New Directions in Sock Knitting (plus giveaway)
If you’ve been here for a while, you know I have opinions about socks. Socks are supposed to start at the top, go for a while, make a turn, go for a while more, then make a toe. It’s the natural order of things. And while I understand that some folks may make their socks other ways (which is cool, you make your socks however you want, my sock opinions only deal with my socks, not yours), I never quite got why.
So I was more than a little surprised when the lovely Ann Budd asked me to contribute a pattern to her new book, New Directions in Sock Knitting: 18 Innovative Designs Knitted From Every Which Way (as always, amazon links are affiliate links). I think my socks are lovely and comfy and fun to make, but I do not generally think of them as especially innovative.
But Ann is charming (and persuasive!) and we found a happy medium. I would stick with my top-down tube with a bend plan, with just a little tweak to how you do the bend part. The result is a lovely way to take a baby step into a different construction (without anything too scary if you’re in the sock traditionalist camp with me).
The socks are called Cleave, and are just one of the patterns in the book (the rest get much more adventurous). If you’re looking for new ways to wrap lovely cozy wool around your feet, you’ll want this one on your shelf!
And I’ve got a copy of it to send home with one of you. Just leave a comment telling me how you feel about sock construction to be entered to win (top down? toe up? the weirder the better? there are no right or wrong answers, I’m just looking for your opinions!).
Oh, and Ann’s got one more little goody to tuck in with the winner’s book, a nifty little gauge ruler that’s way more fun that it should be (I can’t find them for sale online anywhere, but you can have your yarn store ask her for them if you need one too. Heard from Ann, and she says “folks can purchase rulers (minimum order of 5 rulers at $5 each) directly from [email protected]” So if you need one, you can either ask your yarn shop to order them or get them straight from Ann! And it looks like the folks over at Knit Circus have them too!).
Comments left between now and the end of the day (eastern time) Friday, January 29, 2016 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. Sorry, but I can only ship physical prizes to US addresses.
Wow, that ruler (and the socks, of course) are fab! Personally, I prefer a toe-up method as I have recently really enjoyed the whole trying on as you go process, being a lazy person who doesn’t swatch, but seeing some crazy stuff in that book I’m up for it all!
I tend to knit cuff down, but recently knit a pair toe-up since I had a limited amount of yarn. I can see know why toe-up has its fans. So I guess when yarn amount isn’t an issue, I’ll stick with cuff-down because it’s just what I’m used to. Love that ruler, btw, and I’m a fan of Ann Budd’s books/patterns. 🙂
I’m with you..top down but really should get out of my comfort zone and experiment….
I am new to making socks and I can see that there are lots of new and wonderful ways of making them, including sideways! But I would really like to try a pattern that just tweaks me in a new direction without going the whole hog just yet — yes, please.
Top-down all the time! I love the ruler. Can’t wait to knit all the socks!
A Hammersen/Budd collaboration is perfection! I have only made socks cuff-down, but I am open-minded. The Cleave socks are beautiful!
I’m a top down girl, but only because my first toe up attempt was a disaster! 🙂 Would love a book like this to improve my skills.
I am also a sock traditionalist, but I’d be willing to give some of these patterns a try! They are beautiful.
I’ve tried a few alternative constructions just for their cleverness, but knitting traditionally is soooo comforting.
I’m in your camp, as far as sock construction goes. I’ve tried toe-up socks a few times, and just didn’t like the way they turned out.
Of course, I also prefer dpns for knitting socks … 🙂
I’m a bit flexible on socks, though I prefer up of down and not sideways of longways. And I’ve come round to fish lips, afterthought, and short for heel over flaps. I haven’t did a flap in just agrees, nor do I plan to any time soon.
I have only done top down socks. Guess I always thought “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. On the other hand, I do enjoy stretching my skills from time to time. Looks like the book is worth having just for “Cleave”. It’s gorgeous.
I’m with you – socks should be top down with a turn. However, I will be flexible if the yarn or pattern demands something different – I just prefer to go top down with a heel flap. Oh, and the left and right ones don’t have to match – they can be fraternal twins instead of identical and it doesn’t bother me, especially with self striping or patterned yarn.
I’m not an experienced sock knitter and have mostly done top down, plain socks – but I’m willing to try. And oh I love sock yarn. That ruler is too cute.
Top down, please. I will break down and do a toe up if I think I might be short yardage, though…
I tend to go the traditional route, but lately I’ve done a couple of toe ups and I realized they fit me much better than the others, so I suspect I may be making a shift. Really, I’ll make any sock that appeals to me though =)
2 at a time toe up so I use every last bit of yarn for length; I like tall socks!
Top down socks with decreases for toe shaping are my favorite sock toes. That said I will play with the other parts of the foot. Now if someone wants to design a sock up from a top down toe that might be fun.
I have just become obsessed with knitting socks in the last few weeks. I prefer top down and am experimenting with new cast ons. Fascinating with your idea of increasing stitches instead of picking them up. Your designs are beautiful!
There are really, really cool socks in this book!
I’ve tried toe-up, but I’m still in the traditionalist camp: my favorite route to socks is to start at the top and end at the toe. However, I do love using one long circular instead of dons, so I guess I’m not a complete traditionalist. Thanks for the give-away!
I used to always ONLY knit socks cuff down. However, I reluctantly decided to try a toe up sock. It turned out OK and, once again, I was amazed how backwards the heel turn seemed yet looked exactly like it was supposed to look. Since then, I’ve knitted socks from either end and really don’t have a preference. I just like to have a tad bit challenging pattern to keep my interest. LOVE SOCKS!!!
I try my socks on as I go, but I don’t knit them toe up. I much prefer cuff down, for one reason or another it just feels right but also I prefer a heel flap style of construction, you can’t really get that with toe ups! Would love to have a look at the book, thanks for the awesome post x
Socks need to be cuff down on DPNs. I’ve tried other ways (and actually plan on trying some other things – I’ve got Cat Bordhi’s New Pathways book) but I keep coming back to top down.
And Cleave looks beautiful. And the ruler looks pretty spiffy. And a lot of the socks in the book are really cool.
In answer to your question I usually knit them top down although I have trouble with stitching toes together with Kitchener stitch. I also do toe up if unsure I am going to have enough yarn. I devide the yarn in two and knit two at once using magic loop. I live in the uk which prohibits me from getting a prize unless you send me a PayPal invoice so I can reimburse you for the postage Maybe I too can be a lucky person then