Knitting Daily : free sock pattern ebook

The Joy of Toe-Up Socks

KD Sandi — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:37:00 GMT

Note from Sandi: There's more than one way to work a sock, as many long-time sock knitters will tell you. Most of us learn to make them by starting at the cuff--but if you find that this method isn't making you happy, then perhaps you could try knitting socks from the toe up. Here to explain this versatile and easy technique is an excerpt from Interweave Knits Summer 2007 by Ann Budd, author of Interweave's Getting Started Knitting Socks. Ann's a huge fan of handknit socks herself. (Ann's bio states that she has not worn a store-bought sock in years, and has never met a handknit sock she didn't like!) Here's Ann!

Working Socks From The Toe Up

In general, I like to knit socks from the top down, beginning with a cast-on at the top of the leg and ending with the Kitchener stitch at the tip of the toe. But sometimes it's practical (and preferable) to work in the opposite direction--from the tip of the toe to the top of the leg. With this method, you cast on stitches at the tip of the toe, work the foot to the desired length, work short-rows to shape the heel, then work the leg to the desired length, finishing with a flexible bind-off at the top of the leg. One advantage of the toe-up method is that you can try on the socks at any point along the way to make sure that they fit just right.

Another advantage of toe-up sock knitting is that the heel is shaped in short-rows without a heel flap or gussets. You won't have to count rows in the heel flap or pick up stitches for the gussets, which can be particularly helpful if you're working with a highly textured yarn that obscures individual stitches or you tend to have trouble seeing the stitches. And best of all for many knitters, when you work from the toe up, you don't have to work the Kitchener stitch.

Working socks from the toe up is also a good idea if you're worried about running out of yarn. Begin with two balls of equal size, one for each sock. Work the foot to the desired length while you have lots of yarn, then continue up the leg as far as you can before the ball runs out. This is a great way to economize with expensive yarn--buy a single ball for each sock and use every precious yard.

-- Ann Budd

The full version of this article, complete with detailed how-to information and stitch number charts, appears in the Summer 2007 issue of Interweave Knits. Check it out!

If you'd like a step-by-step guide to knitting socks, including size and gauge charts and basic stitch patterns, ask for Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd at your local yarn shop, or buy it here.

Want to try a toe-up sock?
Here's two great free toe-up sock patterns!

If you've never tried toe-up sock knitting before and want a great free sock pattern, there's two in our FREE sock pattern ebook!

The Caspian Sea Socks are a knockout, with an intricate colorwork design, down to the patterned soles. This free sock pattern comes complete with detailed full-color charts and step-by-step instructions.

The William Street Socks were designed based on Ann Budd's article mentioned above, and sport big thick cables which stretch to cushion your feet...or the feet of someone you love! This sock pattern is appropriate for either men or women, and is specially designed to fit larger feet--because everyone deserves a pair of handknit socks!

This easy sock pattern is available in our FREE sock pattern ebook:

Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Sandi Wiseheart is the founding editor of Knitting Daily. She is now the author of the popular Knitting Daily blog: What's on Sandi's Needles.

Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? Here are five of our top sock knitting downloads together in one FREE ebook for you.

So what kind of sock patterns are in this eBook? Let's see. There's a knitted lace sock pattern, a cabled sock pattern, a colorwork sock pattern, a men's sock pattern, and an easy beginner sock pattern. Something for everyone!!

Download Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Video: Come to the Knit-Out With Me!

KD Sandi — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:38:00 GMT

I might become a video nut. I bought a teensy weensy video camera recently, and suddenly, I'm realizing how much fun it is to send video emails to my family and friends, and take little videos of my new kitten...so when I went to the Knit-Out & Crochet 2009 event, sponsored by the Craft Yarn Council, last weekend, I was determined to videotape everything that moved. Knitting designers, famous authors, random knitters-in-the-aisles...no one was safe from my cute little video camera.
It was a blast. I got to interview Edie Eckman, designer of the gorgeous Santa Fe Shawl that appeared on the Summer 2008 cover of Interweave Crochet. I got to interview Debbie Macomber, the author of the Shop on Blossom Street books, and, yes, I did get to do some knitters-in-the-aisles tapings.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then perhaps a video is worth a thousand pictures? Click on the picture below to get a peek for yourself at some of the happenings at last weekend's Knit-Out & Crochet 2009!

Enjoy!

-- Sandi

(Please visit the site to view this media)

If you have trouble watching the video above, click here to view it.

Do you knit for charity? Need a little inspiration for your next afghan square or chemo cap? Knitting for charity can be deeply rewarding; throw in some interesting cables, a great lace pattern, and those simple afghan squares can become a knitting adventure! 101 Stitches to Knit is a boxed set of cards, each with a different stitch pattern clearly illustrated and explained. I love these cards, because you don't have to lug a big book around with you--you can just choose an interesting stitch, pop the card into your knitting bag, and your charity knitting is ready whenever and wherever you have a few minutes to work on it.

Purchase 101 Stitches to Knit

And for the crocheters out there, we have the crochet set: 101 Stitches to Crochet, with both basic stitches and crocheted motifs to choose from.

Look for 101 Stitches to Knit and 101 Stitches to Crochet at your local yarn shop, or buy them online from us.

Great Free Sock Pattern: William Street Socks

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? Try the William Street Socks! Big thick cables stretch to cushion your feet...or the feet of someone you love! This sock pattern is appropriate for either men or women, and is specially designed to fit larger feet--because everyone deserves a pair of handknit socks!

This easy sock pattern is available in our FREE sock pattern ebook:

Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

The William Street Socks are one of five of our top sock knitting downloads which are now together in one FREE ebook for you.

So what kind of sock patterns are in this eBook? Let's see. There's a knitted lace sock pattern, a colorwork sock pattern, a men's sock pattern, and an easy beginner sock pattern--in addition to the cabled William Street sock pattern. Something for everyone!

Download Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Sandi Wiseheart is the founding editor of Knitting Daily. She is now the author of the popular Knitting Daily blog: What's on Sandi's Needles.

Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? Here are five of our top sock knitting downloads together in one FREE ebook for you.

