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Simple Socks: Plain and Fancy
 
 
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Simple Socks: Plain and Fancy [Kindle Edition]

Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews) |
Digital List Price: $14.95 What's this?
Print List Price: $14.95
Kindle Price: $10.09 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
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Kindle Edition $10.09   -- --
Kindle Edition, November 30, 2001 $10.09   -- --
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Gibson-Roberts is a serious student of sock knitting she is a researcher who has devoted a good part of her career to investigating sock-knitting techniques, especially sock knitting in the Eastern tradition. Her earlier books, Knitting in the Old Way and Ethnic Socks and Stockings, are classics in the field. Simple Socks referring to socks of simple construction now rightfully takes its place next to her earlier books. This is not a sock-pattern book but a study of options for creating a sock with a perfect fit using short-row techniques for shaping both heels and toes. The author's attention to detail and clear black-and-white illustrations are especially impressive. Highly recommended for large public libraries and for smaller public libraries where demand warrants.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“This expertly put-together book Is a gem”/ Highly recommended
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Product Details

  • File Size: 3126 KB
  • Print Length: 113 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0966828941
  • Publisher: Nomad Press (November 30, 2001)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B0028Y4AMK
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,689 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
61 of 61 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
As one who views socknitting as an engineering design challenge, I am always looking for ways to improve shaping and fitting the socks I make. I have never been happy with the way toes are shaped, and wondered why we couldn't use the "short-row" technique on toes just as we do on heels, then make a straight join on top of the foot, as commercially made socks do. I was delighted to discover that it is not only possible,but this author tells us exactly how to do it, and then goes on to give us an extraordinary variety of other ways to vary our designs. This is not a book of "patterns"; it is much more valuable than that! You can find the General Laws of the Sock-knitting Universe in this book and then you will become the master all all the socks you can knit. This book should belong to every person who knits socks. If you know a sockmaker, give them a copy of this book. You will be rewarded for years to come!
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48 of 48 people found the following review helpful
No more sock suffering January 16, 2004
Format:Hardcover
Until I got this book, stuffed it into my knitting bag, socks were tedious, livened only by color or a cable here and there. Whatever I did, fit was chancy, we won't discuss heels, and frankly, they were boring to make, not to mention time consuming and frustrating.

Then along came Simple Socks. Ahh. Instead of chancy fit, there's exact fit, including a chart so fitting son Brian with the size 13 needs is as easy as fitting my friend's size 6 feet. Instead of a week of intense work, 3 days. Toes fit, heels fit, I can zip up from the toe or down from the top with nearly equal ease. The techniques are amazingly simple to understand, once you get over the inclination to panic. Clear diagrams, charts, and instructions.

Then came the extra treat: the expansion of the technique to mittens--always a necessity in cooler climes!

I may never BUY socks again...

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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Priscilla Gibson-Roberts is a combination anthropological knitter and technical guru; if you want to know about Eastern European socks and stockings, she is the ultimate source. She also spins her own yarns and designs anatomically-fitting socks using the "short-row" technique.

For some knitters (like spatially-challenged little old me), the short row heel and toe method is hard to grasp, so if you long to do that kind of construction on your knitted footwear, this is a valuable reference book. The explanation of the shaping (it's an hourglass) and the description of what parts of the "hourglass" go where (front, back, top , bottom) are good. They are accompanied by ink drawings to illustrate the text.

There are schematics for various types of socks; toe up, toe down, short rowed, stripes vertical and horizontal, motif knitting in the round, and an especially good set of drawings on doing intarsia such as argyle, in circular knitting. Normally, intarsia is done flat knitting only.

The book has only line drawings with ink dots for shading. While it serves to put some dimension to the flatness of the sketches, I found the dot shading made the sock drawings look a bit strange.

If you are a sock knitter and want to advance your technique, this is a useful reference book and should be on the shelf next to Nancy Bush's Folk Socks. It's not as pretty a book as some, but I recommend it as a good technical reference.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
For me: not interesting at all
At the time of the first publishing this may have been a good sock book, but it is no longer. I didn't realize this is a book on short-row heels only! Read more
Published 22 months ago by Christiane Eichler
Simple Socks: Plain and Fancy
I love this little book. It is concise with what you need to know about making socks. Is a good general reference for making socks. I would highly recommend this book.
Published 22 months ago by loves to read
Simple Socks; Plain an Fancy
Not my favorite sock book - I'm one of those visual people and love pictures - but some very helpful information for a new knitter.
Published on September 16, 2009 by Joyce Challis
Wonderful Book!!!
This little book is definitely a keeper! Using this method to make a heel and toe is delightful. I was worried that I would find it difficult, since some of the other reviewers... Read more
Published on April 6, 2009 by KnittingMom8
Great Little Book by P G-R
Simple Socks Plain and Fancy

This is one of those little books you can't live without! Not fancy but informative, with sensible illustrations. Read more
Published on March 30, 2009 by Elaine Rutledge
Classic for any Knitters library
Love the explanation of the afterthought heel. Gives you the basic math and turns you loose to explore your sock desires!
Published on January 31, 2009 by Craftholder
Specific technique
Simple Socks is a compendium of knitting and sizing techniques that the author has selected as her favorites, after years of study and experimentation. Read more
Published on December 8, 2008 by Linda Pagliuco
One of the best sock books available
Avid sock knitters all benefit from owning this book. Gibson-Roberts presents a terrific method of turning a heel when knitting toe-up socks. Read more
Published on September 7, 2007 by Elizabeth Grier Murphy
Great!
First, if you're interested in simply sitting down and knitting a sock, this probably isn't the book for you. Read more
Published on January 15, 2007 by Renee
Great sock book, good tips for all sock patterns and fit
I found the foot measurements very helpful in identifying how to fit a sock. The instructions for producing the short row heel and toe where very good. Read more
Published on August 12, 2006 by Jane E. Buckthal
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