My new pattern, Total Internal Reflection Socks, is another one that requires a bit of a physics lesson. Total internal reflection is when light hits a boundary between two mediums at an angle greater than the critical angle so that it entirely reflects back instead of passing through. It’s used in fibre optics to make the light bounce from side to side along the cable and reach the other end.
The pattern has zig-zagging cables that travel all down the sock on a twisted rib background. Smocked panels separate the bouncing cables and continue right into the toe.
The socks come in three sizes, to fit leg circumference of 8/S (9/M, 10/L)”/20 (23, 25.5) cm and feature a flap and gusset heel. This makes it easy to adapt for a high instep. The pattern has written and charted instructions, whichever you find easier to use, and a diagram to help you visualise how it all fits together.
Because of the stitch patterns used, these socks use a lot of yarn. The sample is made in The Uncommon Thread Tough Sock in the Lust colourway. I made the Medium size with a 9″ foot and used 96g. Be aware that you may need a yarn with a yardage of more than 400 yards and you may need more than 100g, especially if you make the Large size. Some indie dyed skeins, in particular, are larger than specified, try weighing your yarn first.
This month’s review is from one of my favourite designers. CoopKnits Socks was the first book Rachel Coopey brought out in 2013 and I bought it almost immediately. It contains ten patterns, featuring lace, cables and stranded knitting.
The first pattern in the book is Dawlish, a cabled sock and I wrote a blog post about the pair I made last year. Next is Milfoil, a lacy sock with different patterns for leg and foot which alternate between the left and right socks. Rachel Coopey is a big fan of mirroring patterns between socks and different patterns within each sock. On Budleigh, each half of the sock has different cables.
There are all over patterns too, Pennycress has a small lace motif and Saltburn has cables with striped contrast cuffs and toes. Calamint is another favourite of mine with an elegant lace panel flanked by twisted rib. All the socks come in more than one size and while they tend to be more feminine, there are some that I would consider unisex.
Most of the patterns have a flap and gusset heel, except Paignton which uses an after thought heel. There is a photo tutorial included at the end to help you pick up the stitches here. The socks are all worked cuff down.
Brighton is the only stranded sock, and also the only knee sock in the book, all the others being a standard mid-calf length. A short version is also included if you prefer that. As the colourwork is made in bands, this allows for decreases to accommodate calf shaping, which should ensure a good fit.
Saxifrage is another beautiful cabled sock and shows that you don’t need to use fancy hand dyed yarn to get a good result, being worked in Opal. The other patterns use a range of hand dyed and commercial kettle dyed yarns, such as Malabrigo, which show off the detailed designs well.
My socks
The other sock I have knit out of this book is Willowherb, another lace sock but one with strong geometrical lines. The pattern names seem split between wild flowers and seaside towns, giving a very British feel.
I enjoyed knitting this, although I accidentally made two left feet (which some would say accurately reflects my dancing skills). My cast on is a little tight, but that’s entirely down to me. The leg is also rather long.
The patterns all have charts and some have corresponding written instructions. I do find the cable symbols a bit odd and the columns are only numbered on multiples of five, which might be annoying for some people. Other than that I found the patterns very clear and easy to knit.
At the end is a how- to section with a couple of photo tutorials and links to other tutorials. I’m a fan of the “Why knit socks” page with some words of wisdom to get good results, including a shoe size chart which is always useful when knitting for other people. A digital copy of the book is included with the print version, something I always appreciate.
CoopKnits Socks is a great book if you want to knit some pretty patterned socks. I like the photography, it shows everything you need to know and looks good.
If you like the look of these socks, but don’t think you’re up to knitting them, I have a new e-course that might help. Check out Level Up Your Socks for tips to grow your confidence in knitting patterned socks.
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There’s nothing I like more than geeky knitting books. I don’t mean this in the sense of patterns based on sci-fi or scientific concepts (although I like them too), I mean being geeky about knitting, getting really technical about how things work and why. The Knitter’s Book of Yarn, in Clara’s words, shows you how to be a “yarn whisperer”, to understand the fundamental differences between yarns and how this will affect your finished object.
