Knit Socks! (Hardcover)

by Betsy McCarthy (Author)
Key Phrases: repeat rounds, repeat rows, lace pattern, Next Rounds, Trading Places, Needles One (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Anyone who's ever picked up a set of needles thinks about knitting a pair of socks.

Continuing Storey's popular die-cut Knit! series, Knit Socks! offers 15 one-of-a-kind patterns that keep feet toasty warm while making a cool fashion statement. Betsy McCarthy--a nationally renowned knitting teacher and designer of simple, innovative knitwear patterns--recommends which types of yarn to use (wool and wool blends hold the sock's shape best), and discusses the types of needles suitable for knitters of varying levels of skill (wooden or bamboo for beginners who knit more slowly, metal for speedy, experienced knitters). And McCarthy's tips on working "in the round" using five needles will benefit even people who have knitted for years.

The friendly, step-by-step instructions and color-coded charts make Knit Socks! perfect for knitters of all skill levels.

About the Author
Betsy McCarthy teaches knitting workshops for beginning and experienced knitters. She is famous for her simple, innovative knitwear patterns and for her teaching method, which gives students the technical expertise and confidence to create their own knitwear designs. Her sock and hat patterns have been published by Fiber Trends. McCarthy lives in Seattle, Washington.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (September 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580175376
• ISBN-13: 978-1580175371
• Product Dimensions: 13.6 x 9.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #307,665 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good for a sock newbie, November 17, 2004

By	Alianne (Manassas, VA) - See all my reviews

This books assumes you have a basic knowledge of knitting and very little knowledge of knitting socks. That's what I wanted in a first sock book. There are explanations of each sock part, how to use double-pointed needles, and various other tidbits that might be useful to a first-time sock knitter. The instructions are set up step by step and are easy to follow.

The only problem I had with my first pair of socks was the short row heel, but I re-read the author's section entitled "You Can Do It!" and realized her explanation of short rowing did make sense. You really do follow the pattern and it comes out looking like a heel.

The patterns are lovely and fairly simple. There are patterns that would be a pleasant challenge to a sock newbie. If you're looking for more difficult patterns, this probably isn't the book for you. But, if you are new to knitting socks, this is a wonderful book.

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Overall, a good investment, November 3, 2004

By	digikat "digikat" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

Here are some thoughts I have about this book:

1. The designs are fantastic. I would not object to making every sock in this book. They are not totally wacky, nor too simple. They use great colors, great textures. There is a total of 15 designs, only one is children's size, and one is both for adults and children. As for the adult socks, most of them are suitable for men and women. Various designs use cables, intarsia, stripes, simple lace. Overall, there is a diverse array of classy, interesting socks to knit.

2. Each design is double the fun! In a very convenient format, each design comes in two variations - sometimes it's written for two different yarn weights, and sometimes it's written for two different sizes. This is great because it makes yarn substitutions so much easier.

3. There is a sizeable introduction with techniques and tips, and other tips can be found throughout the book. Some tips include how to splice yarns together, how to make neater decrease stitches, how to avoid ladders, etc...

4. So why the four stars? Well, I actually made one of the patterns. The instructions for each sock are meticulous, really spelling out each step. To give you an idea, they tell you exactly how to redistribute the stitches between needles, and spell out row by row how to make the heel turn. Each pattern is about 8 pages long! In such an instance, it's really easy for the writers to make a mistake, or to give the knitter a false sense of comfort, allowing him/her to just blindly follow what's written. In the pattern I made, I found a few weird choices and mistakes, and I really needed to pay attention to what's written and if it made sense.

Overall, a solid investment. Really great patterns that you'll keep making. I would say this book is for an intermediate knitter, or for a really adventurous beginner knitter. Just keep your wits about you as you make the socks, don't let the step-by-step instructions fool you into infallibility on the writers' part.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book for learning to knit socks, October 12, 2004

By	fyerfaery (California) - See all my reviews

I've been knitting for a while now, but I have been afraid to venture into the world of sock knitting. However, after seeing someone knitting a pair of sock, I couldn't think of anything else. I knew I needed to knit a pair of socks.

I went to a local yarn store and poured through every book they had on sock knitting. I finally ended up going with this one. The book has great illustrations for getting started on double pointed needles, and sock patterns that give instructions for multiple sizes and yarn gauges. The sock patterns range from beginner to intermediate, and all the patterns are socks that I would actually wear (though maybe not in the colors they are presented in). Also, the book is a convenient size for carrying around with your knitting.

The only drawback of the book for me was that they don't have any patterns for knee-high socks. But you can't have everything.

Since I have gotten the book I have been able to start my own pair of socks (well, the first one at least). I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how to knit socks.