# help me make a pair of socks



## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

Okay, so my daughter says this is easy. I bought the 5 needles and started. Things were going fairly well.....I hate the "keeping the needles out of the way" thing. Is there a better way? So far, I have gotten them twisted (took it out), and dropped an entire needles of stitches(took it out) and finally gave up. 

I love to knit, but this sock thing just seems so OVERWHELMING!!!


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

It honestly gets easier as you go. You mention dropping all your stitches which makes me wonder what type of needles and yarn you're using. When I first started knitting, I started with socks and I started bought stainless steel needles and started with heavier yarns. I had knit enough house socks that I felt confident enough to try something finer and I swear the whole concept was like nailing down jello. I'd never dropped stitches before and I certainly never lost entire needles of stitches and it didn't matter how many times I frogged, the result was the same. In frustration, I phoned my sister, who can knit anything in tears and shared my tale of woe. She suggested I switch to bamboo needles because they have a bit more grip and she happened to mention that if I happened to be knitting with merino, a relatively inexperienced knitter like myself would definately need bamboo or wood needles for better grip.

If that isn't your problem, are you starting with yarn that's a bit too fine for your experience? You will ultimately learn to quickly shift your stitches on your needles so you don't lose them.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Knitpicks has some great tutorials and if you scroll down the page you can find Project Categories and they have some great resources that might help you http://www.knitpicks.com/Tutorials/Knitting_Tutorials.html


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

Yay! another sock knitter! You can do it. 

I agree with wr that when you start it is easier to do a pattern with bigger yarn on bigger needles. The first pair is never pretty, just to warn you. 

This is a great beginner pattern you can do with worsted weight yarn.
http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/knitting/amazing_feets.php

and my favorite tutorials:

http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/ 

http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/advanced-techniques
(the 2nd video called knitting on double pointed needles)

Start with nice big yarn and nice big needles.
We will help you any way we can.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

You mentioned you're using 5 needles and while I'm sure some may disagree, I learned to knit by emulating what I though my grandmother tried to teach me and I'm reasonably sure she used 4 needles so that's how I started knitting socks. I can knit with 5 but I prefer 4 so I generally stick with 4. I'm probably not the best person offer advice because I think I'm the only knitter here that got expelled from knitting school, after I'd knit my first 20+ socks.


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

I am a new sock knitter as well. Hang in there and be slow and deliberate at the beginning. Once you get about 1/2 inch of stitches on there, it is much easier to handle and deal with the needles. You can do it!!!


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

wr, what do you mean kicked out of knitting school? You needa 'splain that to me. 

For me, I like to mostly stick with 3 needles in the work, and one 'working' needle, so 4 needles total. Unless there is some real reason to do it with all 5, which sometimes there IS. Otherwise, I will grab the 5th needle when I pick up gusset stitches, just for that round. Fewer needles=faster knitting.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I started with 3 needles and 1 working, went to 4 needles with 1 working, but now I'm back to 3 needles with 1 working, like GAM, unless I need to use 5. 

Like the Jaywalker pattern I'm working now on size 0 dpn's. I put the instep pattern over 2 needles and could keep the sole on just one, but it's 36 stitches and I'm working with short metal needles, so put them on 2.

I totally agree working with bamboo or wooden dpn's for your first socks. The first few pair I knit, I kept taking off and putting on those rubber stoppers at the end of every needle except the one I was working!!

I learned to get longer needles that were bamboo!

I also love www.cometosilver.com/socks/ pictorial.


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## FMO3 (Nov 22, 2009)

Well...if you will take a male's advice...I might be able to help with some of the problems.

I ONLY knit with double points or straights...I HATE those circulars with a passion!!!! Talking about something is confusing!!! But, I learn to knit from my great-grandmother who was from Denmark, so I am sure I knit totally different than most people.

For socks, I use 5 needles, 4 with stiches and 1 working needle. Now, to cast on, I cast on each needle, I dont cast on to one needle and then divide. Did that once, lost about 3 to 5 stiches somewhere. So, Lets start out with the simple pattern....cast on 60 sts, 15 onto each needle. If you are going to do a k2p2 rib, you will cast on in these order....needle 1...16sts, needle 2...14 sts. This will be the top and front of the sock. Needle 3 and 4 the same thing...but it will be the back of the sock, heel to turn, and the gussets.

Now, after I cast on the required sts, then I just hold them up straight in the air to get them all lined up. Also, I dont cast on over 2 needles...you just need to cast on a little looser is all. Then take 4 needles and make a square. Now, you get your needles in the working postion...if you look at one needle...does not matter what one...the right hand side should be UNDER then needle pointing at you on your right. Now, on the left side of that needle you are looking at...should be ABOVE the needling pointing at you on your left.

Now, when you start knitting here is the tricky part really. I knit with the yarn in my left hand, so I keep all my fingers low to the needles. But, this is the way that I hold the needles.....

With the working needle in my right hand, I go under the needle that is pointing to me on my right hand side. With my left hand I have the needle that I am knitting off of, with the left needle pointing towards me inbetween my thumb and fore finger. That way I can push the stitches up with my thumb. 

The biggest thing that I have found is most people want to do something with the other needles. When all they are doing is just hanging out waiting on getting up to the working needle. 

I hope that helps a little bit. 

Ken


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

Hey Ken, welcome to the forum! it sounds like you knit continental style, carrying the yarn in your lefthand, is that correct? (me too). 