The book has four sections: Fiber Foundations (the book uses American terminology and spellings so when quoting I will too), Making Yarn, Ply Me a River (which has patterns) and Putting it all Together. It is a book packed with information and can either be read straight through or dipped into at your leisure if you want information on a specific type of yarn.
This section talks about the fibre that is used and is split into protein fibers, cellulose fibers, cellulosic fibers and synthetic fibers. It goes into detail about the different animals that can be used, talking about differences in scales, micron count, staple length and what that means about warmth, elasticity, felting and water absorption. It explains why, lovely though it would be, you don’t want a bulky sweater made of qiviut and why one made of mercerised cotton wouldn’t keep you warm.
I like that it talks about the history of where the fibres came from – how alpacas were nearly rendered extinct by Spanish conquistadors and the struggle to produce artificial silk. This is not strictly relevant for knitting purposes but I find it interesting.
While the first section helps you to decide on a type of yarn, the second helps you decide between specific yarns on sale. Why you might prefer one brand over another, and how many indie dyers are using the same base. As the author is American, when talking about specific mills and fibre festivals, they are all US-based. It is also ten years since the book was written and so while the concepts remain the same, some of the mills may not longer be operational and some yarns discontinued.
This section also covers different dying techniques and how this affects the colour of the knitted object. It contains warnings on pooling, bleeding and dye lots, all things that are a good idea to think about before you spend hours knitting.
Section 3: Ply Me a River
The way the yarn is spun (worsted or woolen) and the concept of plies is introduced in section 2 but expanded here. This section is split into number of plies and suggests yarns and projects that are suited to that type of yarn. Specific yarns are mentioned, but also advice is given on substituting.
Some patterns use charts which aren’t always as readable as they could be, since a lot of the page is taken up with the key. None of the patterns are particularly complicated, but there is often more than one size given and they seem to be clearly written. For shawls it’s indicated if the measurements are before or after blocking, and sometimes both are given which is useful.
The patterns use a range of yarns – commercial and small-scale, all different types of fibre. Again, being American, many of the yarns are unavailable here in the UK (or have been discontinued) but as the point of the book is to explain what it is about the yarn that makes it suitable for the pattern, this should make finding alternatives fairly easy.
Putting It All Together
The final section contains tips on washing, specific to the different fibres and including how to get rid of odors and moths. It then talks about the different yarn weights and has a handy chart of the standard yarn weight system (with the numbers in a picture of a skein). A glossary is then included, which is handy as, although terms are explained when they are introduced, it’s useful to have a central resource.
Conclusions
This isn’t a book for everyone. If you’re happy petting yarn and don’t really care why it’s so soft and cuddly or don’t want to do a lot of reading to find out why your latest project is pilling, or wearing through, or hanging oddly then carry on knitting and don’t worry about it. The patterns are ok, but probably not worth buying the book for.
If however, you’re like me and love the technical side of things (once an engineer, always an engineer) then I would recommend The Knitter’s Book of Yarn. It will help you understand the fundamentals of yarn and what to expect when you encounter something new. While it is a little out of date and American focussed, this doesn’t change the principles. I find the style engaging and the concepts explained well.
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This months book, Sock Innovation: Knitting Techniques & Patterns for One-of-a-Kind Socks by Cookie A, is one of the first knitting books I ever bought, and one that I love and continue to use to this day (hence the slightly battered appearance).
I started really getting into knitting when I started Uni in 2007 (studying Electronic Engineering). I knit my first pair of socks a year later, from a Knitty pattern (this was in the very early days of Ravelry). They were not a beginners pattern but despite multiple mistakes and poor yarn/needle choice, I finished them on my 20th birthday (and IIRC was late to lectures because I was redoing a too tight cast off).
In October 2009 I bought my first sock book, Sock Innovation by Cookie A. I was attracted to the complex designs, but it’s the technique section that has made it one of my favourites.