Download Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Finishing Tip: For Those Who Hate the Kitchener Stitch

KD Sandi — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:43:00 GMT

I don't have any magic words to help you get all your holiday knitting done on time. (Sorry about that.) However, I do have a nifty little grafting tip for those of you who love knitting socks but, like me, utterly despise the Kitchener Stitch. I ran this tip last year at Christmas time to help everyone finish up your holiday sock knitting projects, and so many folks have written in asking about it that I decided it was time to run it again, in the spirit of saving our collective gift-knitting sanity. This tip has helped me continue to love to knit socks (and to actually FINISH the socks!), so maybe it will save a few lonely hand-knit socks from the unfinished objects pile this year...

Grafting On The Needles

1. Knit until the point in the sock pattern the instructions tell you to graft together the final stitches.
2. Divide the remaining stitches evenly between two double-pointed needles.
3. Hold both needles parallel in your left hand, so that the working yarn is on your right, and is coming off the rightmost stitch on the back needle.
4. Cut the working yarn to a reasonable length, say, 12".
5. Using a third dpn, PURL the first stitch on the FRONT needle.
6. DROP the stitch off the left front needle, and pull the yarn all the way through the dropped stitch so that there is no longer a stitch on the right (working) needle.
7. KNIT the next stitch on the FRONT needle, but this time LEAVE the stitch on the left front needle; pull the yarn all the way through as before.
8. KNIT the first stitch on the BACK needle.
9. DROP the stitch off the left back needle and pull the yarn all the way through.
10. PURL the next stitch on the BACK needle.
11. LEAVE that stitch on the left back needle and pull the yarn all the way through.

Repeat Steps 5 through 11 until you get to the last two stitches; work these two stitches together as established and drop both stitches off the needles. Pull the yarn all the way through. Thread yarn onto a tapestry needle, bring yarn to inside of sock, and weave in ends, tacking down the last "ear" loops as needed. (You can pull any excess loopage to the inside to make tacking it down a bit prettier.)

I made up a little shortcut chant for my sock-knitting husband Nicholas to help him remember what to do when:

PURL FRONT OFF — purl first st on front needle, drop st off
KNIT FRONT ON — knit next st on front needle, leave st on
KNIT BACK OFF — knit first st on back needle, drop st off
PURL BACK ON — purl next st on back needle, leave st on

Hopefully Helpful Hints:

1. Keep your tension a bit on the loose side when you are pulling the yarn through each stitch. Then, when you get to the end, before you weave in the end, use your tapestry needle to adjust the tension of the grafting stitches so that they match the rest of your work.

2. When you are working your knits and purls, pass the working yarn under and between the two left needles, not over them.

This method has been such a sanity saver for me. I know everyone has their little grafting tricks, so if you have another good tip to share, leave a comment! (The more sanity this time of year, the better, right?)

-- Sandi

New Free Sock Pattern eBook: Introducing Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

I know, I know, it really is not fair to tempt you with one more pretty knitted sock pattern--let alone FIVE more pretty patterns!--when it is eight days before the Big Jolly Dude comes down the chimney, but the free pattern elves just couldn't contain themselves. I chose five of our top sock knitting downloads and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.

So what kind of sock patterns are in this eBook? Let's see. There's a knitted lace sock pattern, a cabled sock pattern, a colorwork sock pattern, a men's sock pattern, and an easy beginner sock pattern. Something for everyone!

Download Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I have 15 more rows before I start the border on my Leaf and Nupp Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush. (I love this pattern. Have I mentioned that I LOVE this pattern?)

Our Gift to You: Free Sock Knitting Pattern eBook

KD Sandi — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:23:00 GMT

Introducing Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

I don't have any magic words to help you get all your holiday knitting done on time. (Sorry about that.) But it's Friday, and since everyone around here is busy handing out gifts, I decided I wanted to have a gift for all my Knitting Daily friends, too.

And you know I am a sock knitting fiend. So the gift I came up with is a free eBook of sock patterns!

I know, I know, it really is not fair to tempt you with one more nifty pattern--let alone FIVE more nifty patterns!--when it is eight days before the Big Jolly Dude comes down the chimney, but the free pattern elves just couldn't contain themselves. (Are the free pattern elves kind of like Hogwarts house elves? I think they must be.) I chose five of our top sock knitting downloads on Knitting Daily and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.

So what kind of socks are in this eBook? Let's see. I tried to include a little something for everyone:

For the lace fiends amongst you, there's Ann Budd's delicate lacy Seduction Socks. For a cozy treat after shoveling the driveway, how about a pair of gorgeous colorwork socks--the Caspian Sea Socks by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts? For every day wear, or for the man in your life, there's the richly cabled William Street Socks by Lisa Shroyer: or the classicly textured Diagonal Rib Socks by Ann Budd. And for a quick, easy project, try the beginner sock pattern--large needles and large yarn!--called Comfy Socks, brought to you by the talented folks over at Knitscene magazine.

I hope this weekend finds you enjoying your family and friends--with perhaps a bit of knitting in hand--surrounded by warmth and joy.

-- Sandi

Download Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Last center repeat is done! Now I get to pick up, oh, 1400 stitches? and start the border on my Leaf and Nupp Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush. (I love this pattern. Have I mentioned that I LOVE this pattern?)

How to Become A Sock Knitting Addict

KD Sandi — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:55:00 GMT

Note from Sandi: I'm glad so many of you enjoyed our Dancing Knitted Socks video! (Some of you said it was fuzzy on your computer...here's a link for the high-res version.) So today, I thought it would be fun to hear from the person responsible for collecting all those beautiful handknit socks for us: Carol Sulcoski, author of Knitting Socks With Handpainted Yarn, the book where all those pretty knitted sock patterns came from. Heeeeerrrreee's Carol!

Hi. My name is Carol and I’m a sockhead.

Now, I don’t want everyone who’s ever attended a twelve-step group to email me – I mean no offense – but anyone who owns as much sock yarn as I do will have to entertain the possibility that there is something, well, addictive about sock knitting – particularly with handpainted yarn.

I wasn’t always a sockhead. When I first returned to knitting after a long hiatus, I busied myself with other projects – hats and scarves and baby sweaters. The concept of handknit socks puzzled me a bit: you could buy a pair of socks for a couple of bucks at just about any store. You had to use those teeny tiny double-pointed needles and that skinny little yarn that I found so hard to juggle. And when all was said and done, they were for your grungy old feet, right?

Gentle readers, I was so wrong in so many ways.

Let’s take my misconceptions one by one.

