Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: rep rnds, rep rows, finishing cut, Knitting Socks, Super Fine, Turn Heel Work (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Some really nice sock patterns, but it's the chapters at the beginning about how to use handpainted yarn that I really love."  —KnittingScholar.com

"Tons of tips and patterns designed specifically with handpaints in mind so you're sure to get a good result each time."  —About.com Guide to Knitting

"Photos are clear and enticing, with the socks shown in excellent detail. There's a sock for every taste and technique; mosaic, ribbing, lace sts, multidirectional, chevrons, intarsia, Fair Isle."  —YARN: The Australian Magazine for Knitting and More

"Examines the many ways sock knitters can use monotoned, variegated and self-striping handpaints to best advantage."  —Yarn Market News

"The cover photo will make you want to drop what you're doing and knit a pair for yourself. . . . even the most complicated pattern isn’t difficult, because the yarns themselves do so much of the work."  —Knit 'N Style

"5 out of 5 stars. This book has more interesting sock patterns than usually found in a sock book."  —Knitting News

"Sulcoski has put together a collection of patterns that enhances the color and striping effects of your favorite handpainted yarns. Some patterns even incorporate more than one type of yarn."  —Detroit News

Product Description

Providing technical guidance as well as fun, creative patterns, this resource tackles handpainted yarns, identifying the many challenges—and many opportunities—they provide for knitting socks. Focusing on how to make the most of these much-loved yarns, it explains how to design projects with hand-dyed material versus other types of yarns, how to avoid the pitfalls of pooling and splotching, and how to combine multicolored hand paints with other types of yarns. Fresh, modern sock patterns from a variety of contributors illustrate their successful techniques, showing that with creativity and a little technical know-how, knitters can fully take advantage of these beautiful, yet sometimes tricky, yarns.

See all Editorial Reviews

---

Product Details Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Interweave Press (January 1, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1596680989 ISBN-13: 978-1596680982 Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #134,743 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

---

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Carol Sulcoski Page

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Search Inside This Book:

---

Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
rep rnds, rep rows, finishing cut, paired sts, pwise wyb, pwise wyf, heel sts rem, desired total foot length, instep sts, arrange sts, kwise wyb, heel flap, chain sts, prey row, sts tog, fingering weight, tail threaded, edge sts, selvedge edge, lift wrap, color segments, stockinette stitch, knit sts, tapestry needle, waste yarn

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Knitting Socks, Super Fine, Turn Heel Work, Foot Cont, The Road, Wild Multis, Handpainted Happiness, Toe Work, Wrapped Rib, Intarsia Heart Chart, Shape Gussets Pick, Muted Multis, Big Toe, Potpourri Chart, Four Toes, Punctuated Rib Socks, Split-Toe Sweethearts, Right Sock, Foot Work, Herringbone Rib Socks, Wave Chart, Rib Fantastic, Longbourn Socks, Whirlpool Socks, Staccato Socks

Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Search Inside This Book:

---

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	64% buy the item featured on this page: Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn 4.9 out of 5 stars (17) $13.57
	15% buy Sock Innovation: Knitting Techniques & Patterns for One-of-a-Kind Socks 4.5 out of 5 stars (37) $15.61
	15% buy Socks from the Toe Up: Essential Techniques and Patterns from Wendy Knits 4.7 out of 5 stars (38) $15.61
	3% buy Socks A La Carte: Pick And Choose Patterns To Knit Socks Your Way 4.0 out of 5 stars (20) $15.63

Explore similar items

---

Tags Customers Associate with This Product  (What's this?) Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people. Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below.  sock knitting(16) handpainted yarn(11) knitting(9) knitting books(8) knitting socks(8) sock patterns(6) knitting book(5) socks(5) knit(2) knitting patterns(2) See all 14 tags... Your tags: Add your first tag

Search Products Tagged with   See most popular tags

---

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

---

 

