I remember over 4 years ago having a knitting lesson at the Shack on socks. The teacher used Addi Turbo DPN’s and they terrified the crap out of me. Literally. They were slippery and silver and tiny. It was the first time I came away from a lesson disturbed and frustrated and was all “stupid sock knitting, why would you want to do that, it sucks, hate it”……

Come to 2005/2006 and I’m all about the sock knitting. When this came out at Knitty yesterday I was actually emailing friends EXCITED. Sock geek.

The above lessons was on DPN’s and I think that’s where the problem was for me. I just don’t do DPN’s. Other’s swear by them, but I just can’t do it. So it was straight to 2 circular’s for me and I haven’t looked back. Thanks to Cat Bordhi’s excellent book Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles. An excellent starting point.

Misocrafty has an excellent resources page
I’m about to try out Joelene’s turkish caston for 2 at once using the magic loop. Why’s it called the magic loop? It should be renamed “the surprisingly friggin easy loop”.

Handpainted Yarn
- Blue Moon Fibre Arts - SOCKS THAT ROCK!!! A current favourite.
- Cherry Tree Hill
- Fleece Artist
- I reckon cashmere socks would be divine, HipKnits offer a cashmere sock yarn. Decadent.
- The Knittery
- Knit Picks and dye your own (don’t ship internationally, very disappointing for those of us across the pond)
- Lorna’s Laces
- Sophies Toes
- Sweet Georgia Yarns - a new find via Knitty
- Vesper Sock Yarn

I’m not a fan of the self patterning, but for those that are here’s a couple:
- Lang Yarns, Jawoll
- Opal and I believe they’re now offering a handpaint…

For you Aussies that want to buy locally your own to handpaint Live 2 Knit is now offering undyed yarn

Needles
- Knitter’s Review
- Grumperina weighs in

Patterns
Well there are tonnes and tonnes of patterns.
- I’m loving My Fashionable Life’s Elfine Pattern, that’s next up for me I think.
- The latest knitty has some excellent patterns and don’t forget to check the archives.
- Knitters Anonymous.
- Magknits.
- Staggered rib pattern for 2 circular’s
- Sockbug, patterns and instructions
- Wendy Knits
- More here

Then there’s Alison’s famous Sockapalooza, how nice (and terrifying for me!) to knit someone some socks and have the favour returned.

I’m no expert and I know there’s a load of you sock knitters out there, please leave comments, opinions, links to your favourite sock yarn’s and any other socky stuff.

© craftapalooza for whip up, 2006. | Permalink | 12 comments

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