# Still trying to knit socks..sigh



## Guest (Dec 26, 2012)

I've read "how"..I've watched youtube videos..no good.. I need to sit next to someone who knits socks and learn from them..sooooo frustrated !

Seriously..

Is there anyone who lives within 2+ hours or so of Saint Louis who knits socks..and would be willing to teach me??????? I'm now almost into year 8 of trying..LOL:help:


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

I am the type of person that has to see it to do it most of the time. I cant get youtube to work on my dial-up so I got on Ebay and got me some sock dvds. I watched them over and over and finally got the hang of it. The Magic loops still has me a little stumped but I can do 2 socks now at a time toe-up.
I started watching Nenah Galati...not to bad, I did get the jest of it to where I could finally figure it out. I got the socks 1, 2, & 3 there are more of hers on there but I wanted the socks. The ladies on here can help also, they are a God send and when theres a problem you not only have 1 help but all will try their best. Good luck


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

It was easier for me to learn doing the socks top down. www.cometosilver.com has a really good tutorial on how to knit socks. For my first pair, I did a little baby pair....still have them hanging on my curtains!

You can do it! Just keep at it.


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2012)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> bless your heart! I am so sorry you are running into this brickwall!
> 
> I'm not very close but I promise, I am willing to help- really really help!
> 
> ...


You guys are the best!!!!!
I have circular needles and several straight ones with pointed ends..( I forget what they're called..LOL), but I know they're for socks..
Have no clue what "magic loop" might be..so I know I don't have one..

I had some sock yarn but tossed it in despair when I moved a few months back..
No pattern..I was trying to follow the very simple Youtube ones , and ended up in tears..soooooo silly!

Perhaps it would be best to tell me what kind of yarn to buy at Michael"s..(right down the road)..and sure..a baby sock would be great..!!! ANY sock would be great..LOL..


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I 2nd the www.cometosilver.com

We will get this figured out & have you knitting plenty of socks :bandwagon::happy:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh my goodness. You can totally do this.
Dont let it get you upset. 

The needles that are pointy on both ends are called DPN's (double pointed needles).

If you can figure out what SIZE those needles are, we can help you to find the thickness of yarn that will work with them.


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## FMO3 (Nov 22, 2009)

I am over in the KC area and knit socks all the time....last year just did 21 pairs this year. 2013 going to aim for 40 pairs.....I am a little freak when it comes to that.

I learned to knit socks from my great grandmother in Danish. Then had to learn the American terms.....but socks are SUPER easy to make. Just can not think about it to much or you will lost. There are just really four parts to the sock.....cuff....heel....gusset....and toe. The hardest thing with them all is to match sides.....everything else is beginners play.

I use most of the time double pointed needles.....as that is what I learned on years ago. But, also have done them on two circ's. 

Just thought of something....I am going to start a new pair of socks in the next few days.... If the mods would walk me though how to post pics.... I can take pictures along the way....that way it gives you something to look at....or we could do a beginner knit along on socks. Or you are more than welcome to come to the other side of the state and I can show ya.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

FMO3, I can help you learn to post pictures if you want. 
Have you tried posting them as an 'attachment' from your computer yet? (that doesn't work for everyone, but it is the easiest way *if* it works for you).

The silvers sock tutorials that have been linked in this thread have a VERY good bunch of photos in them too. http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/

I have a whole bunch of great videos bookmarked to back up the instructions.

The main thing with knitting socks is just to keep your determination. 
Do. Not. Give. Up.

Keep asking questions! Eventually it will click.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Lesley have you knit anything else before or are socks your first attempt at knitting?


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## FMO3 (Nov 22, 2009)

I have looked at that site mant times.....and think dear lord.... It has me confused. I don't take a measurement one but gauge.....everything is based off of ones hand. Funny how hands and feet are almost the same ratios. Length is really the only difference. 

I knit mine on 5 needles rather than 4..... Gives it more wiggle room really....also don't get ladders near as bad and can try them on better. But, the big reason for me at least.....everything is in matching pairs.


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## alpacaspinner (Feb 5, 2012)

I knit my first pair of socks (and, in fact, every pair since) following Elizabeth Zimmerman's directions in "Knitting Without Tears", and using the German heel. I love the conversational tone of her directions; it's like she is sitting there with you, telling you how to do it. It is necessary to read all the way through before starting (or at least all the way through each particular section) as she sometimes leaves important bits for the end. But otherwise, if you learn by reading (as I do) her instructions are wonderful.


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## alpacaspinner (Feb 5, 2012)

FMO3 said:


> I am over in the KC area and knit socks all the time....last year just did 21 pairs this year. 2013 going to aim for 40 pairs.....I am a little freak when it comes to that.
> 
> *I learned to knit socks from my great grandmother in Danish. * Then had to learn the American terms.....but socks are SUPER easy to make. Just can not think about it to much or you will lost. There are just really four parts to the sock.....cuff....heel....gusset....and toe. The hardest thing with them all is to match sides.....everything else is beginners play.
> 
> ...