Double-pointed needles. I happen to be one of those klutzes for whom double-pointed needles present only opportunities for stabbing oneself. I never got to the point where I felt comfortable using them, and I always seemed to forget to switch needles or to get unsightly ladders at the place where the needles joined. Enter the two-circular method of knitting in the round. It was a sock knitting epiphany. All of a sudden, I really enjoyed knitting little tubes for cuffs or sleeves. The switch from DPNs to circulars was all I needed to make sock knitting seem enticing and exciting.

Thin yarns. Ha, ha! Do I really need to blather on more about the joys of fine yarns (see, e.g., my book Knit So Fine)? Well, if you still need convincing, I’ve got one word for you: handpaints. If the sight of a skein of Koigu, or Socks That Rock, or Dream in Color, or Black Bunny Fibers doesn’t get your knitter’s blood flowing, then perhaps you don’t have a pulse!

Cheap machine-made options. It is true that you can buy socks for a pittance at any big-box retailer. I say to this: So what? You can also buy big white nylon underpants that go all the way up to your armpits for a pittance at a big-box retailer, and I wouldn’t want to wear them.

But you put them on your feet! Well, far be it from me to cure feet-y squeamishness in one little blog post. I throw out this thought: your feet carry you around all day, and nothing, nothing feels better on them than a pair of socks you’ve knit yourself, custom-fit to your very own feet and all their quirks. Got a wide foot like me? Increase a couple of stitches at the foot. Long legs? Knit longer socks and/or longer cuffs. Lose a few toes in an unfortunate hunting accident? A few artful decreases will take care of that problem. Maybe it’s a chicken or the egg problem: if you start taking care of those poor feet, clothing them in a glorious colorway of Koigu, maybe they won’t seem so gnarly and grungy. (Or you can at least cover them up with some gorgeous yarn so the rest of us don’t have to look at them.)

And as if all of the above reasons weren’t enough to entice you, then I suggest you take a look at the beautiful, creative designs my colleagues and I have come up with in KSWHY. Whether your taste is bold (like Lorna Miser’s Flamethrowers) or demure (like Ann Budd’s Punctuated Rib socks), whether you like swirling eyelets (which you’ll find in Charlene Schurch’s Schooner Socks) or simple stranded patterns (as in Courtney Kelley’s Corrugated Stripe Socks), you’re sure to find an enticing design that will help you make the most of your handpainted yarn stash. (Or you can even find a pattern to help use up those odds and ends of leftover handpaints, like Véronik Avery’s Staccato Socks.)

Before you know it, you too will be saying “My name is __________ and I am a sockhead.”

-- Carol

About The Stars of Our Show!

The stars of Monday's Dancing Knitted Socks movie are no ordinary socks, you understand. These are 21 pairs of handknit socks, each pair knit from handpainted yarns. These socks are new, never-before-seen sock designs, from eighteen designers like Veronik Avery, Lorna Miser, Chrissy Gardiner, Ann Budd, Nancy Bush, Patricia Gibson-Roberts, Charlene Schurch...you know. All the Sock Greats.

Where can you find these beautiful sock patterns? In our brand-new, just-out-today book Knitting Socks With Handpainted Yarn, by Carol Sulcoski. Not only are there patterns, there is also a ton of great information from Carol about how to make best use of all those gorgeous handpainted yarns we all drool over in the shops. She tells us what to look for in a yarn, and how to make sure you get pretty results and not weird results like pooling or strange stripes--in any kind of project, not just in knitted socks!

Check your local yarn shop to see if they have a copy you can get your hands on right away, or order a copy online from us.

Sandi Wiseheart is the founding editor of Knitting Daily. She is now the author of the popular Knitting Daily blog: What's on Sandi's Needles.

Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? Here are five of our top sock knitting downloads together in one FREE ebook for you.

Download Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need A Laugh? Monday Sock Video Time!

KD Sandi — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:25:00 GMT

Today, I've got a treat for you that ought to put a smile on your face and get your toes a-tappin'. Especially if your toes happen to be wearing handknitted socks...

I'm kind of hesitant to spoil the fun for you by telling you anything about today's video before you see it. Except that...it stars twenty-one pairs of gorgeous handknit socks, and it's not a how-to video, and it's not a technique video. It's All About The Socks. I think the plot involves a pool table, and some dancing, and an action shot in front of a karate school....or something like that. (I may have been laughing too hard to see clearly at that point.) It's about time some pretty handknit socks got a movie of their own, don't you think?

Anyway, just trust me on this one. Click the photo below to view the video, and then sit back and, well. Don't be drinking any hot liquids while you're watching it. (Don't say I didn't warn you.)

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Having problems viewing this video? See it here!

-- Sandi

About The Stars of Our Show!

The stars of this movie are no ordinary socks, you understand. These are 21 pairs of handknit socks, each pair knit from handpainted yarns. These socks are new, never-before-seen sock designs, from nineteen designers like Veronik Avery, Lorna Miser, Chrissy Gardiner, Ann Budd, Nancy Bush, Patricia Gibson-Roberts, Charlene Schurch...you know. All the Sock Greats.

Where can you find these beautiful sock patterns? In our brand-new, just-out-today book Knitting Socks With Handpainted Yarn, by Carol Sulcoski. Not only are there patterns, there is also a ton of great information from Carol about how to make best use of all those gorgeous handpainted yarns we all drool over in the shops. She tells us what to look for in a yarn, and how to make sure you get pretty results and not weird results like pooling or strange stripes--in any kind of project, not just in knitted socks!

Check your local yarn shop to see if they have a copy you can get your hands on right away, or order a copy online from us.

Great Free Sock Pattern eBook:
Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? I've chosen five of our top sock knitting downloads and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles this week? Still knitting away on the Leaf and Nupp Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush. 17 out of the 21 repeats I want for the center section are now completed; then I have the four-sided border to do. What do you think? Can I finish this scarf in time for Christmas? (My mom reads this. Everyone say "Yes, of course you can finish by Christmas!" very loudly.)

A Stretchier Bind-Off

KD Sandi — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:12:00 GMT

I showed you a really great cast-on for toe-up socks on Monday...but what do you do when you get to the cuff and need to bind off? Lots of folks, myself included, get a little tight-fisted when it comes to binding off, and it's a bit demoralizing to knit a beautiful sock that fits you perfectly... that is, it would fit you perfectly if you could get the cuff edge on over your heel!