The Patterns
Cookie A is famous for her patterned socks (although I seem to be the only person who has never made a pair of Monkeys) and this book has 15 socks full of lace, cables and texture. They are all named after people and I like the stories of how the socks were inspired by the people they’re named after.
Some of my favourites are Vilai, which combines twisted stitches and lace into a very structural design, Cauchy, named after the famous mathematician (and a cat along the way) with a textured zigzag pattern and Kai-Mei with an iconic angled lace panel.
My Socks
The only socks I’ve ever made from Sock Innovation, however, are probably the most complicated: Bex. I love the three different sections of the pattern, and how they fit together into tessellating hexagons. Then, of course, there is the fact that they’re covered in cables and we know I have a thing for cables.
I made my Bex between February and November 2010 (thanks, Ravelry project page). I used Cygnet Truly Wool Rich 4 Ply, as I was still relying on what was sold in John Lewis, a British department store which has never been particularly good for sock yarn, especially if you don’t want multicoloured Regia. It’s a bit fuzzy for cables, really, and produced quite an inflexible fabric. I had progressed to 2.25mm Knit Pro Symphonie DPNs, though, which was a vast improvement over the remnants of my Mum and Grandma’s metal and casein (did you know they used to make needles out of milk?) mismatched UK Size 14 (2mm) DPN collection which I started on.
I really enjoyed knitting them, though. The charts were complicated but clear, and I really liked the transitions between different parts of the pattern, such as leg to heel flap, something that has inspired my designing.
The Techniques
Sock Innovation is a very unusual book, in that as well as giving you patterns to knit, it shows you how to develop your own sock patterns. It has three sections – sock techniques, stitch techniques and sock design.
It starts by describing the basic structure of a sock. All the patterns in the book are top down and most feature a flap and gusset heel, so this is what is focused on, although the book does include information on other heel types. One of the most useful things I’ve found is the chart of heel turn numbers for a large range of different stitch counts. Clear photos are included to show the different options. The art of placement is also discussed – how the same pattern can be placed in different ways on a sock for different effects.
Stitch techniques covers inverting stitches (going from knit to purl) and mirroring stitches. how to chart stitch patterns to include repeats and converting from working flat to in the round. It also covers how stitches affect the knitted fabric, which ones tend to be wider, or narrower and how elasticity is affected by stitch choice. It then covers adapting stitch patterns and transitioning between different patterns.
These techniques are then all pulled together into the final sock design section. This covers the important of gauge swatches (spoilers: very important) and how to put everything together to get a sock you like.
Conclusions
I have learnt so much from this book when it comes to what to think about when designing socks, as well as practical tips on how to do it. These are the things that can make a good sock pattern into a great one.
I love the patterns, there are some really attractive ones and while the instructions are concise, they give you all the necessary information. There is only one size option (usually 8″ leg circumference) given for each sock, which is a disadvantage, however, some include tips on how to change the sizing yourself.
If you like knitting complicated socks, and especially if you’ve ever thought of trying to design your own I would definitely recommend this book.
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I think my latest pattern might be my geekiest yet. Gray Code Socks have a cabled pattern based on a sequence in binary code and the pattern is available free if you sign up to my newsletter.
With four binary bits, there are sixteen unique combinations that you can make. A Gray code, named after Frank Gray, cycles through each possibility only once and each binary word is only one bit different from the previous one. It has many uses in electronics, as well as making cool socks. The most common Gray code is a reflected binary code where each column of bits has a number of zeros followed by the same number of ones, and then repeats the sequence in reverse.
Binary code is normally formed from zeroes and ones, in Gray Code Socks I’ve used left and right cables instead. This makes the bit change between rounds visible as a cable changing direction. The full 16 combination cycle fits well onto the leg of the sock.
The socks are top down with a flap and gusset heel. The pattern contains three sizes, to fit 7.5 (8.5, 9.5)”/19 (21.5, 24) cm circumference, and has written and charted instructions, whichever you find easier to use. The cable pattern is subtle enough that people who normally insist on plain and boring to knit socks might be persuaded to try it, especially if they have a geeky background.
