Learn to Knit Socks

Learn by watching!
1. Get your pattern – $8.00 US via PayPal

2. Get your yarn and needles – worsted weight yarn and size 5 US double-pointed needles.

3. Get your knit on – the pattern references the videos below to get you through the tricky parts. (You must have an internet connection to view the videos.)

Video 1 – Working with double-pointed needles and starting the cuff.

Video 2 – Dividing for the heel flap and knitting the heel flap.

Video 3 – Turning the heel.

Video 4 – Working the gusset.

Video 5 – Toe shaping.

Video 6 – Kitchener stitch (grafting the toe).

196 comments on “Learn to Knit Socks

  1. Staci

    Ihave purchased your pattern for making these socks and I have miss placed. How do I get another copy without having to repurchase same again. It’s been a few years already.

    Thank you for your help.

    Trudy

  2. I too have miss placed my pattern that I purchased a couple of years ago. Could you please let me know how to get another copy?
    Thanks,
    Kathy

  3. Sure, Kathy – just let me know what email address you have on file with PayPal. Then I can locate and resend your pattern. Or – first, you might want to check your Ravelry library. For the last couple of years or so, Ravelry has been automatically adding your purchases to your Ravelry library.

    S t a c i

  4. Hello, love your tutorials, just wondering if the patterns for this and the magic loop were interchangeable? Thanks

  5. Kat – thank you for the note. Each of my sock patterns is unique and teaches different skills, with a different pattern. If you’re comfortable “winging it”, you can probably do that and modify one of my patterns to match the techniques of another, but if you’re just learning socks (and my tutorials are for folks learning new techniques), you probably don’t want to try modifying the pattern right off the bat.

    S t a c i

  6. Hi Staci!

    I just wanted to thank you, thanks to you I just finihed my very first pair of socks. I began knitting 2-3 month ago and using DPN and knitting something else than a scarf was very scary to me 🙂

    Thank you for your tutorials and patterns 🙂

  7. Hello Staci – thanks for the great videos.
    I’m a new knitter and this is my first pair of socks.
    I’m confused about the slipped stitches. You said a couple of times that you should always slip as if to purl unless the pattern tells you otherwise. You also said there was an exception in the eye of partridge stitch, and in a comment above, made a reference to having misspoken int video. I’ve been slipping knit wise on the first row (and first row repeats) and slipping the first stitch purl wise on row two (and row two repeats). My heel flap doesn’t look correct. Can you clarify whether to slip knit wise or purl wise and whether the yarn should be in back or front. I’m sorry if this should be obvious but as I said, I’m new at knitting and getting confused at this part. Thanks!

    ~ Sula

  8. Sula – you want to slip purl-wise, but whether you slip knit-wise or purl-wise, it will hardly make a visible difference in your heel flap.

    S t a c i

  9. This is one of the greatest websites ever, your videos are the best. I knitted many things and feel thankfull everytime I wear one 🙂

  10. Hi Staci, I’m new to knitting and want to make a Christmas stocking. I love your videos and can’t wait to have a beautiful stocking. Right now, I’m having a problem with the gusset. I did the heel flap and turning the heel according to the pattern. The heel flap calls for “14 rows total from color change.” After turning the heel, I started the gusset. The pattern says to “pick up and knit 8 stitches along side of heel flap.” My stocking only has 7 stitches on each side. Do you know what I might have done wrong and how I can correct this? Thanks.

  11. Merril – I’m not sure what Christmas Stocking pattern you’re working from, but oftentimes designers will have you cram an extra stitch in there when picking up along the gusset to help avoid a gap or hole where the different directions of knitting meet.

    S t a c i

  12. Thank you so much! Just finished my first sock and it came out great. Your videos are wonderful, keep up the good work.

  13. Thank you so much for your videos on knitting the parts of a sock. I can’t wait to knit my first pair of socks and I’ll be ordering your pattern.

  14. Thank you for your very informative videos/patterns. Each and every one I have listened to or used has helped me through my projects. I will continue using your patterns and videos in the future.