There are a couple of bind-offs you can use to loosen things up a bit. One of them, the sewn bind-off, is described in Gila Shoshany's Beyond the Basics in the new Fall Knits. (You can sign up to become a subscriber here.)

Today, I thought I'd show you another one of my favorite flexible bind-offs, one that I've used for neck edges, sleeve edges, and even sock cuffs. This bind-off is so flexible that many people use it when binding off lace projects, as regular bind-offs, being a tighter than the lacy stuff surrounding them, can distort the edges of the lace. This bind-off is thus often referred to as the lace bind-off, but many people also call it the decrease bind-off.

Step-By-Step Instructions for the Decrease (or Lace) Bind-off

Version A: Knitting through the back loops

This version gives a bind-off edge that looks just like a standard bind-off, but it is much stretchier.

Step 1: Knit together the first two stitches on the left needle THROUGH THE BACK LOOP. (Figure 1)

Step 2: Slip the new stitch on the right needle back to the left needle. (Figure 2)

Step 3: Repeat 1 and 2 until all stitches are bound off. Notice how the bind-off edge is nearly indistiguishable from your normal bind-off, but give it a tug and you'll see how much more flexible it is. (Figure 3)

Version B: Knitting through the front loops

The finished edge of this version looks slightly different but is just as stretchy as the other version. Which to use when? I'd say it's a matter of personal taste.

Step 1: Knit together the first two stitches on the left needle. (Figure 4)

Step 2: Slip the new stitch on the right needle back to the left needle.

Step 3: Repeat these two steps until all stitches are bound off. Notice that I show two samples in (Figure 5); the stitches are worked exactly the same way in both, but in the sample on the right, I used bright green yarn for the bind-off row so that you could see the finished effect more clearly.

Note that you can also use a variation of this bind-off on the purl side of a garment: Either *P2tog, slip new stitch to left needle; repeat to end--OR *P2tog tbl, slip new stitch to left needle; repeat to end.

All right then: Go forth and bind off--or, if you use the British nomenclature: Cast off!

Editor's Picks

A reprint of Ann Budd's classic technical article on bind-offs is included in the book The Best of Interweave Knits (buy the book here), along with ten other must-have techniques from our Beyond the Basics series in Interweave Knits. Subscribe to Interweave Knits to receive dozens of great patterns in addition to technique articles by some of the top names in the business.

One of my favorite all-time knitting "helpers" is The Knitter's Companion, a book filled with step-by-step illustrated instructions on everything from cast-ons to bind-offs and everything knitting inbetween! Need a reminder on how to graft a sock toe, or how to sew a shoulder seam without it looking all lumpy-bumpy? Then The Knitter's Companion is going to be your new best friend. Add the Knitter's Companion to your library today!

Of course you can buy these books online, but don't forget to give your local yarn shop some love--and your business!

Sandi Wiseheart is the founding editor of Knitting Daily. She is now the author of the popular Knitting Daily blog: What's on Sandi's Needles.

Knitting Lace: Knitting Daily Presents 7 Free Knitted Lace Patterns

Are you addicted to lace knitting? Or maybe you've admired some of the gorgeous knitted lace patterns out there and want to give lace knitting a try? Here are seven of Interweave's top knitted lace patterns, gathered together in one FREE ebook for you.

Whether you are a first time lace knitter, or a seasoned expert, you'll enjoy the timeless beauty of knitting lace. Get these stunning projects that will continue to inspire, and be loved for generations to come. You'll want to make every one of these lace patterns, so download your free eBook now and get started (and don't forget to tell a friend so they can enjoy their own copy!)

Download Your Free Lace Patterns Today

Exploring a Tricky Cast-On For Toe-Up Socks

KD Sandi — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:12:00 GMT

Eastern Cast On

I was flipping through the final proofs of the new Fall Knits with a colleague who is a beginning knitter, and when I got to the chapter on different cast-ons and bind-offs, she looked mildly puzzled and said, "You mean there's more than one?"

When we are beginners, we learn The One True Cast-on, and the One True Bind-off (and of course, these vary depending on who is teaching you), and we may happily use these, and only these, for most of our knitting lives. However, yes, Virginia, there is indeed a variety of different cast-ons and bind-offs, each one with a particular talent, if you will--each one does something a bit better than all its fellow COs and BOs. The article in the new Knits presents "invisible" cast-ons and bind-offs, which give the impression that your stitches simply weave back upon themselves, leaving a lovely, flexible edge that does not take away from the beauty of your stitching. (Sign up for a subscription to Knits so you never miss any of these great technical articles!)

I noticed that one of the other patterns in Fall Knits uses another very special cast-on, one that frequently drives knitters to distraction when they try to figure it out: the Eastern cast-on. This cast-on, found in the Bacchus Socks, is used at the toe-end of toe-up socks; you can also use it at the fingertip end of mittens worked top-down, or any place where you need to start out working in the round with a small number of stitches on either side of a "pretend seam"--as in the bottom of a bag, for example. So let's take a little walk-through of this useful cast-on, which as usual, looks harder than it really is.

Step-by-step photo tutorial for the Eastern cast-on

If you want to play along, you'll need three double-pointed needles and some practice yarn.

Step 1: Hold two of the needles in the palm of your left hand, parallel to one another, with just a smidge of space between them. (Don't clamp them together, but don't have more than a bit of breathing space between them either.)

