Giveaway + Socks Any Way You Like Them!

Socks are a great summer project because they are small and portable, and they can be simple or complex depending on the type of sock project you use. However you like to make socks, we have the right tools for you - below are some tips, techniques and tools to help you explore new ways of sock-making this summer!

Toe-up
Getting started is often the trickiest part to making toe-up socks, but once you master the technique, there's no end to the creative socks you can make! Many knitters prefer this method because they can just keep knitting until they run out of yarn. If you are having trouble getting started, click here to view a video tutorial demonstrating Judy's Magic Cast-On from the talented designer Cat Bordhi's YouTube Channel.

Top Down
A stretchy cast-on is necessary to start your top-down socks off right. There are many, many types of cast-ons that would work well, so you'll want to experiment to find which one works best for your style of knitting. Click here to see a video demonstration of the Channel Island Cast-On from Sockupied on the Knitting Daily blog if you need help getting started!

Cubics Double-Pointed Needles

Socks on DPNs
Many knitters prefer to knit in the round with DPNs; we have several needle styles to suit every DPN enthusiast! For the serious sock knitter, we recommend our Nova Sock Set (for those who prefer metal needles) or our color-coded Dreamz Sock Set (for those who prefer wooden needles). You'll also want to keep your stitches on the needles with our handy DPN tubes, which are especially great for on-the-go sock knitters!

Karbonz Fixed Circular Needles

Magic Loop Socks

If you've ever been knitting while you're out an about and dropped one of your DPNs, only to have it roll away and never be found again, you may want to give magic loop knitting a try! You'll need a circular needle with a nice, long cord (32" or 40" is ideal); Stitch Diva Studios has a great tutorial video here on their website to get you started!

Two-at-a-Time Socks
Once you master the Magic Loop technique, you can use it to knit both pair of socks at the same time! It's a little tricky to get started, but here is an excellent tutorial with step-by-step instructions over on the Knit and Tonic blog.

Two-At-A-Time Socks

Crochet

Socks aren't just for knitters - there are plenty of great crochet patterns out there, too! Our steel crochet hooks come in smaller sizes which are just right for fingering-weight sock yarns. If you're new to crocheting socks, here are eight expert tips from the editor of Crochet Me to make your feet happy!

Steel Crochet Hook With Soft Feel Handle

This Month's Giveaway

This month, we have two chances for you to win Knitter's Pride needles:

First, one lucky blog reader will win Karbonz DPNs!

We'll also randomly select a blog reader to win a pair of US #1 Nova Fixed Circulars!

To be eligible, simply leave a comment on this blog post telling us your favorite way to make socks and which prize you'd like to win from the two choices listed above. You'll also want to give us your email address or Ravelry ID so that we can contact you if you win.

We'll randomly select our winner to announce on our next blog post later this month. Good luck!

It's a Sockstravaganza!

Pair-A-Normal Socks

For our sock-obsessed fans, October is also known as Socktober, a time to welcome fall and celebrate all things sock-related! 

We've seen a lot of great new sock patterns for fall, such as Rohn Strong's Horatio Socks from The Heritage Collection (perfect for beginners!), Hunter Hammerson's Phaeodaria socks from the first issue of The Sock Report, or the Pair-a-Normal colorwork socks from Knitty Deep Fall. There's so much sock-knitting inspiration this fall! 

If you're new to sock-making, it might seem intimidating at first, but with the right tools and a few good resources to turn to when you get stuck, you'll be happily making socks in no time flat! We've rounded up a few helpful articles and videos below to get you started. We're also giving away one pair of Knitter's Pride Sock Blockers to a lucky reader - see below for details! 

YouTube provides thousands of free tutorial videos. Our friends at Jimmy Beans Wool not only share informative product reviews on their YouTube channel, they also have several videos demonstrating knitting and crochet techniques. This tutorial demonstrating the German Twisted Cast-On method is great for starting your top-down socks! 

For visual learners who prefer a little more guidance, point your browsers to Craftsy.com. Craftsy has several video classes you can enroll in for a one-time fee, giving you lifetime access to in-depth video instruction. As an added bonus, you can ask questions for the instructor or fellow classmates to answer as you view each lesson. Donna Druchanas' Knit Original Toe-Up Socks, and Knit Original Cuff-Down Socks classes will have you knitting socks like a pro, no matter which method you prefer! 

Knitter' Pride Sock Blockers

Another great resource is Knitty.com, which has lots of fantastic articles on technique. Toe-up sock enthusiasts will find the Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off photo tutorial to be particularly handy; there's nothing worse than knitting a beautiful pair of socks you can't get on your feed because the bound-off cuff is too tight! 

Finally, you can always turn to the blogosphere for sage advice and photo tutorials. Do you prefer knitting socks with DPN needles, but don't know how to avoid unsightly stitch 'ladders'? Kirsten Hipsky, the Design Manager at Webs, shared a few of her best tips for preventing ladders earlier this year on the Webs Yarn Store blog; Cookie A shared a fantastic photo tutorial on her blog earlier this summer demonstrating an easy way to repair holes in well-loved socks. If you have sock questions, there are most likely answers waiting for you out in the blogosphere!

Enter our Blog Giveaway!
How do you like to make your socks? Top-down or toe-up? Magic loop or on DPNs? One-at-a-time or two-at-a-time?  Leave a comment on this post to share your favorite sock-knitting method(s). You'll be eligible to win a pair of Knitter's Pride Sock Blockers so that your finished socks will look their best! We'll randomly select one lucky winner on Friday, October 26th. Good luck!