    Take Care,

    Sherry K

  15. Hi Staci, could I use a non wool yarn for socks, maybe cascade superwash instead of cascade 220?

    thank you so much — love the way you teach me new things

  16. Helen – Cascade Superwash is a wool yarn, and it will work great for these socks. I don’t really recommend using a non-wool (or other animal fiber) for socks, like cotton or acrylic. It can be done, and you can follow the pattern with a different fiber type, but wool is very “forgiving” and little tension issues will disappear when the socks are washed. Using cotton or acrylic makes it very hard to keep good tension when working on shaped items like socks, and tension issues don’t wash away. But if you’re allergic to wool, other fibers can be used.

    S t a c i

  17. Just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed you teaching me how to knit socks, I have been knitting for many years and have enjoyed making sweaters, afghans and hats but always shied away from learning how to knit socks. Finally I took the bull by the horns and made up mind that I was going to learn! So I did my research and found your tutorial and I could not be happier, your instructions were great! And easy to follow. Thank you so much! I have conquer my first sock. What a great feeling. Now I am looking forward to making socks for my family.

  18. What guage should I be using for this sock. Using a 5 US DPN and worsted weight yarn and the sock doesn’t seem like it has the right circumference. Tried it on and it was very tight.

    Love the videos! I always thought making socks would be difficult but they aren’t! At least when you explain how to knit them.

  19. Ruth – the gauge for these socks is 5.5 stitches per inch…but if the socks are seeming small for you, you can always increase your needle size for a bit more room.

    S t a c i

  20. Staci, I have the “super simple sock pattern” from ravelry that you recommended. It says it’s sized for women, but can it be made for men? Thanks

  21. Bill – I recommend that pattern as being similar because of the techniques used, but please consult with the designer of that pattern with your questions.

    S t a c i

  22. I have knitted for about 3-4 years but only shawls, fingerless gloves, scarves etc. No socks ! Looking forward to using your pattern. My question is this….what size foot is this sock supposed to fit ? Using the yarn and needles size you recommended…….Thanks and love your video

  23. Sharie – this pattern will fit any normal (B) width woman’s foot. The pattern gives instructions for making the sock the right length.

    S t a c i

  24. Hello, I purchase this pattern a long time ago and I use it all the time to make socks.Now I want to make socks using a bulkier yarn. I purchase Wool-Ease thick and quick to make some holiday socks for friends, and Obviously the pattern won’t work because I’ll make a sock for a giant, LOl believe me I know.
    Please help me or tell me if the pattern for sleeping bulky socks will work and I can purchase that one.how can I learn to use the same pattern and make t work with different.

  25. Bianca – Wool Ease Thick & Quick is a Super Bulky yarn, and is really too thick for this pattern (Learn to Knit Socks) or my Bulky Sleep Socks pattern. I’m afraid altering a pattern to match a new gauge isn’t a simple thing – the pattern really has to be scrapped and a new pattern has to be written from scratch in the new gauge.

    If you really want to use Thick & Quick, I suggest searching Ravelry for a sock pattern that uses Super Bulky yarn. Here is my video on using Ravelry Advanced Search:
    https://verypink.com/2015/03/25/ravelry-tips-using-advanced-search/

    Hope that helps!
    S t a c i

  26. First of all, thanks so much for doing a really basic How To sock pattern and videos.
    I have wanted to make socks for a while now, bought several books and leaflets but it just didn’t happen for me with them. Bought pattern last Saturday and by end of week I had a Sock made ! WoW…..Love the videos , so very helpful. On to make the second sock now !!!

  27. Hi Staci,
    One of my resolutions last year was to learn the knit socks. I didn’t get started until 12/30th, but with the help of your videos I just finished my first pair! Your videos are perfect for those of us that are visual learners. Next I am going to try the magic loop toe up socks.
    Alisa

  28. I have been interested in learning how to knit socks (which seem intimating), but I am encouraged by your lessons which I have watched on YouTube. So I want to purchase the pattern, buy some acrylic wool, the double pointed needles, and get started! How much wool is needed?

    I also have another question: what are the pros and cons of knitting a sock from top down to toes versus toes up to the top?

