So You Want To Knit Socks, Part One: Equipment

Though I've been knitting for a few years now I was always intimidated by the idea of knitting socks. The yarn and needles are both so tiny! It has to fit! You need to, like, measure stuff! You need to actually for real this time work out gauge before you get started (and we all know that gauge is something you pretend you have because it doesn't matter if a scarf or shawl is a little off in size).

I'm here to tell you that socks are totally achievable. There are a few new skills to learn, and a lot of techniques to choose between, but I assure you that if you can knit you can knit socks. This series of posts will be a guide to all of the options, techniques, styles and advice I've accumulated in my sock-knitting adventures.

If you already know how to knit socks or would like to jump right in, you can head over to my Sock Knitting Formula, a "pattern" for a pair of simple, fitted socks knit from the toe up for maximum fittedness.

If you want to take it step by step, then come on in. First we are looking at the necessary ingredients for knitting socks - yarn, needles and helpful extras.

Needles

There are three needle options for sock knitting: DPNs, Magic Loop and dual circulars. This comes down largely to preference - all of them work, so it's going to depend on what you're the most comfortable holding and working with. The size you will need is going to depend on what yarn you're using - it's possible to make socks with any yarn, really, and in that case you would use the appropriate needle for that ply. If you're going to use actual sock yarn you'll want needles in some of the smallest sizes available: size 0 (2mm) or 1 (2.25mm).

from left to right: short circulars, DPNs, a long circular.

DPNs 

Pictured: a cuff-down 4-ply sock on 3mm DPNs.

DPNs - Double Pointed Needles - are needles that, you guessed it, are pointed on both ends. They are usually in sets of four or five and they're one method of knitting something round. You divide the stitches between all but one of the needles and then use the final one to knit onto. 

DPNs are not my favourite: I never got the hang of tightening the gap when switching needles, and I am constantly worried I'll jostle it wrong and stitches will slip off one of the many ends. I also had a bad habit of sitting my extra needle down somewhere and then forgetting precisely where it went. However, there are people who swear by them, and that's fine! And until I learned the dual circular method these were my go-to for knitting anything that was smaller in circumference than the length of my normal circular needles.

Pro: there's no cables to twist around or get confused on.
Con: only one sock at a time, and slippery yarn could escape off an end.

Magic Loop

note: not actually a good needle for the Magic Loop method!

The Magic Loop method of knitting is pretty cool. While I don't personally own any needles long enough for Magic Loop and small enough to fit one of my on-the-go socks onto for photographing purposes, here's how it works: you want one long circular needle. The sock's stitches are split into two sections (front and back) and the majority of the needle falls in a big loop between these two sections (see above for a non-practical example). If you're interested in trying this one out I recommend you watch a video tutorial to see it in action - it's a little hard to explain in writing.

Pro: you only need one needle, there's no parts to set down and lose, and you can knit both socks at the same time.

Con: you have a really long cable to deal with, and depending on how much give your needles have this can be awkward to work with (you want a very pliable cable).

Dual Circulars

Pictured: "Wintersea" socks in SweetGeorgia Yarns Tough Love Sock in "Tourmaline" and Cascade Yarns Heritage Solids
in "Anis".

The Dual Circulars method is a little like knitting with DPNs and a little like knitting with Magic Loop. You need two circular needles this time, and you put the front half of the sock on one needle and the back half onto the other. You then knit like you have two flat pieces of knitting attached back to back - knit the front needle across (knitting on to the other end of the needle it's already on) and then flip your work and knit the back needle across. 

Pro: unlikely to slip off ends, misplace a needle or stretch your joins like Magic Loop does. Plus you can do both socks at once!

Con: it is very easy to get into a tangle when you're not familiar with this method (having different coloured needles helps immensely with keeping things in the right place).

Yarn

L to R: Biscotte & Cie Felix in "Pruneau", Moda Vera Not Just Socks in "Autumn", Knit Picks Stroll Hand-Painted in "Make Believe" and "Renaissance" and (in front) Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in "Lakeview". 

First the good news: you can make socks from pretty much whatever yarn you like. 

The bad news, however, is that only some weights are going to make especially sock-ish socks. The thicker the yarn, the more slipperish your socks are going to be. The thickest I've used is regular 4ply and I'd classify those as good house socks - not to wear inside any shoes, but good for wearing in front of the tv or keeping your feet off cold winter floors.