Step 2: Start with the tail end of the yarn under both needles, to the far left of both needles, so that the working end is at the top. You may find it helpful to anchor the tail between two fingers just so it knows who's boss. (Figure 1)

Step 3: Begin wrapping the working yarn around both needles: from the top down over the front, then up behind the needles, and so on. Do this until you have 8 loops over the fronts of the needles; end with the working yarn over the front of the needles so it is at the bottom. (Figure 2)

Step 4: Bring the working yarn up behind the lower needle and into the space between both needles. (Figure 3)

Step 5: Scootch the 8 loops close together, and give a little tug to both the tail and the working end to even up the tension. You're ready to knit! Using the third dpn, knit the first loop on the top needle using the working yarn (you can release it from its place between the needles to do this). Pull the stitch off of the top needle ONLY; leave the bottom half of the loop on the bottom needle. TIP: I find it helps to move the top needle back so that its point is at least an inch away from the point of the lower needle out in front. This way, I can easily drop the stitch off the top needle without accidentally dropping it off the bottom needle. (Figure 4)

Step 6: Knit across all 8 loops on the top needle in this fashion, until you have 8 stitches on the third dpn and no loops left on the original top needle. TIP: Hold the yarn tail in place, particular on the last couple of loops. If they get all loosey-goosey on you, tug that tail until they behave. You're the boss. EZ says so, remember. (Figure 5)

Step 7: You now have a new top needle with 8 pretty new stitches, and the original bottom needle with the bottoms of the original loops. Rotate the entire shebang clockwise so that the bottom needle is now the top and vice versa. Scoot the stitches to the other ends of the needles, scoot the top needle back so the tip is about an inch back from the bottom tip. (Figure 6)

Step 8: Twisting the working yarn around the tail (on the back/wrong side of the work): Hold the tail to the right, and the working yarn to the left (refer to Figure 6 again), then bring the working yarn up around the back so it is in place for knitting, thereby catching the tail under the working yarn. Voila! That pesky tail stays in place. Now, knit across the loops on the (new) top needle, dropping the stitches off of the top needle only as before. Don't be afraid to adjust the tension by tugging on the tail or the working yarn as needed. (You still Da Boss.) Figure 7 shows how the right side will look when you are finished; Figure 8 is how the wrong side will look when you are finished. Take a look at what you have--it's a toe tip! Knit on to sock glory, my friends, knit on.

Sandi recommends

Each issue, Interweave Knits publishes an outstanding technical article in a series called Beyond the Basics. Eleven of the best Beyond the Basics (many from sold-out issues) have been updated and reprinted in the book The Best of Interweave Knits--including Ann Budd's classic article on cast-ons. Other technical articles in the book cover increasing, decreasing, short-rows, and blocking, because after all: Knits isn't just a magazine filled with beautiful patterns, it's also a great source of information that will help you learn to be a better knitter. Sign up to subscribe to Interweave Knits and then buy the Best of Interweave Knits to own some of the best patterns and technical articles from the past ten years.

Great Free Sock Pattern eBook:
Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? I've chosen five of our top sock knitting downloads and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily. She is flying along on the Camisa (dang, that's pretty yarn!!), and hopes to be able to wear it for you before she leaves for Canada!

The Booties Are Back! The Booties Are Back!

KD Sandi — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:15:00 GMT


	Gryhon Perkins' Old World Booties

By popular demand, we have made arrangements to bring back the Old World Booties pattern by Gryphon Perkins. (Free download! Whoo!) These booties are so cute, and so unusual, that I asked Gryphon to write a little bit about what inspired her to design these felted, playful shoesies for little folk.

Here's what Gryphon had to say:

Little feet, and the desire to have them in my life, were heavily on my mind when I designed these booties, so they came about as a 'build it and they will come' mojo. (I'm happy to report that it worked beautifully.) They've also played a great role in launching my design career, as a sort of hit single, so the original pairs hold a place of honour on a shelf in the living room.

Medieval-inspired patterns were a natural place for me to start since my first forays into the textile world were in the realm of historical, especially medieval and renaissance, costuming. I love the idea of adapting historical styles to fun and playful kids clothes and enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to reinvent non-knit styles for knitters. Be adventurous with these booties - try your own colour changes (alternating colours on the tassles? stripes?) or variations on the shapes (lace-up backs? taller serf booties?), or even scaling them up for big people feet!

The Old World Booties pattern danced their way into our online store. -- Sandi

The adorable Old World Booties!

Sandi Wiseheart is the founding editor of Knitting Daily. She is now the author of the popular Knitting Daily blog: What's on Sandi's Needles.

Baby Patterns from Knitting Daily: 7 FREE Baby Knitting Patterns

This FREE downloadable eBook consists of seven of Interweave’s best-loved baby knitting patterns. Knitting for babies is fun for you, and appreciated by those who enjoy the finished product. Knit your favorite free baby patterns today—smiles are guaranteed. Download your copy (and don’t forget to tell a friend so they can enjoy their own copy!).

Download Your Free eBook Today

A Last-Minute Finishing Trick For You

KD Sandi — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Ann Budd's Broken Cable Rib Socks

I don't have any magic words to help you get all your holiday knitting done on time. (Sorry about that.) However, I do have a nifty little grafting tip for those of you, who like me, completely and utterly despise the Kitchener Stitch.

Up until a few years ago, I literally whimpered every time I had to face those cursed Kitcheners. Since grafting has been voted the most comfy sock seam by all ten of my sensitive little toes, poor Nicholas, when finishing the Broken Cable Rib Socks for me, gamely attempted the K-stitch several times, until finally I showed him a trick some kind knitter had once shown me: how to graft on the needles.

This holiday season, in the spirit of saving our collective gift-kintting sanity, I now pass on this wonderful tip to all of you.

Grafting On The Needles

Step 1: Knit your socks to the point where the instructions tell you to graft together the final stitches.
Step 2: Divide the remaining stitches evenly between two double-pointed needles.
Step 3: Hold both needles parallel in your left hand, so that the working yarn is on your right, and is coming off the rightmost stitch on the back needle.
Step 4: Cut the working yarn to a reasonable length, say, 12".
Step 5: Using a third dpn, PURL the first stitch on the FRONT needle.
Step 6: DROP the stitch off the left front needle, and pull the yarn all the way through the dropped stitch so that there is no longer a stitch on the right (working) needle.
Step 7: KNIT the next stitch on the FRONT needle, but this time LEAVE the stitch on the left front needle; pull the yarn all the way through as before.
Step 8: KNIT the first stitch on the BACK needle.
Step 9: DROP the stitch off the left back needle and pull the yarn all the way through.
Step 10: PURL the next stitch on the BACK needle.
Step 11: LEAVE that stitch on the left back needle and pull the yarn all the way through.

I made up a little shortcut chant for Nicholas to help him remember what to do when:

Hopefully Helpful Hints:
Keep your tension a bit on the loose side when you are pulling the yarn through each stitch. Then, when you get to the end, before you weave in the end, use your tapestry needle to adjust the tension of the grafting stitches so that they match the rest of your work. When you are working your knits and purls, pass the working yarn under and between the two left needles, not over them.