    Also, does your pattern show how to adjust for bigger feet, like mine? I wear a size 10 in women’s

    Thank you! ( I like your teaching method by the way!)
    Delia

  29. Would love to learn how to knit socks. I enjoyed watching your YouTube lesson 1. How much worsted wool do I need to buy for making your sock pattern?

    Also, does your pattern show how to increase the sock size? I wear a size 10 in women’s.

    Thank you!

    Delia Bottoms

  30. Delia – to answer your questions:

    The pattern calls for 100 grams of worsted weight wool or wool-blend yarn, about 220 yards. You can use acrylic, but your results will be better with wool or wool-blend. Cuff-down and toe-up socks are just different styles. You’ll find folks who prefer one over the other – it’s really a personal preference that you can discover on your own by knitting both. All of my sock patterns fit any shoe size, average width. The pattern explains how to fit any shoe size.

    S t a c i

  31. I’m finally delving into sock making! I have some sock yarn (sport weight) and wonder if you have a pattern for that weight or will using this pattern work for that weight as well? I have a hard time reading patterns being I’m self taught and usually consult a video if I’m having issues. I love that you have both! Hopefully it’ll teach me a bit about reading patterns.

  32. Corinna, thank you for the note. From my FAQ:
    Q: Staci, I’d like to modify your sock pattern to knit in sock (fingering) weight yarn. Can you help me?
    A: My sock patterns and tutorials are designed to teach the skills and techniques you need to knit that item using the techniques specified. Once you’ve finished a tutorial, you have what you need to know to move on to all kinds of similar patterns, available in all yarn weights. Just do an advanced search on Ravelry for the specifics – toe-up, two at-a-time, cuff-down, etc. I’m sorry – changing the gauge in a pattern requires an entirely new pattern. Sock patterns can’t be easily modified.

  33. Hi Staci! Thanks for the pattern and videos.
    I just finished the turning of the heel. Quick question: because the pattern states to slip all first stitches -except for row 1 of the heel turning – I have a weird little purl bump right there instead of a neat V. I’m not sure how to treat it when I go to pick it up.
    Thanks!

  34. Katherine – just pick it up like the rest of the stitches, it will look fine when all of the stitches are picked up.

    S t a c i

  35. Hi…my name is Sylvia and I’m wondering if it would still be possible to get the pattern that is part of the 5 part tutorial that I watched for knitting socks?
    Thanks for the videos but I would love to get the written pattern too.
    Sylvia Giesbrecht

  36. Hi Staci

    Can you please tell me whether there will be enough yarn in one skein of Cascade 220 to double the size of the cuff on this pattern? I have just completed a practice sock and now want to buy the recommended yarn to make a pair, but I like my socks to be higher. Thanks for the great tutorials which have completely demystified the process and made it an enjoyable learning experience.

  37. hi staci I worked it out I was knitting anti clockwise I picked up my work wrongly and kept doing it what a silly woman. I made mitts when I was child and forgot how to knit in the round . I have just taken up knitting again Ive not knitted for many years you are a godsend I made the cropped cardi it turned out lovely.

  38. Is it hard to learn how to knit with double pointed needles? If a pattern calls for them you do have to use them?

  39. Gail – it isn’t especially hard to learn to use double-pointed needles (it looks harder than it actually is), and it’s a good skill to have as a knitter.
    S t a c i

  40. Hi! First of all, I want to say your videos have helped me immensely as I’m learning to knit! This will be my first foray into using double pointed needles and I had a quick question. I went to my local yarn shop and they had two different lengths for US 5 double pointed needles, 6″ or 8″. How long are the DPNs used in this tutorial?

    Thank you!

    Stephanie

  41. Stephanie – thank you for the note. You can use either length for socks. I prefer shorter, but it comes down to a personal preference.
    S t a c i

  42. I made my first pair of socks with your tutorials. To be honest I was quite confused after researching techniques of making socks for the first time but your videos were very comprehensive and easy to follow. The socks turned out better than I could have ever expected. You are a great teacher and I want to thank you for your work.

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