will mention that this is a reference book, and the patterns are presented accordingly. That means clear, sharp photos that show off the relevant features of the socks (rather than evocative photos of beautiful girls lounging on picturesque stone walls with misty fields in the background…and oh yeah they have on some cute socks). But really, in this context, that’s exactly what you want.
Reading this book, and playing with these variations for toes and heels, will make you a better sock knitter. You’ll find yourself ready to make socks that really fit, whether that means modifying existing patterns to incorporate these techniques or designing your own socks from scratch.
And Lara wants to help one of you get started right away! She’s offering a free electronic copy of the book to one of you. If you think it should be you, leave a comment telling me what fit issue gives you the most trouble with socks. Do you wonder how tall you should make your heel flap? Do you never quite like the way a standard toe fits you? Are you just hesitant to deviate from the pattern at all? There’s no right answer, just tell me what your experience has been.
Comments left between now and the end of the day (eastern time) Tuesday, September 23, 2014 will be entered to win. I’ll pick a winner, contact them to get their addresses, and arrange to get the book to them. If you’re leaving a comment, 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 get in touch with you, I need to hear back from you within 72 hours or I will pick a new winner and contact them.
I’m just lately feeling ready to tackle socks, and this I’m sure would help make that first pair more successful! So nice to have so much information compiled into one resource. It looks like a great book!
I always have the biggest trouble with knitting toes, I’m never perfectly happy with the fit and look of them.
My main problem seems to be with toe up socks and getting the length for the foot right; it’s often a little too short; my mother doesn’t complain about this though as they generally fit her perfectly!
My main issue (and it’s rare that I face it now so many pairs of socks later) is determining how long to knit the foot especially if I’m knitting for a new size/person.
JavaPurl on Rav
I need to knit more socks, especially as winter is slowly announcing its arrival here, and what I would love to know is how to make them a little bit longer on the leg. I have so many lovely patterns but don’t like the socks that reach just at or below the calf. I don’t necessarily want to knit knee-length all the time either. So there it is: just a little bit higher.
My husband and I are both blessed with ample calves. We hike a lot or at least that’s our excuse 😉 Finding patterns with good shaping in the legs is nice but lots of patterns don’t give that sort of extra.
The fit that I have trouble with is the cuff. I have narrow ankles and big calves. My socks usually fit well everywhere except at the very top, where they tend to be too tight. I try to cast on loosely, but the top is usually too tight. If I pick a larger size, the entire sock is too big and baggy.
My problem is getting the correct length for the foot when knitting toe-up socks.
I have long big toes. Generally I get the toe portion of the sock wrong, best result is sock feels tight, worst result is a hole in the toe. I’d love to learn a better fitting option! Thanks for a chance to win this great looking reference book.
Picking the right size is hard on some patterns. I don’t want them too long, but they need to be wide enough.
I’m an avid sock knitter and would love a book that discusses construction! I believe I have hit a sweet spot- I like how my socks fit. But, there is always room to learn something new.
Love making socks, but my feet are on the narrow side (just figured this out!) and heels just don’t fit right very often. This sounds like a great book!
I’m in a rut – I keep using the same pattern over and over afraid to do anything different because these fit well. Help, I’m bored!
Heels. I do one kind of heel (or two once I get that far on the first toe up socks I’m knitting, the other is top down). All the instructions I’ve seen just confuse me and I just fall back on the one I know. I’d love to learn more types of heels.
I’m pretty much stuck in a rut for heels and toes. Same way every time…a new book would help! 🙂
I’ve been knitting socks for years, and yet I still second guess myself every time on when to start the toe decreases on a cuff down sock.
I love to knit socks, but I knit almost exclusively top-down. I’d like to become more comfortable with knowing when to start the increases on the foot in toe-up patterns.
After nearly twenty years of knitting socks, I’m still in search of the “perfect” heel for my chubby feet–and a good way to do a heel toe-up for the same fit problem.
Any reference that will help me learn to knit better socks has to be on my bookshelf! Thanks for the give away.
Two things are challenging for me. The first is recognizing the pattern that makes up different heels so that I can keep track of what I’m doing with a heel. I am locked into using the written pattern because I don’t quite “get” heels. The other is figuring out how to add my own stitch patterns to a plain vanilla sock. (OK 3 things)… adjusting socks so that they are not too loose or too tight.
I’ve just taken the leap to knitting socks with fancy stitch patterns. While I have knit many simple stockinette stitch socks I have no idea how to modify a pattern. This book will no doubt give me the skill and confidence to do just that.
Thank you
Which issue first? My foot is smaller than my calf and I continually play with needle sizes to find the right match of not having socks that leave pattern marks on my calf while not being loose in the foot. The Instep thing and heel flap height and toe-up length also give me trouble. I live knitting socks. I’m just still working on exactly the right fit.
I love knitting socks for my family–but our feet are woefully irregular 🙁 one daughter has small, wide feet; the other has narrow feet and a tall instep; my son has narrow heel which most commercial socks don’t or standard patterns have to be altered completely…..ugh…having more knowledge and tools in my arsenal to measure and customize would be such a blessing!
This year, I’ve become absolutely addicted to knitting socks, but as you mention, I’m terrified to deviate from the pattern. I’ve also toyed with the idea of trying to design a simple pair myself and I’m sure this book would be essential to doing that well! Thanks for the review – even if I don’t end up winning the giveaway, I think I may have to procure this one for my own shelf.
I’m an avid sock knitter and tried several heels and toes before getting comfortable with what works for me – heel flaps on solid color socks, afterthought heel for monsters and a short-row heel when I don’t want pooling issues. But her books seems to have lots of truly unique ones that I’d love to try. If I don’t win, I do believe I’ll be buying this one.
wahoomerryf on Ravelry