Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters: Book Two in the New Pathways for Sock Knitters Series [Perfect Paperback]

Cat Bordhi (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

In 2008 Cat Bordhi, ground-breaking sock designer and author of Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles and New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book One, set herself the challenge of developing a sock knitting process that would be as simple as humanly possible without sacrificing fit or design. This is that book. Personal Footprint socks are worked 100% in the round (no back and forth on heels), no stitches need picking up, toe and heel are replaceable, there is no arithmetic, the surface is fully available for designs, the socks are easily worked two-at-a-time, and the knitter creates a very compact, portable sock pattern that can fit in any little sock bag for portability.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cat Bordhi's mission, according to Yarn Harlot Stephanie Pearl McPhee, is to make you a more creative, freethinking knitter who problem-solves and experiments with vigor and fearlessness. The best part? She can. Cat teaches and inspires more than a 1,000 knitters a year in her classes and retreats all over North America. Her Youtube knitting tutorials reach many 1,000 s more, and her innovative books, Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles, A Treasury of Magical Knitting, A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting, and New Pathways For Sock Knitters have reached well over 100,000 knitters. She is also the author of an award-winning novel, Treasure Forest.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Passing Paws Press, Inc.; first edition (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970886926
• ISBN-13: 978-0970886927
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.4 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am in love!, September 25, 2009

By 

P. Jackson "Interracial Romance Lover" (Chantilly, VA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters: Book Two in the New Pathways for Sock Knitters Series (Perfect Paperback)

My quest, for the last two years, has been to find the perfect and easiest knitted sock pattern so I can knit socks quickly and without stress. I have been frustrated with the lack of knowledge regarding how to knit the best gap-free, hole-free, shortrow-free, gusset-free sock. We're living in the 21st century; shouldn't sock knitting have advanced to fit the times?

Well, now it has. Ms. Bordhi has written the perfect sock book with a sock so easy to knit, a beginner knitter could do it. I have just finished a sample pair of socks and they are stunning! There are no gaps or holes at the heel and I was able to knit a sock in a day! When I blocked them, they were flawless. I must admit I was terrified of cutting the "mouth" for the cuff but that was effortless with Ms. Bordhi's wonderful suggestion of a lifeline. The instructions were so clear and, for once, right on the money. If you are a knitter and follow the instructions as written, you cannot fail!

I'm done with my quest. Making socks with Ms. Bordhi's instructions is now a way of life for me. I am working on my third pair and will always have socks in progress. Thank you, Cat. I don't know you, but I love you!

68 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It Makes Socks Make Sense to this Non-Sock Knitter!, September 24, 2009

By 

A. Modesitt "Look up for the stars." (Saint Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters: Book Two in the New Pathways for Sock Knitters Series (Perfect Paperback)

I am not a sock knitter.

I feel almost ashamed to make that admission because I feel that sock knitters are the main reason the recent resurgence of knitting has been so long-lasting and deep. (Once you work up a small garment on size 1 needles, you know you can knit ANYTHING on size 6's!)

But I don't knit socks very often, and hardly ever for myself.

After reading this book that will change. I'm selecting yarns for a new pair of socks for myself right now!

Cat has a way of making perfect sense of the sock mystery. Her clear concept of a way to measure your foot, to take into consideration the rise of your instep, and the very interesting patterns make this a book that MUST be on the shelf of every sock knitter.

(And also on the shelves of the sometimes-sock-knitters, too!)

It's always wonderful to see a designer take into account that one size does NOT fit all, even with socks, and offer an excellent plan for creating a well fitting sock.

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for new and experienced knitters, October 16, 2009

By 

Chandra Rogers "Crazed Quilter" (Beaverton, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters: Book Two in the New Pathways for Sock Knitters Series (Perfect Paperback)

I love making socks. It is in fact why I decided to learn to knit. I don't find turning heels at all intimidating so I wasn't sure I'd even want this book. But, I have both of Bordhi's "Treasuries of Magical Knitting" and I refer to them a lot so I thought I'd at least take a look.

This method of sock construction is wonderful because you can avoid a lot of the things that I consider a hassle in knitting.

1- minimal row counting for the foot section.
2- no heel turning (which I know for some is a huge factor)
3- extremely stretchy leg opening which is particularly important for people with diabetes or have water retention issues.

Bordhi is fantastic about making sure that no matter what your needle preference is, this system works for you. She shows how you can use it with one large circular using the magic loop method, how to use it with the two circ method and how also to use it with dpn's. While the double knitting method isn't covered, I believe if you start the two socks separately and knit a few rounds, you can then merge them onto one set of needles to continue in the traditional double knitting method.

The other reason this book is great is because some of the patterns are very much one of a kind. I haven't seen anything like it anywhere else. It's worth the money and I think I will be holding on to this book forever.