If you have particularly short feet, you may find that you cannot fit the whole cable sequence on the foot. Because they are made top down, you can measure how long the cable pattern is on the leg and make a decision at the heel as to what to do. If it will bother you, you could just make the foot ribbed.
The socks are available from Ravelry, where you can find more information, or if you sign up to my newsletter you will get a code to download the pattern for free. You can choose whether you want to receive my monthly roundup of what I’ve been up to, interesting things I’ve found in the knitterly community or the wider world, a knitting tip and my pattern of the month; or you can just get a newsletter when I have a new pattern or special deal available.
This is the second post in my knitting book review series, last month I reviewed Lazy Sunday Socks by Jane Burns. I’ve decided to alternate between sock specific books and more general knitting books (which can often be applied to sock knitting). Today I’m looking at Cast On, Bind Off: 54 Step-by-Step Methods by Leslie Ann Bestor.
Most people when they learn to knit start with either the long tail cast on, or the cable cast on and the traditional chained bind off. These are simple and can be used for a variety of projects but sometimes there are better options out there. There are 33 cast ons and 21 bind offs in this book, separated into categories such as basic, stretchy, decorative and provisional. It also includes specialist cast ons, such as double-sided, most often used to start toe up socks, and möbius.
I really like that each entry has a characteristics and “good for” section, to help you choose the most appropriate tool for the job. With so many to choose from it can be easy to become overwhelmed but this helps make decisions easy. It also gives alternative names where applicable as often things are known differently across the world, which can be useful if a pattern specifies a particular method that is unfamiliar.
There are clear photo tutorials for each method, showing what the finished cast on/bind off looks like, as well as every step in the process. While the position of the yarn and needles is always very clear, sometimes I wish there was a close up of how the stitches are supposed to look on the needle, so you know you’re doing it right. Being spiral bound means you don’t have to fight to keep the book open and can have it open on your lap while your knitting needles are in your hands.
My favourite cast on for 2×2 ribbing is the Double Start Cast On, I first learned this from a video Nancy Bush made years ago. This is included in the stretchy section (rightly so, this is why I like it for ribbing) and under “good for” is “tops of socks”, which is precisely how I use it, as without a stretchy cast on for top down socks it can be hard to get the sock over the heel.
I really like this book, I find it clear and easy to use. I think it’s perfect for any level of knitter: those who are just starting out and have only just realised there’s more than one cast on and those who have been knitting forever and appreciate having a reminder of things they know exist but can’t always remember how to do (yes, it includes Kitchener instructions), or want to learn new things.
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This is the start of a series of new monthly blog posts reviewing some of my favourite knitting books. I’m going to begin by looking at Lazy Sunday Socks by Jane Burns. This is a book of five elegant beaded socks, all worked in Eden Cottage yarns.
I hadn’t made beaded socks before but I like the concept of socks for lazing around in. So often we worry about how our socks will wear and hide them away in shoes and boots. These socks are meant to be seen, and without the friction of rubbing against shoes and being walked around in all day they can use less practical but very pretty beaded designs and luxuriant yarn.
The book is an A5 sized paperback which comes complete with a code for the digital version, which is always a bonus. I prefer to read paper books but, especially for travel knitting, having the digital copy can be really helpful.
The Patterns
The five designs range in complexity – from Sitting in a Rainbow which is mainly stocking stitch with only 16 beads, No Room for Ravers which is simpler than it looks and up to No Mind to Worry. You could choose to make all of them without beads and still have lovely socks, but Jane Burns has placed the beads to accent the design very skillfully. All feature lace and some have cables too.
The patterns are all cuff down, with a flap and gusset heel, which is also my preferred construction. The patterns have very clear charts, but if you prefer written instructions this may not be the book for you. The socks come in at least four sizes and both the finished sock size, and the to fit size are included.
