Sock Knitting Workshop

A two hour free comprehensive crash course on Sock Knitting. We’ll cover sock construction and anatomy, the various methods and needles, heel flaps, shadow wrap heels, and heel turns, picking up stitches, Ravelry, resources, the basic sock recipe, how to read charts, colourwork, blackwork, stripes, and self striping yarn.

This is a hands on workshop and hopefully by the end everyone will have knitted their own mini socks.

This session will be run by Shan. She runs the regular Knit and Natter sessions on Wednesdays at Chelsea Library. Shan has over twenty years of experience in knitting, and has ample experience teaching people how to knit.

Please come on time as we will be starting promptly at 2PM.

FAQs:

Q: Do I need to know how to knit?

A: You don’t need to be advanced, but knowing how to cast on, knit and purl would make it easier. However, if you have little to no experience, Shan can teach you to knit and walk you through the basic stitches and steps.

Q: Do I need to bring my own knitting needles?

A: Preferably, yes, as there’ll be a limited supply. As we are learning, and will be making mini prototype socks, you do not need to bring yarn and needles specifically for knitting socks. However, you should try to bring Double Pointed Needles (DPNs) as we’ll be demystifying them and learning how to use them.

Q: Can I bring straight needles (long needles with single points)?

A: Yes. It’s possible to knit socks with straight needles, but you would have to knit the sock flat and then sew a seam to join it in the round. Short rows and heels are knitted back and forth so straight needles won’t hinder learning how to do them.

Q: What yarn and size needles would I need to bring?

A: Preferably, sock yarn and 2.5mm or 3mm needles. Bring what yarn and needles you have. The sock knitting techniques (especially short rows) can be taught on straight needles, and you may be more comfortable learning with thicker needles and yarn.

Q: What’s so special about sock yarn? Or why can’t you knit socks with just any yarn?

A: The addition of polyamide or nylon in sock yarn helps to reinforce the sock so that there is less wear and tear. Which means that holes develop less frequently, and there is less darning that needs to be done. There’s nothing to stop you from knitting socks with any yarn, as long as you’re willing and able to darn the holes. We will also cover darning.

Q: Can I use Acrylic yarn to knit socks?

A: Yes, but acrylic yarn usually isn’t reinforced and it would also make for very warm socks and sweaty feet.

Q: What other supplies should I bring?

A: Stitch markers, and a measuring tape or ruler.

Q: What is sock yarn?

A: Sock yarn is a thin yarn in Finger or Fingering weight, occasionally sold as Lace weight too. It is usually a mix of natural and synthetic fibres (most commonly wool, cotton or bamboo, and polyamide or nylon.

Q: What are sock needles?

A: Sock needles are specifically designed for knitting socks. They are size 2.5mm or 3mm (US size 1.5 or 2.5 UK size 11). They are made from metal, bamboo and plastic.

There are many types: DPNs (15 or 20cm long), Addi Sock Wonder, 9” Circular, 3 needles with short cables. You can also use circular needles with a long cable using the magic loop method.

We’ll be covering how to use all of them.