This method has been such a sanity saver for me. I know everyone has their little grafting tricks, so if you have another good tip to share, leave a comment! We could all use a little knitting sanity right about now...

New in the Store: Annetrelac Socks

New to the Store: Annetrelac Socks!

We're still pulling patterns out of the sold-out Holiday Knits 2007 issue to put into the KD Pattern Store, and today, in honor of the flood of requests for them, we have loaded up the Annetrelac Socks for you! I know, I know, it really is not fair to tempt you with one more pretty pair of socks when it is six days before the Big Jolly Dude comes down the chimney, but lots and lots of folks have been asking for this one. More to come as soon as the KD Store elves can convert the patterns and load 'em up!

Great Free Sock Pattern eBook:
Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? I've chosen five of our top sock knitting downloads and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Ten (!) inches of the Gathered Pullover; a pair of socks on two circulars with partial heel flaps, and ten inches of the hood of my husband's cabled hoodie. Whoo! Progress!

Knitting From the Heart

KD Sandi — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

I have already received, and am already wearing, the best holiday present I can imagine: A pair of cabled socks knitted for me by my husband Nicholas.

Happy feet!

I'd like to point out that Sir Nicholas has only been knitting for a couple of years: His very first knitting project ever was a pair of textured socks for himself, knit at nine stitches to the inch. (This man knows no fear; he learned how to cast on, then right away wanted to tackle heel-turning, gussets, and teensy needles, saying that scarves and cat blankets were "not enough of a challenge.") Once that project was done, he bought himself a cable needle, and began a project that has taken him more than eighteen months to finish, busy university professor that he is: This pair of green cabled socks. For me.

He knit at night, after fifteen hour days of teaching, grading, and meeting with undergrads. He knit on the bus, to and from his job in Canada's lovely city of Toronto. He knit on the plane, on his way to and from visits home to Colorado to see me. He ripped out the grafts at the toe twice at the last minute because "they weren't good enough." And when he gave the finished socks to me earlier this month, I could see him holding his breath...after all, he was giving the gift of knitting to a knitter, a daring proposition at best.

Sir Nicholas, Master of Socks

I am so proud of him. You'll know this if you come anywhere near me, because more likely than not, I'll pull my shoes off and stick my feet in the air the better to show off his even, cabled stitches.

The socks are gorgeous. They are warm. They fit me perfectly. They are one of my favorite Christmas gifts ever, for there is love in every stitch. My feet are not only wrapped in really rockin' yarn (Louet Gems; Nicholas has great taste!), they're wrapped in love, my husband's love for me.

Handmade gifts shine like no other. I would rather wear the socks that Nicholas made than any fine silk stockings, any fancy designer shoes, any techno-widget hiking socks sold anywhere.

I'm wearing love on my feet. Now, THAT's what I call happy feet.

How many of you are wrapping those you cherish in handknit love this holiday? It doesn't matter if you won't get the knitting (or the crocheting) done by The Day; it just matters that stitch by stitch, we knitters and crocheters have a tangible way, beyond tiny lights and reindeer hats, to spread the real meaning of the season from one hand—and one heart—to another.

Free! Broken Cable Rib Socks

Where can I get the pattern for the green socks?

Nicholas chose the Broken Cable Rib Sock pattern by Ann Budd (without any help from me, I might add—I was wondering what he was doing rummaging through all my books and magazines that weekend!). This pattern has been unavailable for a while, and so now, in honor of the love that goes into every handmade gift, we're proud to offer the Broken Cable Rib Socks as this week's free pattern—our Christmas gift to you.

Now in the Store: The Koolhaas Hat

Kool In The Haas!

Many, many of you have written to tell us how sad you are that Knits Holiday 2007 is already sold out; one pattern in particular is being requested, over and over: Jared Flood's Koolhaas Hat. Soooooo...Our Interweave elves worked a few extra hours to pull that one out of the archives and load it up into the Knitting Daily Pattern Store for you! A portion of the $4.50 sales price goes directly to the designer, as with all patterns sold in the KD Store. We're thrilled to have this new way to help support our fine designers AND to make out-of-print patterns available to everyone who wants them.

Great Free Sock Pattern eBook:
Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? I've chosen five of our top sock knitting downloads and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Ten (!) inches of the Gathered Pullover; a pair of socks on two circulars with partial heel flaps, and eight inches of the hood of my husband's cabled hoodie. Yes, still only eight inches of the hood. I've run into a Gnarly Bit—hubby's neck is so long that I have to add two inches of cables to an intricate, non-repeating, ever-branching motif. Have I mentioned this is my second cable project ever? Have I mentioned it's his Christmas present? Have I mentioned I'm insane?

Solving Common Knitting Problems: Losing The Ladders

KD Sandi — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

My elderly, but lovely, lace socks

Thirteen years ago, I started the Lacey Arrow Socks from the book Socks. I gleefully ordered itty-bitty size 0 needles, and the finest of creamy, laceweight silk-merino yarn. When the yarn arrived, as I recall, I sat down and cast on for the first sock almost as soon as the package was opened.

13 years later, I have a problem. In reviewing my UFO collection, I found the partial sock tucked away in a box. I put it on, and discovered just how much my knitting skills have improved in the intervening years.

The lacey half-sock, though lovely, has noticeable "ladders" at the places where one needle met another. A quick check of the last bazillion pairs of socks I have knit in more recent years confirmed: I've managed to Lose The Ladders. And since many of you have written in asking about this particular problem, I thought I'd share my lofty wisdom on the subject:

Pull. The. Yarn. Tight.

That's it, folks. That's the entire extent of my expertise on Losing The Ladders. I just give the yarn a little extra-special tug after I knit the first stitch of each needle, and presto, no more ladders. I think the only trick here is a mental one: pull a weensy bit harder than you think you should.

See the ladders? Allll the way down the sock!

Why does this work? Ladders are caused by too much yarn between the last stitch on one needle and the first stitch on the next, so a firm little tug ensures that there is no "extra" yarn. It might help to take a closer look at the other stitches on your needles so you can see just how tiny that little strand between stitches is supposed to be. Some knitters tug until the needles are gently touching each other—experiment a little to find the proper "pull" to use in your particular style of knitting.

By the way: The same rule applies whether you are using dpns, two circulars, or the Magic Loop method to knit your socks with.

