I've written before about the first sock that I was trying to knit, but unfortunately, since then, I've become a bit stuck and have not been able to go much further.
Basically, the instructions that came with the sock knitting kit that I bought were making no sense at all. I thought something was a bit suspicious when I got to the end of the tube that makes up the top part of the sock (i.e. stopped between needles 4 and 1) for the instructions to say that I needed to create the heel by knitting along needle number 1, back again, and then along 4 and back again. I thought about this and realised that doing so would create a weird step in the knitting and so adjusted things so that I instead went along needles 4 and 3.
After finishing the heel flap though I just couldn't get any further at all. I've spent quite a lot of time sitting in my local Waterstones reading a big book that they have on sock knitting and trying to work out what to do. I also have spent hours and hours googling and looking at YouTube videos in an attempt to work out what to do next. The biggest problem that I kept having was that most American sock knitting appears to be on four dpns where I'm working on five.
I think Thursday's visit to knitting and stitching may have helped though. I was drawn over to the Web of Wool stand by the luscious range of sock yarns that they had displayed. Looking at them all I felt a bit sad thinking about my half a sock sat at home at the bottom of my knitting bag without much hope of being finished any time soon.
One of the wonderful Web of Wool women came up though and asked if she could help. After explaining my dilemma she thrust into my hand a copy of their Simple Top Down Sock Pattern, and as I read it I could feel the smile creeping over my face. This was something that I could actually understand, it made sense and I could clearly visualise each step that I needed to make. Ok, it is knitted with four dpns, but again the wonderful people there explained what I needed to do to get back in my sock to a point that meant I could pick up their pattern.
What also helped was that they said that they'd had a few people come to them stuck with the same kit as the one I have. It turns out that the instructions are a translation from some original German instructions. The slight problem being that the translation was made by a bilingual non-knitter!
Fingers crossed that this means I can finish off my first pair of socks and hopefully again dream of sock yarn! Many, many thanks to Web of Wool for all their help. Having had a look at their stand, and their website once I got home, I certainly know where I'll be going for yarn when I get to the right stage. Their shop also isn't too far away from where my best friend from school lives, so maybe I can even organise a trip in person one day!
Lucy says
I can so empathise with you about the sock thing! I started off using the instructions that came with my Regia yarn, and got so confused. Luckily, the internet helped.
I stumbled upon your blog looking for the Magic Balls I saw at Ally Pally – beautiful pictures you have there, and you have solved my mystery of who the heck was selling them. Thanks!
Mrs C says
Glad that I’ve been able to solve the “magic balls” mystery for you. The set really is fantastic – I just need to finish another project so that I have needles spare to start knitting with them!
M says
I really feel that it would be useful to have someone show me how to knit socks. I have knitted two pairs and they look fine but I feel that I stumble through the patterns. There must be little tricks of the trade to get them right.
dovegreyreader says
I have used that Web of Wool free top down sock pattern for every pair I’ve knitted and whenever I think I’ll be a bit more adventurous I end up back with my 60 stitches, happy as larry!
It all gets easier once you’ve turned that first heel and I also use 5dpns (well 4 and 1 working) but also a 30cm circular needle for the main tube bits ie up to heel flap and then past heel gusset down to toes and they make sock knitting a dream to do. It also stops me getting hung up on which stitches to take off which needle for the heel because as far as I can see it doesn’t really matter where you start the heel flap shaping as long as once you’ve started you keep it in the same place with markers. 60 stitches also makes the maths really easy, it’s all so easy to divide up. But once you’ve done a pair you’ll be addicted.