what kind of yarn do I use for knitting socks?

Question

I am attempting my first sock. What kind of yarn is best. Simple patterns are welcome.

Answer 1

I like the yarns spun especially for socks with 75% wool and 25% nylon (for longer wear). Even in the summer, wool is a good fiber for socks, as it wicks away moisture.



Sock yarns come in solids, prints, and stripes. Some yarns are put up in skeins that will make a pair of socks; others will require two skeins for a pair for an adult. If you decide on a self-striping yarn or other distinctive pattern, be sure you decide ahead of time if it's okay with you if your socks are fraternal twins instead of identical twins. For me, they have to be identical, and it takes extra time and effort to match the starting points for both socks.



Brands of sock yarns I have used and liked include Opal, Plymouth Sockin' Sox, Regia Design Line, and Red Heart's Heart and Sole. I have some Patons Kroy that is "in line" for the next round of sock knitting. I have also knit a number of socks from Plymouth Encore, a worsted-weight mostly acrylic yarn.



The sock yarns usually come in a 50-gram ball at around 225 yards that makes one sock or in a 100-gram ball at around 250 yards that makes a pair of socks. Since I knit both socks at the same time, I rewind half the yarn on the 100-gram balls into a second 50-gram ball.



Where to get patterns:



My tried-and-true resource for sock knitting is the sock pages in Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns.



You can get a more complex Ann Budd pattern free along with patterns from Lisa Shroyer and Priscilla Gibson-Roberts at Knitting Daily (http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/patterns/archive/2008/12/17/5-favorite-sock-knitting-patterns.aspx ). You do have to register for Knitting Daily, and it's a benign site. While there, you might scroll through their free patterns for the other sock patterns: http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/patterns/default.aspx



Plymouth Yarns has easy free patterns for slipper socks and children's socks at http://www.plymouthyarn.com/index.php?nav=cPatterns.freePatterns&pattern_id=000027.



Knitty.com has everything from the whacked-out (Frankensocks and Space Invaders) to the elegant (Baudelaire), top-down or toe-up, at http://www.knitty.com/archiveFEET.php



And the yarn company you choose probably has a free pattern for its yarn as well.

Answer 2

if you want to wear the socks with your shoes, then any yarn thats a sport or fingering weight yarn. the best fiber for socks would be anything that has a blend of nylon, this makes the socks last a lot longer.



if you want them like slippers or around the house sort of socks then you can use a worsted, bulky or super bulky weight yarn of your choice.



here is the pattern that i learned to make socks.



http://sarah-knits.blogspot.com/2006/06/toe-up-sock-pattern-invisible-double.html

Answer 3

Socks can be made from any weight of yarn from fingering (sock/baby weight) to bulky. Worsted weights and thicker make better boot or hiking socks, and bulky yarns really are best for slipper type socks. The average sock, though, is made from fingering weight yarn, usually a superwash merino, with some nylon in it for strength. There are other fiber blends, but a cotton blend also needs a bit of elastic in it to ease putting it on and taking it off (I have a pair of 100% cotton handknit socks, wicked hard to get on and off) since cotton has no give to it otherwise. Most sock yarns have wool blended in them. Acrylic socks, though, should be a no-no. Acrylic really holds moisture against your feet and can feel cold and clammy, and may promote foot fungus infections.



As for easy patterns, go to socknitters.com for series of lessons and easy patterns you can use. Patons booklet "Pull Up Your Socks" is a great reference for worsted weight socks, and Charlotte Schurch's "Sensational Knit Socks" and "More Sensational Knit Socks" are tremendous sock learning books, so you have a good set of options there.



The simplest pattern is one with a simple ribbed cuff, instructions for the heel flap and heel turning, gusset stitches, foot and toe. While there are some heelless patterns out there that are also good, learning how to do an actual heeled sock is a great experience. Don't let the heel turning scare you, just trust the directions blindly (with apologies to EZ) the first couple of times and you'll be fine.

Answer 4

There is a superwash merino wool called Zara that I really love. It's sportweight, which is slightly heavier than most sock yarns, but that means you can also use bigger needles.



I made my first socks from a WWI Red Cross pattern. If you google "Red Cross sock knitting," it's easy to find. It's a very straighforward top-down pattern on size 3 dpn's. If you use the Zara with this pattern, you'll come out with really great boot socks.



I also love self-striping wool sock yarn, which you can find just about everywhere. I haven't tried Lion Brand Sock-Ease yet, but I've had very good results with other Lion Brand yarns and would definitely suggest it.

Answer 5

Best Sock Yarn

Answer 6

Lion Brand Sock Ease

Answer 7

Sock -Ease Yarn by the Lionbrand Yarn Company

Answer 8

For your first pair of socks, I would suggest making slipper socks that don't require the use of fine yarns. The advantage is that they go much faster, and you can see your stitches more easily.



Lion Brand has a great pattern for slippers here:



http://www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/patternFinder.fcgi?search=1&searchText=socks&Go.x=1&Go.y=1&Go=1&start=45&pageLength=15

Answer 9

Try Sock-Ease yarn by Lionbrand Yarn Company.



They have a web site with free patterns and sell sock making yarn, however, you have to register. Registration is free and they send you a free newsletter which if you don't want it you can unsubscribe to it.



They also have free knitting tutorials, I don't think they have one specifically for socks, but they show tutorials for the stitches used in sock making.



As the other poster said, use a light weight yarn.



Hope this helps and good luck with your socks!

Answer 10

You would use sock yarn. This is wool with nylon, usually a 80/20 or 75/25 blend. The nylon is stronger and holds the stitches together. The wool is much nicer on your foot, and wears really well. Be sure it is sock yarn -- it needs to be spun a bit tighter than you would have for other knitting. You knit them at a tighter gauge than you would normally for that weight of yarn.



There are tons of patterns! Heels are really fun to do, I have always enjoyed them right from the start. The best site is http://www.socknitters.com/

Answer 11

If you have a JoAnn's Fabric store near you, you may be able to pickup a free pattern for a TUBE sock so you would not have to worry about turning the heel.



Also, if you visit joann.com you will find FREE patterns for socks (with heels). Each pattern will specify what type of yarn to use.



Generally, sock are done on small, double pointed needles with fine yarn. IF you see the notation Double Knit (DK) yarn it is a very fine type of sock yarn, even finer than baby or fingering yarn.