Socks Socks Socks: 70 Winning Patterns From Knitter's Magazine Sock Contest (Paperback)

by Elaine Rowley (Editor), Alexis Xenakis (Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Several years ago, Knitter's Magazine announced a contest for knitted socks. This collection of 70 of the top winning patterns reflects the lowly sock as a canvas for marvelous designs and interesting projects. From the far-out (a pair of socks knitted from licoriceAthe knitter says she just eats her mistakes) to the traditional (the "Best of Show" socks carrying a complex pattern in three colors)Athe socks are all beautiful to behold. Each pattern includes several full-color photos of the finished pairs and complete instructions for reproducing the socks, including graphics and designer's comments. The beginning sock knitter will appreciate the "anatomy-of-the-sock" section, with a step-by-step overview of how a sock is knitted. Highly recommended for public and academic library textile collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
Many knitters have found socks to be the perfect portable project for today's active lives. This book features 70 winning sock patterns from Knitter's Magazine sock contest.

Product Details

• Paperback: 114 pages
• Publisher: Xrx Books (January 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964639157
• ISBN-13: 978-0964639157
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #130,306 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the one sock book I wish everyone would buy, December 6, 1999

By A Customer

The one major thing that annoyed me about most sock knitting books was that they had lots of pretty pictures and not enough directions for people to suss out the basics behind turning a heel. This book had the pictures, sure -- but it's the ONLY one I've found that actually teaches you everything you need to know about turning a heel. Finally. FINALLY! This is the book I wish I'd gotten when I first decided I wanted to knit socks instead of wasting my time with others that didn't give me enough directions on heel-turning and figuring that I just wouldn't be able to learn it without someone showing me.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book and well worth the wait!, July 30, 1999

By A Customer

So many long-awaited treats don't measure up to the anticipation -- this book from the people who publish Knitters' Magazine exceeded my expectations instead!!! The socks vary widely in style, complexity and color but almost every pattern made me say "I want to knit those socks!" In addition, because these socks were designed by people who are clearly in love with and experts in their craft, each pattern seems to hold the promise of a new technique or trick or approach to design that a knitter can investigate without the investment of time and money in a larger garment. There are socks which could be completed by a beginner with relatively little trouble although I think to really appreciate and enjoy most of the patterns it would help to have a little experience with knitting. All in all, I think the book is the best knitting book I've seen in a very long time, and is a great bargain at the price. It meets the very highest standards set by Knitters Magazine since its inception. I only wish it was published in hardcover, because I'm going to wear it out in a very short period of time!!!!

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You too can turn that heel :-), February 27, 2001

By	Georgia A. Morgan (Shreveport, LA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been knitting for over 30 years, but I had never knitted socks because I had no one to show me how to turn the heel, and I just could not understand the few instructions I had read. My husband gave me this book for Christmas [2000] and it has been a joy and an inspiration. The writing, photography, layout and general tone of the book are all excellent - when you look at the projects and read the text, you WANT to knit socks! Fortunately, the instructions are also excellent. It took me a few tries, but when I actually figured out what the instructions meant for me to do to turn the heel, and it WORKED, I was, to borrow a word from my [now outdated] teenage years, totally stoked :-) (No other word comes close to describing the flush of triumph!) That first sock (the basic baby sock practice pattern) had many errors, but the second, and third, and fourth, are much better. I spent my recent birthday money from my father on more double-pointed needles and some sock yarn - now if only my infant son would let me knit!

There are a few things I would like to see either added or corrected. It would be really helpful for a beginning sock knitter like me to have some kind of size chart for men, women and children, so that I could knit a pair of socks from a pattern to my own specifications (for instance, when the feet for which the socks are intended are either not available or one would like to surprise someone). Also, the metric amounts of yarn required for each project are incorrect. For instance, one project calls for 60 yds/66 m of yarn. Since a meter is approximately 39 inches long, the metric amount should be LESS (60 yds = ~55 m). I'm not sure how the measurements were arrived at, or why the copy editor did not catch this error (in EVERY pattern), but if the book is reprinted, I'd like to see it corrected.

If I had friends who knitted, I would give them this book. Since I am the lone knitter in my immediate circle, I'll give them socks instead :-)