Customer Reviews

17 Reviews 5 star:  (16) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.9 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 49 of 50 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying!, December 16, 2008 By  Seven Kitties "7kitties" (Blue Point, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    Socksters, this is a no-brainer. You NEED this book. Even if you haven't (yet) drunk the sock-knitting Kool-Aid, this book is worth your while for how it breaks down the world of handpainted yarns. She classifies them two ways--by contrast colors and by dye-run length--and explains how they work with different patterns and how to grapple with that bugbear of handpainted yarns--pooling. The bad news is: part of the answer is, ya gotta swatch. Errrrgh. I know. But her advice is sound, and she offers a number of ways to cope, everything from directional knitting to knitting with two skeins to certain stitch patterns. Each of the 21 patterns in this book is rated according to which brightness of yarn you have to work with, everything from almost solid (those luscious kettle dyes), to moderate to brightly painted (which she at one point jokingly calls 'clown barf'). That means once you identify what type of yarn you've yanked out of your stash, you can find a pattern to work. The patterns are from well known designers (Ann Budd, Charlene Schurch, etc) and look challenging enough to be interesting, but not too intimidating. (Maybe don't knit while watching your favorite TV show, but when it's not your own personal Must See TV, you can knit away with confidence). The patterns feature everything from directional knitting (but, strangely, no mitered squares) to color stranding to a teeny bit of intarsia to lace. It presumes basic knitting knowledge and a good bit of the basics of sock construction as well, but I wouldn't put it above an 'intermediate' knitter. Beginners might hold off to get a sock or two under their needles first, but none of these patterns have complicated massive charts or anything else too intimdating. If, like me, you've bought a bucket of handpaints but dread knitting them up into a pattern where either the stitch pattern gets lost in the color, the colors muddy up, or you're plagued with pooling, this book is just what you need. Do NOT have any socks on your needles when this book arrives. 24 of 24 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Handpainted Sockahlics Dream Come True, December 20, 2008 By  Tina Martinez (Catskill, NY) - See all my reviews    Seriously, no hyperbole there. I know of few sock knitters who don't love sock candy, but it really is a pain sometimes to get it to look as good as a sock compared to its skeined up loveliness. Short of fiddling with stitch count or using the same old standby's over and over, what's a sock knitter to do? This book is absolutely jam packed with great alternatives for feisty yarn. No matter if your taste runs from subtle to wild, you will be able to match your yarn up with a suitable pattern that will allow it to shine. I am extremely impressed with the range here. While there are a couple I just shake my head at, the vast majority are very well thought out and quite lovely. This book is not for beginners, and for that I am also thankful. Why waste pages on 'how to' when there are so many other good resources out there, some of them free. I'm getting more patterns for my dollar here, or rather my brother did since he's the one who bought it for me for an early Christmas present. The book is a treat just for the gorgeous patterns and photos alone! This book will hold a place of honor on my shelf, it has truly addressed a need in the sock knitting world. 15 of 15 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Knocked my (handpainted) socks off!, December 24, 2008 By  Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)       I thought "Oh, ho-hum, another sock book about stripey yarn" but...no, this book REALLY has a lot to offer the sock knitter as well as yarn dyer or spinner. The book discusses handpainted or varigated yarns and the problem of "pooling" or when blotches of color show up rather than stripes. The patterns are coded by whether the pattern is suited for wild multi-colors, muted multi color, or almost solid. So when you look at a particular model, there is a symbol to tell you what yarn might work the best. Some patterns, by using short and long stitches to break up the pool of color or to camouflage the effect. Many of the patterns are textured. There are braids, zig-zags, and other patterns. Some are color patterns--like a flame orwaves of color accented by embroidery. The flame is great--looks like a custom Harley paint job (gray and flame-orange, with flames rising up the cuffs.) I have a stash of all kinds of shaded yarns and I can't wait to try a number of the patterns. These are sufficiently different that I could confidently recommend this book to any sock knitter, even one with a huge library. If you have a stubborn "pooling" yarn or just a stash of shaded sock yarns, you are sure to find a wonderful pattern here.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Book on hand painted yarns This is a fabulous how-to book that explains how all of those lovely hand painted or hand dyed yarns work. Read more Published 15 days ago by Marge 5.0 out of 5 stars This one is a revelation Don't know what I can say that won't repeat other reviewers, but KSWHP is one of those truly rare knitting books where I have felt like I truly want to knit half the patterns... Read more Published 3 months ago by A Memphis Reader Writes... 5.0 out of 5 stars Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn Item received in timely fashion, in conditiondescribed. Excellent, well-written patterns! Mary LOU shookhoff Published 3 months ago by Mary L. Shookhoff 5.0 out of 5 stars best sock book I love hand painted yarn, I love knitting socks-- I love this book! It's by far my favorite sock knitting book. Read more Published 6 months ago by slipnstitch 5.0 out of 5 stars colorful socks Excellent book for all those fancy yarns. Must be good with size 2 needles tho. I highly recommend this book. Published 6 months ago by Susan Groetchen 4.0 out of 5 stars Knitting Socks With Handpainted Yarns This is a really good book, even if you only use it as a reference. It explains the types of handpainted yarns (3 categories) and then explains how to apply that in order to... Read more Published 8 months ago by K. Blow 5.0 out of 5 stars Fast Shipping!!!! A++++ I really love the book...Since I love to knit socks It was souch great to have! Published 9 months ago by Charles Lee 5.0 out of 5 stars A Top-Notch and Much-Needed Book I'm as easily seduced by good handpainted yarns as the next knitter, but I admit I've been flummoxed about what on earth to do with them. Read more Published 9 months ago by Calotype 5.0 out of 5 stars looove it! For a knitter who already loves socks, this one is a must have. There are a lot of patterns in this book with some very interesting construction techniques, plus an intro about... Read more Published 9 months ago by Darian A. Doner 5.0 out of 5 stars Plenty of info for beginning sock knitters Even though the patterns in the book assume you're not making your first sock, and even though it's not crammed with "how-to" material, I found plenty of excellent information... Read more Published 9 months ago by Susan E. Priller Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