The Yarn
I’ve been a fan of Eden Cottage yarns for a while. In fact, my Falling Petals Socks are made in their BFL Sock. Victoria makes beautiful muted colours in a range of bases, several of which are suitable for sock knitting. They complement the designs in Lazy Sunday Socks very well. Semi solid colours are well suited to the lace knitting and the colours match the feminine feel (I’m sure there are a few men who would like lacy beaded socks but if any type of sock pattern is primarily female, that would be it).
One pattern uses a typical Wool/Nylon sock mix, but the others are either MCN or Merino/Silk. While these yarns would not be recommended for socks that would be worn in work boots or to hike through a rain storm, for the eponymous lazing around they should stand up fine and feel wonderful on your feet. The socks probably shouldn’t be machine washed though, with the delicate yarn and beads. Jane includes tips on choosing yarn and beads to help you get good results.
My Socks
My favourite was the No Mind To Worry Socks and I decided to cast these on last Autumn. I used WooSheeps Doug in Serendipity and Debbie Abrahams size 6 beads in colour 606, both of which I bought at Fibre East in July. The colours work very well together, I love the complex blue/grey of the beads.
I had knitted with beads once before, but it was quite some time ago and I appreciated that a guide to using beads was included in the book. I used the crochet hook method to place the beads, and while using a 0.6mm crochet hook sounds terrifying it wasn’t too bad apart from when it poked holes in my project bag. The beads are only placed every four rounds and only four beads at a time, which is quite manageable.
It bothered me slightly that the pattern wasn’t completely symmetrical on the foot, but that’s probably just me. Also, be aware that there is a minor errata for the chart.
I’ve only made one sock so far. As much as I enjoyed beaded knitting, I wanted a break (especially as I got distracted by my own designs). I’m looking forward to getting back to it some day when I’m in the mood to create something pretty and just go with the flow.
Conclusion
I really like Lazy Sunday Socks. The patterns are well thought out and Jane has included some good tips. The photography is beautiful, as are the socks. The book is even the perfect size to fit in my project bag. If you want to give beaded knitting a try I would recommend this book.
I recently needed a project to knit while travelling to and from Sheffield for my Grandparents’ Diamond Wedding Anniversary. All of my WIPs were at boring stages so I decided to cast on something new. I got a kit of two shades of Buachaille yarn to make a Funyin hat at Edinburgh Yarn Festival and this seemed like the perfect option.
I love the combination of colourwork and cables in this pattern, it makes for a very interesting knit, although not a particularly fast one. The corrugated rib was particularly slow to work.
The Buachaille yarn was designed by Kate Davies, the designer of the pattern, and so they work really well together. All the colours are based on the scottish landscape and I used haar (the pale grey), a cold sea fog, and macallum (the pinky red), which is apparently a scottish ice cream with raspberry sauce. The pattern was designed with the lighter colour as the background, but I decided to swap this and I really like how it looks. The yarn is very woolly and smells gorgeous.
I made the large size as I prefer my hats to cover my ears and I’ve found previous Kate Davies patterns aren’t quite long enough for me. However, if I were to make it again I would skip the extra length rounds as the slouchy top is quite stiff and has a habit of standing up. Nevertheless, I’m sure it’ll come in handy now the weather has turned rather cold and I’m really pleased with it.
Almost a year ago I was contacted to see if I would design a pattern for the UK Sock Knitters group on Ravelry. They have an annual KAL and for 2016 the theme was British Actors and Actresses. I’m not normally very good at designing to a theme as my ideas tend to be quite abstract but tell me I can design a sock based on David Tennant and this Whovian’s brain lights up.
I was really chuffed to be asked, especially in the company of Fiona Hamilton McLaren, who has tech edited most of my patterns, and Louise Tilbrook, who is another cables fan. Fiona designed a very elegant beaded sock called Majesty, inspired by Helen Mirren’s role as various Queens, and Louise designed a beautiful cabled sock called Malala Socks, inspired by Malala’s work with Emma Watson.
