The Thrill of a First Sock

There’s something very special about knitting a sock. It’s a simple piece of clothing that’s not particularly visible and endures a lot of wear and (eventually) tear. But the structural components of a sock make it a wonderful challenge even for a beginning knitter. The different parts to a sock provide learning opportunities, a multitude of options for customization, and enough variety that a knitter can’t really get bored.

– circular knitting on double-pointed needles (DPNs), two circulars, or one very long circular (magic loop method)
– ribbing
– construction of a heel flap and gusset
– toe shaping
– grafting the toe using the Kitchener stitch

And that’s just in top-down socks! For a first-time sock knitter, each section and technique can also provide the opportunity for much muttering and lots of occasional cursing.

In yesterday’s knitting class, Bonnie finished her first sock. How great is this?

Lucky daughter Liza will be the recipient once its pair has been knit. Keeping fingers crossed that Bonnie doesn’t develop a case of Second Sock Syndrome.