---

Customer Discussions

This product's forum Discussion Replies Latest Post No discussions yet Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight Start a new discussion Topic: First post: Receive e-mail when new posts are made Prompts for sign-in   Guidelines Active discussions in related forums Discussion Replies Latest Post crafts Is anyone on Etsy.com (PART III)? i would like to see your stuff! 206 3 hours ago knitting Ravelry: I just don't get it 65 3 hours ago crafts arts and craft group 2489 22 hours ago crafts Do you have a crafty website? Please share! 135 1 day ago crafts Thanksgiving boredom and remedies 1 3 days ago crafts Ordering pencils from Amazon 15 6 days ago knitting What do you think of knitting and knitters? 152 6 days ago Search Customer Discussions Search all Amazon discussions

The Knitting community Latest activity 1 hour ago 3,557 customers have contributed 1,878 products, 25 discussions and more... › Explore the community The Knitting Socks community Latest activity 13 hours ago 456 customers have contributed 92 products, 10 lists & guides and more... › Explore the community The Socks community Latest activity 4 hours ago 1,337 customers have contributed 1,145 products, 16 lists & guides and more... › Explore the community Related forums crafts (109 discussions) handpainted... knitting (25 discussions) knitting socks (1 discussion) sock knitting socks (1 discussion) Explore more › See all Customer Communities › Your communities

---

Listmania!

Molly: An American Girl in 1944: A list by I Believe in Fairies "I Believe in Fairies"   Favorite Knitting Books: A list by L. D. Santiago "Image for life"   Earn a Degree in Socks: A list by Reader B "k9s & books" Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

---

So You'd Like to...

Knit More Than Just Scarves: A guide by T. Knezek Create a guide

Search Guides

---

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Be the first person to add an article about this item at Amapedia.com.

› See featured Amapedia.com articles

---

Look for Similar Items by Category

• Books > Arts & Photography > Fashion
• Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Fashion
• Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Knitting

---

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:
Knitting & crochet
Knitting
Crafts & Hobbies
Crafts / Hobbies
Hobbies/Crafts
CRAFTS & HOBBIES / Fashion
Crafts & Hobbies / Needlework / Knitting
Fashion
Needlework - Knitting
Patterns
Socks
Handicrafts, Arts & Crafts


i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Ad feedback

 

Feedback If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? Is there any other feedback you would like to provide? Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to all feedback submitted via this form, but we'll ask you to sign in so we can contact you if needed.

