Sock Knitting Resources

Since I talk so much about sock knitting, I thought I’d share with you today some of my favorite resources on the topic!  I never, in a million years, thought I’d want to knit socks, much less know how to knit socks…and now they’re my favorite thing to knit!  And after several years of knitting them, I still learn new tips and tricks all the time!  

Here are some resources to turn to, as you learn and perfect your sock knitting…

Charlene Schurch

For all my socks, I tend to reference my favorite resource, Charlene Schurch’s Sensational Knitted Socks.  This is the book that I used when I was first learning how to knit socks.  And the sizing charts are invaluable.

Schurch offers many patterns in this book but I still use the basic pattern as my go-to vanilla sock pattern!

Crazy Sock Lady

Kay, the Crazy Sock Lady, has earned her name for a reason.  She knits tons of socks!  In doing so, she has perfected her own technique on a variety of needles and with many heels.  She offers loads of videos that are superb if you want to learn a new technique or are just starting out. 

She’s also great about answering emails if you have a specific question that you can’t get answered any other way.

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Last year, I was a Patreon of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s for about 6 months.  I did this specifically to learn about socks.  Stephanie is the author (Yarn Harlot)of many knitting books and has a special gift for talking about yarn and knitting techniques… She, too, has loads of knowledge to share on the topic of sock knitting.  I especially enjoyed one lesson on how to fix holes in socks.  It was amazing!

Beyond sock knitting, Stephanie has so much knowledge to offer on her Patreon.  If you subscribe, you’ll learn about yarn, gauge, pattern translation, and so much more!

EarthTonesGirl

Denise, aka EarthTonesGirl, has a fabulous YouTube channel devoted to knitting and lots of sock knitting how-tos.  Recently, Denise has developed a series of videos on sock knitting but there are tons of older videos to watch, including her “No Fear Sock Knitting” course.  Denise delves a lot into the history of sock knitting and fibers used for it…..  She has a wealth of knowledge to share.

My only gripe with Denise’s recent sock videos is about gauge.  She says that socks should really just be knit with a gauge of 8 stitches/inch.  If you have more stitches per inch, the stitches rub needlessly together, thereby wearing out the yarn faster.  I almost consistently get 10 stitches/inch and have not experienced undo wear with my socks.  I’m willing to go up a needle size as a test but I want those tight stitches to grip my foot and provide warmth!  We’ll see….

Conclusion

There are so many amazing, free resources out there if you run into any problems with your sock knitting – or if you’re just learning this fabulous skill!  I’m still in love with it and I hope these makers will help you come to love sock knitting, as well!