My sock is the featured pattern for October, and I’m pleased to finally be able to introduce Time Stream Socks, inspired by David Tennant’s role as The Doctor, travelling through the time-space vortex and meeting people in a non-linear timey-wimey way. The undulating cables move together and apart, each following their own path like the Time Lord and his companions.
The socks are top down with a flap and gusset heel and come in four sizes: to fit 8/S (8.5/M, 9/L, 9.5/XL)”/20 (21.5, 23, 24)cm circumference. The instructions are both written and charted, whichever is easiest for you, and the digital file has bookmarks to help you navigate between sections.
The sample is made in Sparkleduck Galaxy in the Relative Dimensions colourway. This is
perfect for a Doctor Who inspired pattern, being TARDIS coloured and the sparkle makes it
extra celestial. The smooth structure of the yarn shows off the cables really well and most
people should be able to get a pair of socks out of one ball (unless you have particularly
long feet).
The sample is size M, knitted on 2.25mm needles. The pattern is very stretchy, due to all the purls between the cables, so is designed to be worn with 1.5″(3-4)cm negative ease.
Thanks to Jacqui Gouldbourn, the moderator of the UK Sock Knitters group and the tech editor for this pattern. I also had some amazing test knitters, without whom this pattern would be a lot harder to follow. Hopefully they made all the mistakes so you don’t have to.
I hope you come and join in the KAL (not just for UK knitters). You can cast on anytime during October and socks must be finished by 31st January 2017 to qualify for the prize draw, so even the slowest knitter (or people who are really bad at sticking to one project like me) should be able to finish.
If you are going to Yarndale this weekend, or the Bakewell Wool Gathering on 22-23 October (unfortunately I’m not), make sure to stop by the sparkleduck stall to see the yarn in all its glory.
Visit the Ravelry pattern page here for more information and buy the pattern for £3.50+VAT directly here. Until 1st October get 20% off automatically.
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I’m pleased to announce my new three sock eBook The Diamond Collection is now available on ravelry. This is a collection of top-down socks with diamond shaped cable motifs. All the patterns have both written and charted instructions and navigation options to make using the digital version as easy as possible.
Corundum is the mineral that sapphires are made from. This sock is covered in tiny cables that form a diamond shaped lattice, with more cables inside the diamonds. At the toe the cabled lattice gives way gracefully to stocking stitch.
This sock comes in sizes to fit 7/S (8.5/M, 10/L)”/18 (21.5, 25.5)cm circumference. The sample is the 8.5″ size, made using 2.25mm needles and Artesano Definition Sock in the Denim colourway, a yarn that is sadly no longer available. A good substitute would be West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply, or any similar smooth sock yarn.
Visit the Ravelry pattern page here for more information
The city of Antwerp has a long association with diamonds. Most of the world’s rough diamonds pass through there before being transformed into something beautiful. This sock features a cascade of diamonds down the front and individual diamonds on the side in a sea of seed stitch.
This sock comes in sizes to fit 8/S (9/M, 10/L)”/20 (23, 25.5)cm circumference. The sample is the 9″ size, made using 2.25mm needles and SweetGeorgia Tough Love Sock in the English Ivy colourway. This is a hard wearing yarn with excellent stitch definition.
Visit the Ravelry pattern page here for more information
These socks have big diamonds and small diamonds and several different sections. The diamonds grow out of the ribbed cuff, fade back into ribbing at the toe and one of the diamonds even creeps into the heel flap.
This sock comes in sizes to fit 8/S (9/M, 10/L)”/20 (23, 25.5)cm circumference. The sample is the 9″ size, made using 2.25mm needles and Triskelion Elen Sock in the Affallon colourway. This sock yarn has no nylon, but the high twist and long staple of the BFL fibre will help it wear well.
Visit the Ravelry pattern page here for more information
This collection would not have been possible without the help of my wonderful tech editor, my fantastic test knitters or my lovely model. I’m dedicating the eBook to my grandparents who are about to celebrate their Diamond Wedding Anniversary.
View all the patterns on Ravelry here and buy the collection for £8.50+VAT directly here.
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