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

› View and edit your browsing history

Get to Know Us Careers Investor Relations Press Releases Amazon and Our Planet Make Money with Us Sell on Amazon Join Associates Self-publish with Us › See all Let Us Help You Shipping Rates & Policies Amazon Prime Returns Help

Canada | China | France | Germany | Japan | United Kingdom  And don't forget: Amazon Windowshop | AmazonWireless | Askville | Audible | DPReview | Endless | IMDb | Shopbop | SoundUnwound | Warehouse Deals by Amazon | Zappos Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596680989
• ISBN-13: 978-1596680982
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #134,743 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying!, December 16, 2008

By	Seven Kitties "7kitties" (Blue Point, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Socksters, this is a no-brainer. You NEED this book. Even if you haven't (yet) drunk the sock-knitting Kool-Aid, this book is worth your while for how it breaks down the world of handpainted yarns. She classifies them two ways--by contrast colors and by dye-run length--and explains how they work with different patterns and how to grapple with that bugbear of handpainted yarns--pooling.

The bad news is: part of the answer is, ya gotta swatch. Errrrgh. I know. But her advice is sound, and she offers a number of ways to cope, everything from directional knitting to knitting with two skeins to certain stitch patterns.

Each of the 21 patterns in this book is rated according to which brightness of yarn you have to work with, everything from almost solid (those luscious kettle dyes), to moderate to brightly painted (which she at one point jokingly calls 'clown barf'). That means once you identify what type of yarn you've yanked out of your stash, you can find a pattern to work.

The patterns are from well known designers (Ann Budd, Charlene Schurch, etc) and look challenging enough to be interesting, but not too intimidating. (Maybe don't knit while watching your favorite TV show, but when it's not your own personal Must See TV, you can knit away with confidence). The patterns feature everything from directional knitting (but, strangely, no mitered squares) to color stranding to a teeny bit of intarsia to lace. It presumes basic knitting knowledge and a good bit of the basics of sock construction as well, but I wouldn't put it above an 'intermediate' knitter. Beginners might hold off to get a sock or two under their needles first, but none of these patterns have complicated massive charts or anything else too intimdating.

If, like me, you've bought a bucket of handpaints but dread knitting them up into a pattern where either the stitch pattern gets lost in the color, the colors muddy up, or you're plagued with pooling, this book is just what you need. Do NOT have any socks on your needles when this book arrives.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handpainted Sockahlics Dream Come True, December 20, 2008

By	Tina Martinez (Catskill, NY) - See all my reviews

Seriously, no hyperbole there. I know of few sock knitters who don't love sock candy, but it really is a pain sometimes to get it to look as good as a sock compared to its skeined up loveliness. Short of fiddling with stitch count or using the same old standby's over and over, what's a sock knitter to do?

This book is absolutely jam packed with great alternatives for feisty yarn. No matter if your taste runs from subtle to wild, you will be able to match your yarn up with a suitable pattern that will allow it to shine. I am extremely impressed with the range here. While there are a couple I just shake my head at, the vast majority are very well thought out and quite lovely.

This book is not for beginners, and for that I am also thankful. Why waste pages on 'how to' when there are so many other good resources out there, some of them free. I'm getting more patterns for my dollar here, or rather my brother did since he's the one who bought it for me for an early Christmas present. The book is a treat just for the gorgeous patterns and photos alone!

This book will hold a place of honor on my shelf, it has truly addressed a need in the sock knitting world.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Knocked my (handpainted) socks off!, December 24, 2008

By	Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

I thought "Oh, ho-hum, another sock book about stripey yarn" but...no, this book REALLY has a lot to offer the sock knitter as well as yarn dyer or spinner.

The book discusses handpainted or varigated yarns and the problem of "pooling" or when blotches of color show up rather than stripes. The patterns are coded by whether the pattern is suited for wild multi-colors, muted multi color, or almost solid. So when you look at a particular model, there is a symbol to tell you what yarn might work the best. Some patterns, by using short and long stitches to break up the pool of color or to camouflage the effect.

Many of the patterns are textured. There are braids, zig-zags, and other patterns. Some are color patterns--like a flame orwaves of color accented by embroidery. The flame is great--looks like a custom Harley paint job (gray and flame-orange, with flames rising up the cuffs.)

I have a stash of all kinds of shaded yarns and I can't wait to try a number of the patterns. These are sufficiently different that I could confidently recommend this book to any sock knitter, even one with a huge library. If you have a stubborn "pooling" yarn or just a stash of shaded sock yarns, you are sure to find a wonderful pattern here.