If you need a little mantra to help you remember how to lose the ladders: Tell yourself to "give the yarn an extra tug so the stitches will be nice and snug."

A bit corny, perhaps, but hey: Whatever it takes.

Coming up on Knitting Daily:

In the weeks ahead, we'll have more polls, sweater galleries that will help you know what sweaters will look good on YOU, and some special guest bloggers. Oh, and stay tuned along the way for further installments of The Lace Socks Saga, as I try to figure out how to finish a pair of socks where the knitting is lovely, but as we are beginning to see above, more than a wee bit flawed.

Great Free Sock Pattern eBook:
Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? I've chosen five of our top sock knitting downloads and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Mwhaaaaa...FOURTEEN UFOS! The pullover for my husband is nearing the armholes, and of course, a certain pair of lace socks.

Lots of Socks--And Lots of YOU!

KD Sandi — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 06:00:00 GMT

When I first came to work at Interweave, I found out that my officemate was to be none other than the one and only Ann Budd, author of one of my most well-loved knitting books: The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns.

I was petrified. They might as well have put me in the same office with Maya Angelou, or Barbara Kingsolver (or the Dixie Chicks, but somehow it's tough to picture the Dixie Chicks in a cubicle of any sort). I mean: Ann Budd was going to be sitting a mere six feet away from me for eight hours a day, five days a week. What if I said something stupid? What if I knitted something stupid?

Fortunately, it turned out that Ann is just about the most down-to-earth, delightful co-worker one could ever ask for--not to mention that it was a little bit like sharing an office with the Sock Fairy. Every time I turned around, she had finished yet one more new and wonderful pair of socks and had them hanging on blocking boards that she pinned up on the wall. I walked past these sockly wonders each time I went to my desk, and I'd secretly reach out and pet them as I passed by, admiring the lovely, even stitches, the intricate patterns, the elegant way she picked up stitches, turned her heels, and grafted the toes closed. It was fun to see how those "bulletin board socks" would later turn up, beautifully photographed, in the pages of Knits, or a sock book, or PieceWork. It was like watching a bit of knitting history in the making.

Anyway, now that I've known Ann for three years, I'm thrilled to get to share her sock savvy with all of you! So, without further ado....

The Ann Budd Mini-Interview: Part 2

Sandi: Do you have a top, all-time-favorite sock tip to share?

Ann: My favorite tip is to count rows from the cast-on row to the beginning of the heel flap, and again from the gusset pick-up round to the beginning of the toe decreases so you can be sure to make the second sock match. I usually place removable stitch markers (or safety pins) every 10 or 20 rows so I don't have to count so much (sometimes I lose concentration). Then I just count markers.

Getting Started Knitting Socks

Sandi: How many socks did you knit in the course of writing the book?

Ann: In addition to the 26 pairs that appear in the book, I also knitted a couple that didn't work out as nicely as I planned and I knitted a few pairs of socks from the toe-up, but we ended up cutting that entire section because we ran out of pages.

Sandi: How long does it take you to knit a sock?

Ann: That depends on the size, gauge, and stitch pattern. I can crank out a pair of baby socks in an evening if I have to. But it usually takes me two to three evenings to knit an adult sock. If I'm up against a deadline, I can knit a pair in a weekend.

Some of the socks Ann knitted for the book

Hold on a minute... How many socks did Ann knit for Getting Started Knitting Socks? I just did some quick math. Ann says that 26 pairs of socks made it into the book. She doesn't give exact numbers for the ones that didn't make it in, but let's make conservative guesses: let's say that two pairs that didn't come out as planned, and oh, maybe two pairs of toe-up socks had to be cut. That's at total of 26 + 2 + 2 = 30 pairs, or 60 socks for one book!!

Let's all take a moment and say: "THANK YOU, ANN!" for all those hours and hours of knitting so we could have so much sock wisdom at our fingertips. Ah, the things we knitters do for knitting knowledge...

Several of you asked for more details of what's inside Getting Started Knitting Socks. Clara Parkes, editor of Knitter's Review, has a nice little tour of the book's contents on her site. You can also use our own nifty online techie widget to take a peek inside.

Knitting Daily Has Doubled!

Thanks to your overwhelming enthusiasm, Knitting Daily has more than doubled in membership since we launched in June. All of us here at Interweave Press want to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who have joined us on this daily adventure into our shared love of knitting.

Of course, this rapid growth has knocked our hand-knitted socks off here in more ways than one. The Knitting Daily team feels a bit like folks who threw a party for their family, and ended up with the entire town in their backyard! Everyone's having a great time, but we admit: It's been a bit of a scramble to keep up. We haven't had enough hands on deck to do everything we've wanted to do. (It's the strangest thing. I've discovered I can't knit bust dart swatches and type at the same time! I know: Shocking.) On top of that, there are those pesky "technical difficulties" I mentioned on Wednesday. (Think of it as having the whole town show up, only to find that your BBQ is having a hissy fit.)

So for all those who are wondering where the bust dart tutorial is, what happened to this or that improvement to the website, and why we aren't answering all your emails---we ask for your patience! We'll get to everything on our list (and yours!), as soon as we call the caterer, get more chairs, and have a few more folks around to put on aprons and serve the iced tea. (Oh, and fix up that BBQ.)

However ... we've managed to get you a couple of things on your wish list:

Ambrosia Socks

Ta-DA!! You Asked For It!

More yarn information!: Many, many of you have asked for expanded yarn information to aid you in substituting yarns in our patterns. This week, starting with the Ambrosia Socks, we are adding two new pieces of information to each pattern: wraps per inch, and yarn weight ("bulky" "fingering" and so on). We'll be going back and gradually adding this information to existing Knitting Daily patterns (that will take a bit of time!). But from now on, you will find these two additional pieces of information in the Yarn section of each new pattern PDF, as well as on the pattern information page.

More patterns per page: One of the things you asked for most often on Knitting Daily was to increase the number of patterns displayed per page in the Free Pattern Library. There are now 10 patterns displayed at a time. I hope this helps you to browse the library more easily.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles today? The front of the Bonsai Tunic by Norah Gaughan. I've divided for the V-neck, and am coming up fast on the armhole shaping--whoo!

Great Free Sock Pattern eBook:
Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? I've chosen five of our top sock knitting downloads and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.