Ideally socks are made from designated sock yarn. Not only is it a specific size but the components tend to be more specifically chosen for not only comfort but also the amount of wear socks go through. A good blend will often include nylon and merino - soft but sturdy. Any yarn with a lot of halo to it (anything very fuzzy) is going to be a mess for socks, and any fibre without much give (such as cotton) is going to be more difficult to get a good fit with.

Sock yarn also has the added bonus of coming in self-striping varities. That means that the dye is set at lengths that, when you knit it up into a sock, will appear as stripes. I like to pair a striping yarn with a heel, toe and cuff of a complementary (or contrasting!) plain colour (this makes the striping yarn go futher, too). 

Pictured: "Big Top Simple Socks" in Knit Picks Stroll Hand-Painted in "Big Top".

It's also generally sold in quantities that are perfect for a pair of socks - while the brands at local craft stores are a law unto themselves, most yarn from knitting companies (like Knit Picks or Purlwise, two online stores that actually ship within Australia) or independent dyers (just check out the sock yarn category on Etsy!) will sell their sock yarn in skeins of roughly 400 yards. 400 yards is plenty to make a pair of quite long socks (though the exact length will depend on your sizing).

There is one extra point to keep in mind when buying sock yarn, however - it is often sold in skeins, and these require winding before you can use them. It is absolutely possible to do this by hand, and that's where I started out. However this can be pretty tedious and if you find you're ready to dedicate yourself to the expense this can be made much easier with the purchase of a yarn winder and swift.

And that brings us to...

Equipment

The only equipment you absolutely need to make socks are your needles, yarn and maybe a darning needle and pair of scissors. There are some things that make it a lot easier, though, and if you can afford the investment they're generally well worth it.

My (zippered, portable) sock knitting kit includes:

• scissors - small and sharp.
• darning needles - yes, plural - I lose these constantly, but you'll need them to weave in ends and if you want to put in a lifeline.
• a retractable measuring tape - gotta get that perfect fit by measuring first! And there's no way I want to deal with a tangled, unravelled tape.
• row counter - a real boon if you need to keep track of your rows, such as to follow a pattern or space out increase/decrease rows.
• needle gauge - circulars don't often have the size printed on them (or, if my bamboo circulars came with that, it rubs off with a bit of wear) and a gauge is a perfect way to work out which needles you're meant to be using.
• stitch markers - I don't use them often with socks, but if you're in a complicated pattern or not used to keeping count in your head, these can make all the difference.
• a length of spare yarn - whether putting in a lifeline, preparing for an afterthought heel or using a provisional cast on, having a length of yarn ready to go is super handy.
• crochet hook - if you drop a stitch a hook can be really helpful in getting your stitches back up on the needle (though this is possible to do with your needles, too), and you can use your hook for a provisional cast on, too.
• cable needle - maybe the pattern has cables!

And, not far away, my bigger equipment:

• a yarn swift - this umbrella-like device holds a fresh skein and allows it to spin unimpeded so that I can wind it into a ball without hooking it around some chairs or convincing someone to stand there holding it for me the whole time.
• a ball winder - you can wind balls by hand or you can use one of these bad boys. This lets you create a neat, simple yarn ball (well, cake) with a centre pull that will be super easy to knit from.
• an electric kitchen scale - I divide my yarn in half as I wind it so that I can knit my socks as long as I want without having to worry about making them different lengths or running out of yarn for the second one. It's also nice to have if you want to know how much your project has used, or how much yarn is left when you're done (if you know the weight and the ply you can get a good idea of what yardage there is by using the Power of Math).
• project bags - whether you have nice, hand-sewn pouches or a handful of shopping bags, a way to separate and transport your project is a good idea. I tend to cart mine between the couch and the computer depending on where I plan to knit for that day. Others take their projects on buses or to work and while socks are a great project to knit on the go they're not something you want to just toss into the bottom of your handbag.

These things are all the accumulations of years of knitting, and some of it - the winder and swift - is not especially cheap to get hold of. I want to reiterate that none of that is necessary to make (and enjoy making) socks. I started out with just a set of DPNs, some cheap sock yarn and a pair of scissors. After my first set of socks, though, I was totally hooked and knew I would be doing it forever and for me the investment in extra equipment made sense.

Work with what you have, and with what you can afford. If that means you have cheap needles and acrylic yarn then that's fine! We all have to start somewhere and I wouldn't recommend that a beginner spend a lot on fancier materials and equipment until they're sure this is something they want to keep going with. 

That's it for the equipment and for part one of this guide. Next time: casting on!