10 Tips for Longer-Lasting Knitted Socks

re: 10 Tips for Longer-Lasting Knitted Socks

sparrow44 — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:54:09 GMT

I would like to add two more tips:

1. Make sure to wash your socks after each wearing. The soil and debris will wear away at the fibres, so grit your teeth and hand wash them regularly.

2. Have lots! The best way to keep your socks looking new is to have a different pair on your feet every day! This spreads the wear out over many pairs, and allows you to wash several pairs at once every few days. Besides, it's so hard to give them away...

re: 10 Tips for Longer-Lasting Knitted Socks

Zoe — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:34:52 GMT

Hi Cottonblossom,

Yes the nylon thread is a good reinforcment fiber to use. Sometimes what I do and this I learned from my mother, is to knit the heel and the toe in a different yarn. That way when the toe and/or heel wears out, you just unravel the old toe/heel, pick up the stitches from the main color and knit new ones. This way, the sock is always there, but you get new ones when you knit new toes/heels.

re: 10 Tips for Longer-Lasting Knitted Socks

cottonblossom — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:23:28 GMT

Do you recommend carrying a nylon thread when knitting the heel?

re: 10 Tips for Longer-Lasting Knitted Socks

Lauren@7 — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:15:47 GMT

Many of these are great tips. I have to disagree with number 10, though. It's certainly a good idea to dry non-superwash socks flat, but superwash socks really benefit from the machine drying. It pulls the yarn back into shape. Drying superwash yarn flat will tend to leave the yarn stretched out and the socks baggy.

re: 10 Tips for Longer-Lasting Knitted Socks

Zoe — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:05:30 GMT

I disagree with going down one needle size to knit the feet section for the simple reason being that the feet are going to be knit too tight. (There is the caution that the socks won't fit once you are done.) When something is knit too tight, then extra stress is placed on the fibers. Extra stress means the fibers wear out! Also through the day it is a known fact that feet swell and a sock that is too tight makes it worse. Choose the yarn and the needles to knit up a nice, even, close knit sock.

To make the ribbing, you will go down one size in your needles. I have been knitting since I was 10 years old and my first project was a pair of socks. I am now going to celebrate my 50th birthday in 2011. My favorite things to knit are socks and there is always a pair on my needles.

For NanS, you can start the reinforcing yarn when you start the heel flap. You start the reinforcing yarn at the toes when you start the decrease to shape the toes.

re: 10 Tips for Longer-Lasting Knitted Socks

nstilwagen — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:31:57 GMT

These are all great ideas, but one I would like to see is how to knit socks with reinforcing yarn at the toe and heel. In the past I have looked for specific instructions on this: when to start using it, when to stop, etc. I have found nothing. It may be considered old fashioned, but I think it is worth doing. I would love it if you could give us information on this.

re: 10 Tips for Longer-Lasting Knitted Socks

LaurieR — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:42:08 GMT

I bought Sockupied when it first came out...I had just finished my first pair of socks. I'm almost ready to knit another pair...once I'm done knitting a bunch of those awesome rosettes you posted a couple days ago!

These tips will definitely come in handy-- especially go down a size for the foot... my first socks are a bit loose in the foot area.

re: 10 Tips for Longer-Lasting Knitted Socks

RobinH — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:11:35 GMT

Oh, those are gorgeous!

I wanted to add--I routinely knit socks in fingering weight on size 0. Sometimes size 1 if I'm trying to get gauge for a pattern. Sometimes 00 for a thin fingering weight (or if I'm trying to get a number of stitches that factors right for the pattern I want to use). I feel that the denser fabric not only wears better, but it is more comfortable to have densly packed stitches as a cushion under your soles.

I only go up to a size 2 or larger needle if the yarn I'm using is a heavier weight. For heavy woolen socks for wintery outdoor wear, a light or medium worsted yarn on size 3 needles makes a lovely dense fabric that knits up very quickly.