I just recently tried casting on to each needle separately, like you suggest, and for me I found my tension was harder to control that way. It works itself out after a couple of rows though. so yeah. I guess there are as many ways to knit as there are Folks, right?

How long have you been doing fiber arts?


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## FMO3 (Nov 22, 2009)

IN the Danish Tradition....since before I went to school...its their way to teach kids to count. So about 25+ years.

Ken


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

FMO3 said:


> IN the Danish Tradition....since before I went to school...its their way to teach kids to count. So about 25+ years.
> 
> Ken


 I have a Danish friend who utterly *despises!* knitting, because of the tradition you speak of.  I guess her Grandma was just a BEAR of a stickler, do you think?


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## FMO3 (Nov 22, 2009)

OH...it just really depends.

Where in MO are you from? I was born and raised in Texas County...over by the Houston area.

Ken


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

See Marc ... you aren't special at all ... there is yet ANOTHER guy that knits. :bash:


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

FMO3 said:


> OH...it just really depends.
> 
> Where in MO are you from? I was born and raised in Texas County...over by the Houston area.
> 
> Ken


 I am not from here, but I have lived in Wright county the last few years. 6 years, I guess. 

Cyndi, I am finding that it is not uncommon of for guys to know how to knit. I guess they dont feel like advertising it. :shrug: I dont know what the big aversion is. It is just another artistic medium, really.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

gone-a-milkin, about a year after I started knitting socks, my ability to make patterns work was nil so I figured that knitting school was the way to go so I signed up for a beginner sock knitting class. I figured I'd learn some handy tips and maybe figure out why I couldn't make patterns work. 

First class consisted of a simple knit cast on and start ribbing and that's exactly what I thought I did and even had a good inch of evidence that I was doing something but the nice instructor asked me what on earth I thought I was doing and of course I mentioned we were in a beginner's sock class so I figured I was building a sock. I was advised that the Yarn Harlot would not approve of my technique and unless I could unlearn what I'd learned there was no way on earth anybody could possibly teach me how to knit. The nice lady that owns the store has a fine arts degree in historical needle arts and after she gave me a full refund, she asked me for a demonstration and while she's literally taught thousands of people to knit and given a great many seminars, she's only met one other like me but heard of a few more. The condition is called mirror image knitting and most quit in frustration long before they make anything and the few that don't are better off if they use youtube and a mirror. 

If you were to watch me knit, you would find that it looks like I knit inside out and backwards.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

WIHH, the only real problem I seem to have is that I fell in love with the 5" sock needles and because of the way I knit, I was developing a wicked case of carpal tunnel syndrome. I think they're short enough that I kinda curl my wrist and the longer ones keep me honest so the solution was simple - use 6" needles and I'm fine. 

claytonpiano, a lot of members have found it helpful to tackle baby sock patterns first because they can see progress, the technique is the same and you learn a lot about the properties of socks without working for days and finding a mistake at the beginning. If you don't have a baby or know of someone with a baby, they make terrific Christmas tree ornaments. If you need a pattern, let me know and I can send you one. Further to WIHH's single sock story, I have a few too.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Ken welcome to The Fold! Our male member are special but we will try not to treat you any differently than everyone else. I taught my boys to knit when they were 4 yrs. old. Neither of them has kept up with it but maybe when they grow a bit more, they are 23 and 20 yrs old. Welcome and thank you for your input.

4 or 5 needles doesn't really matter, IMO. Whatever works for you. The first inch or so of knitting will be really awkward, you'll feel like Edward Siccsorhands until you get a bit of foundation to grip onto. If you get a twist in the foundation you can easily correct it, untwist it, in the first 2-3 rows. After that if you discover a twist you will need to rip it out :shocked: Don't be discouraged, you will learn from all your mistakes. We are all here for you so just ask for help. If you have a camera and can post a picture of a problem you are having them it might help with some things.

You can do it and we are here for you. Good luck!


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

Thanks all and I really appreciate the links. I'll study. I think the one sock thing is a good idea! Bamboo needles. That would be easier, I think. You're right.....I bought beautiful sock yarn. Think I'll try something thick, bulky and ugly. I've got plenty of stash to choose from.


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## offGridNorthern (Jan 1, 2006)

wr said:


> You mentioned you're using 5 needles and ....


I agree. I don't think I've ever seen a sock pattern using 5 needles. Sounds cumbersome to me. I'll stick with 4.


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

It's a retirement goal...but I decided on crochet (one needle seems easier) and I just bought a book on it (good coupon). I don't think I'll start until next winter.


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## Sanibean (Apr 8, 2010)

I've found using two circular needles work very well for me. You can find demo's on youtube, which were a great help to me when starting out.

Really, I don't think theres anything you can't find on youtube.


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

I prefer 5 needles, and from the description, knit just like Ken. I agree on the bamboo or wood needles! If you are really having an issue getting started, you can try knitting a couple of rows straight, and then join into a circle on the third round or so. Sometimes having those few rows already on the needles can make a huge difference. You can sew that little bit up when you weave in the end, so just leave a little extra length to the end when you cast on. Good luck and let us know how it goes!


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Another 5 needle user piping in...four and one. 4 needles gives me fits...~lol~...

Claytonpiano: It took me about 5 to 7 years to finally figure out socks, the gussets were my downfall. If it wasn't for the knitters here and a Sock Knit A-Long I would still be a NON sock knitter. 
I'm NOW one of the many that can't knit enough socks...it's an addiction. I MUST have a sock on my needles at all times!


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