Ann Budd's Special Brand of Sock Magic

KD Sandi — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Ah, technology. As Mary Chapin Carpenter sang, "Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug." Our server-hosting company had some technical difficulties this week, which meant that we were unable to do our regular Monday post. Sorry about that. The technogeeks have been working very hard to resolve things, and so now: Weeeee're baaaaaack! Thanks for your patience and for all the nice emails you sent to check to make sure that we were OK!

But Sandi--WHAT DID WE MISS? Monday's post was going to be a mini-buffet of goodies for you. Don't worry, you won't miss out! I'm re-arranging things so that I can include at least one of Monday's goodies in each post over the week or two.

This Week: Socks And More Socks!

Socks. These humble articles of knitwear seem to inspire a full range of emotions in your comments, from fear ("I'm scared of all those needles and of that HEEL!"), to love ("I'm a sockaholic!") and for a select few, on into dislike ("Please NO MORE SOCK PATTERNS. Enough already! Some of us don't like knitting them, so please stop going on and on about them so much.").

For those of you in the Sock Dislike camp: No worries--we'll make sure there's something for everyone on Knitting Daily over time. As long as you're here, though: While we Sock Fans are chatting, maybe you could go have a look at the Browse By Topics section, find something you do like, and then leave a comment to tell me what it was so you can have your turn, too!

Blocking Socks

The subject of socks came up during our blocking tutorial, when dozens of you asked how to block your socks. I started typing out answers for you, and then realized that it would be much more fun to hear from Interweave's very own sock lover, and author of Getting Started Knitting Socks, Ann Budd.

Here's what Ann Budd has to say on blocking socks:

Sandi: Do you have to block socks?

Ann: Not unless you plan to give them as a gift or have them photographed for publication. Any misshapen stitches will even themselves out after you've worn the sock for about an hour. Besides, they're socks. They go on your feet. In your shoes. No one should be looking that closely at your feet.

Sandi: Do you have to re-block socks every time you wash them?

Ann: The act of washing them actually blocks them. Just squeeze out as much water as possible, then pat them flat on a clean towel to air-dry.

Sandi: Do you have to use sock blockers if you block socks--can you pat them flat, or pin them out, instead?

Ann: You don't have to use sock blockers, but if you've knitted a pair of heavily textured (i.e., cabled or lace) socks, blockers are a nice way to give them a uniform look. Like I said before, I usually just pat them flat. I wouldn't use pins because pins can leave tell-tail scallops that might show even when the sock is stretched on your leg or foot.

On Friday we'll have more "sock talk" from Ann!

Not Just For Beginners: Getting Started Knitting Socks

As you can tell from the above interview, Ann's "a trip," as my Southern mother-in-law Marilyn would say. She appears quiet and reserved, but she can have an entire conference room in giggles in a nanosecond. She's one of the world's truly delightful people.

Free Pattern: Ambrosia Socks

She's also a wicked talented sock knitter, and this fall, she's sharing her Sock Smarts with all of us in a new book, Getting Started Knitting Socks. Personally, I think this book needs a subtitle: "The Book For All Those Who Love Knitting Socks." It's got so much good stuff in it, that it would be a shame if folks thought it was just for beginners! In addition to the step-by-step instructions (with photos! pretty photos!), there are loads of useful charts, tips, and of course, patterns. There are basic sock "recipes" for the five most common gauges of yarn used. There are expanded recipes for adding texture, color, and lace to the basic recipes. And then there are tips on heels, toes, and everything in-between.

I'm buying a personal copy of this book, and I've been knitting socks for decades. But let's say that you're a sock-knitting newbie, and you're terrified of things like turning the heel and grafting. If that's you, then this book is like having Ann sitting next to you, patiently going over every question you could possibly come up with.

At this point, there are those amongst you who might be thinking, "Sure, Sandi. You're saying those nice things because you work for Interweave and they pay you to say that sort of thing."

I do work for Interweave. But the REASON I came to work for Interweave in the first place is that I was an Interweave customer for more than ten years, and a subscriber to four of their magazines long before I ever sent in my resume. I came here because I love what Interweave does, and I wanted to be part of it. However: I don't have to convince you. Thanks to the wonders of technology, we can give you a sneak peek inside Getting Started Knitting Socks so you can decide for yourself.

But: I bet you're going to LOVE it.

This Week's Featured Pattern: Ambrosia Socks

To give you a little taste of Ann's lovely sort of sock magic, our featured pattern this week is Ambrosia Socks. These were Ann's brainchild for the staff project for the almost-here (almost!!) Fall 2007 issue of Interweave Knits magazine. Cast on for these socks, and before you know it, Fall Knits will be here!

Great Free Sock Pattern eBook:
Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? I've chosen five of our top sock knitting downloads and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles today? The front of the Bonsai Tunic by Norah Gaughan. Yes. Still knitting this. It's been a busy week....!

Why The Comfy Socks Are Lonely

KD Sandi — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 06:00:00 GMT

More than 300 of you wrote in to say why you thought the Comfy Socks were a bit lonely. The two factors mentioned most often were the bulky yarn/large gauge used in the pattern, and --surprisingly--the photograph.

The bulky yarn part made sense--most of you felt that these socks wouldn't fit inside your shoes, and even if they did, they would be thick and thus decidedly Un-Comfy. I agree that these are really more around-the-house-socks than they are wear-inside-your-sneakers socks.

What surprised me was the overwhelming feedback about the photo--and how much detail you gave in your critiques. I cannot tell you how valuable those comments were to all of us here--so thanks to each and every one of you who wrote in.

Here's what we learned--and I say "we," because I am going to share your comments with the magazine and book editors here so we all can keep your feedback in mind at the next photoshoot!

What everyone pointed out was how "bunched up" the heel looked on the sock worn by our gentleman model. This made it look as though the sock did not fit well, particularly through the heel. And who wants to knit a sock that doesn't fit well?

You also noted that the photo was taken so far back that you couldn't really see any of the details of the sock; the colorful yarn, although pretty, also obscured what the sock looked like.

So: Better photos are a must, and a wider variety of yarns, gauges, and difficulty levels in sock patterns would be nice too. Thanks so much for the feedback!

-- Sandi

Great Free Sock Pattern eBook:
Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily:
5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? I've chosen five of our top sock knitting downloads and put them all together in one FREE ebook for you.