LOL - I learned to knit from my German MIL - in German. My mother (left handed, and not a very accomplished knitter in any case) _could not_ teach me, and I resigned myself to never knitting. And then MIL taught me the basics in 45 minutes! It helped that it was the Continental way, rather than the English. But I also had to learn to translate the directions. Its been so long now though I doubt I could follow a German pattern anymore.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Funny how everyone learned from different nationalities... My very first knitting project was socks, and I learned from a Finnish lady! Luckily, she spoke English. 
She taught me to use five needles, but I've since converted to four, mainly because I mostly had sets of four til recently. Now this current pair of socks, I'll need to switch to five for the heel. :teehee: 

Lesley, I know you will eventually knit socks! I believe in you!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Leslie are you on Ravelry? If not I suggest you join Ravelry.com. They will have knitting groups in your area and you can go and get help or find someone who will be willing to help you one on one. I'm going to check on Interweave to see if there are any guilds in your area who may be able to help you too.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Here is a list of guilds/groups in your state. I'm not sure where you are exactly but maybe one is closer to you. Although these were listed as spinner guild, they most certainly will have knitters. Most guilds are "fiber" guilds.


Jackson/Johnson County (Statewide Guild)
Osage Spinners and Weavers Guild
Website: www.osagespinnersandweavers.com
Contact: Dee Wolfe
Contact: Dean Falconer


Ava
Country Heritage Spinning and Weaving Guild
Contact: Helen Grace Muzzy, 950 Fellowship Road, Marshfield, MO 65706
E-mail: [email protected] | Phone: 417-859-7840

Marshfield
Highland Fiber Artists
Contact: Helen Grace Muzzy, 950 Fellowship Road, Marshfield, MO 65706
E-mail: [email protected] | Phone: 417-859-7840

South West Missouri
Fiber Folks of SW Mo
Contact: Darlene Megli
E-mail: [email protected] 
Contact: Joi Chupp
E-mail: [email protected] 


St Louis
Weavers' Guild of St Louis
Website: www.weaversguildstl.org/
Contact: Marilyn Emerson Holtzer
E-mail: [email protected] 


St. Joseph/Northwest Missouri
Robidoux Spinning Guild
Contact: Saundra Keiffer, 2722 Monterey Street, St. Joseph, MO 64507
E-mail: [email protected] | Phone: 816-232-5873


Kansas City
Weavers Guild of Greater Kansas City
Website: www.kcweaversguild.org


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Silver's was what I learned from too, but the thing that helped me most was actually seeing what it was that was going on with the heel and gusset. The cuff is pretty straightforward, and the foot itself is just a tube. The first time I tried knitting a heel I had just moved and lost my knitting instructor. I got so lost that I put it away and never picked it up again. (I still wonder what happened to that...I haven't seen the needles, yarn or half-finished sock since then.) The first time I was successful, I sat down with Silver's tutorial and went line by line and vowed that this was the time that I would make them.  She seemed to have pictures that explained every question that I had. I would highly recommend it too.


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Just remember to do one step at a time ! ( even if it doesnt make sense ! ) 

I made my first sock with worsted weight and size 7 needles , so I could see better and understand the construction ... I too, used Silvers site ! 

www.knittinghelp.com can help too, with videos ...

You CAN do it , and it will be worth it !!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Have you ever knit a mitten?

A mitten (with no thumb gusset) is like a sock, but without a heel. Cuff, smooth tube, toe, (then z thumb, but that's different) 

Mitts can be a good starter if you aren't used to knitting in the round yet.

And socks are easy ... But do follow a pattern! A simple one, but you want one. And my first ones were in sport weight not sock yarn. Faster that way!


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## rileyjo (Feb 14, 2005)

Another vote for Silvers Sock tutorial. I printed out the entire set of instructions. I put all the pages in a binder and keep it open to the page I need. 
The instructions can be used for 3 different weights of yarn too.
Silver's instructions got me over my sock 'hump'.


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2012)

Tommyice said:


> Lesley have you knit anything else before or are socks your first attempt at knitting?


Scarves..long scarves..LOL...


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2012)

Thank you, everyone !!!!!
I have sent off an email to one of the gals in the Saint Louis weaving guild..I'm only 30 mins or so from the city..
meanwhile, I'm checking out all of the sites mentioned..and next week will pick up some yarn from Michaels and find a pattern for a baby sock..

I'm sure I'll have questions..so thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I also used this 4-part set of youtube vids in conjunction with silvers tutorial.
I had one written and one visual set of instructions.
[YOUTUBE]9NQMGCo_mXY[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]LZH***gIWt4[/YOUTUBE]
There are 2 more parts. When you watch one, on the right in the list of vid's, the next one should be there. If not, just put her name and how to make socks in the search engine and it should come up.

Good Luck! There is nothing quite like the feeling of making your own socks.:rock:


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

You can so do this. I was in the same boat just a few months ago. I listened to the ladies here and used Silvers tutorial. Worked great!!!
Trust me, if I finally got it after years of trying, I know you can too.


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

I'm so glad you asked this! I'm new to knitting (though I've crocheted since I was a little girl), and I really want to knit socks. 

Does anyone here knit continental style? That has been the answer for me; I just couldn't get the hang of it until I tried continental. Are there any problems with knitting socks that way?


Bostonlesley, a beginner KAL may be just what we need


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Should not have any problems knitting continental style and knitting socks


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

I learned to knit knitting socks continental style. I have had no problems.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

BlueberryChick said:


> I'm so glad you asked this! I'm new to knitting (though I've crocheted since I was a little girl), and I really want to knit socks.
> 
> Does anyone here knit continental style? That has been the answer for me; I just couldn't get the hang of it until I tried continental. Are there any problems with knitting socks that way?
> 
> ...


I knit continental style. I have done several pairs of socks. 
You can do it. Just follow the pattern, it all works out.


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