At some point in a knitter’s life, the desire to knit a pair of socks hits home and she (or he) picks up a pair of knitting needles. There’s something so special about the thought of knitting a cozy pair of socks, in your favorite color, for yourself or someone you love. To knit a pair of socks is a labor of love – for your own two feet, as well as others.
For new knitters, it can feel a little daunting, however. We wish to demystify the process and make everyone who reads this willing to give it a try. Here’s a great idea for the real beginners among us: Tube socks!
But, before stepping into the world of sock knitting, here are a few things to know.
Knitting Needles: To make a pair of socks there are three major options
- Knitting with Double Pointed Needles. The oldest method to knit small circumferences, double points serve sock knitting really well. While working with 4-5 knitting needles may feel overwhelming the technique is simple. You just need to hang on for few rounds and you’ll get comfortable.
- Knitting with Circular Needles. Both fixed and interchangeable circular needles are great for knitting socks. Just make sure you have the right cable length so that that stitches ar not stretched. While it is recommended to start with one circular needle you can also go ahead knitting with two circular needles. Advanced knitters also are quite adept at making two socks at the same time.
- The Magic Loop. The method of knitting with an extra-long circular needle to knit small circumferenecs, the magic loop is popular option to make some socks. We’ve got a guide to assist you with choosing the best circular knitting needles for the magic loop.
So, back to Tube Socks, the ultimate beginner sock knitting project.
Tube socks require no shaping, so unlike socks with a heel, they can be knit using 2 straight needles and seamed at the end. Once you make a pair, we promise you that you will want to do more. We tend to like wooden needles for sock knitting because the wooden surface aids in keeping stitches nicely in place. However, you can also use a variety of types - everything from lightweight aluminum to smooth stainless steel needles. Given the benefits of knitting with stainless steel you’ll love to use them for a pair of socks to heavy-weight projects such as blankets, etc.
The cool thing about this easy pattern is that you can even use straight needles since they require no shaping. Of course, it’s fine to use 2 double-pointed knitting needles, as well. The 8” length ones are long enough so that you don’t need to worry about them falling off the end. The circular needles, both fixed and interchangeable ones are perfect for the tube socks. You do not require any special method but knit back and forth few rows and then seam in the ends with a darning needle.
Free & Easy Tube Sock Pattern
Using a chunky weight yarn, and size 11 (US) needles, cast on 27 sts. Be sure to cast on loosely, k1, p1 for 12”.
Row 1 (rs): *k1, p1* rep between ** to the last st, k1
Row 2 (ws): *p1, k1* rep between ** to the last st, p1
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until your piece measures 16 inches (42cm).
Toe closure/bind-off: Cut your yarn with a long tail, thread a tapestry needle. Starting from the last stitch on the back of your knitting needle, thread the tapestry needle through all the live stitches on your needle. Drop all stitches off the knitting needle and pull your yarn to draw the toe closed.
Seaming: With the yarn you just used to close the toe, seam up the two sides of your work, using a simple overcast or mattress stitch.
These simple tube socks can be knit easily in a night or two and they will keep your toes warm for a lot longer than that if you use wool or wool blend yarn. Just make sure that it’s machine washable and dryable for easy care.
Another sock pattern to try is Yoga socks. Whether or not yoga is of interest, one thing we are sure of is that just about everyone appreciates a set of yoga socks. Knitted Socks help keep us warm and protected. The good news is that they are also easy to knit. These socks have the added advantage of cut-out heels and toes. They keep the ankle and arch of the foot warm, but they have the added advantage of cut-out heels and toes for easy grip on hard surfaces. These knee-high yoga socks keep dancers, yoga enthusiasts and busy ladies warm all over. This pattern calls for a yarn that is made of alpaca and merino wool, but any dk weight would work as long as it had fiber for warmth.
When you are ready to try shaped socks – ones that have a heel - here’s our guide on how to knit socks for beginners the easy way that will serve you well.
While it is important to know how to knit on double-point needles, there now exists a circular needle that was designed for narrower knit-in- the round projects. It’s the 10” fixed circular needle. These have a shorter cord length and are intended for knitting small-circumference projects, such as socks, infant hats, etc. While this might be an alternative, we strongly recommend that you learn how to knit in the round with double points. It will increase your knowledge, your dexterity and your confidence.
If you like working on circular needles or double points, we recommend the Mindful Collection needle sets. The sets are available in options of double-pointed, fixed circular as well interchangeable needles. All sets comes with a variety of needle sizes in an easy-to-carry case and includes several useful accessories. The entire range of needles are crafted from high-quality stainless steel. With focus on mindfulness and knitting the range has a unique feature - an inspirational word imprinted on the needle tip unique to the knitting needle size.