Sensational Knitted Socks (Paperback)

by Charlene Schurch (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This is the only book on sock knitting you’ll ever need! Choose virtually any yarn, gauge, stitch pattern, and size you like—with nearly 1,000 variations, the possibilities for knitting fashionable to funky socks will last a lifetime.

· Create one-of-a-kind socks starting with 10 basic designs plus loads of stitch patterns

· Use 2, 4, or 5 needles; patterns let you choose your favorite method

· Customize fit and fashion for women, men, and children—step-by-step instructions make it easy

About the Author
Home: Middletown, Connecticut (near Hartford)

A lifelong knitter, Charlene Schurch is the author of four books and has worked as a knitting, spinning, and dyeing instructor for 10 years. Her work has been featured in Knitter's Magazine, Interweave Knits, and Piecework.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Martingale and Company (August 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564775704
• ISBN-13: 978-1564775702
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,224 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

188 of 193 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply put, this is a great book!, September 8, 2005

By	Sockbug (DFW USA) - See all my reviews

The first part covers sock knitting basics, but there are charts included with ball park measurement for feet based on shoe sizes. There's another table for the number of stitches to cast on based on the circumference measurement. She covers how to adjust for different foot shapes. Then we move to sock construction. She includes directions for 4 DPs, 5 DPs and two circs!

Then we move into the sock patterns! This book is arranged more like one of the Harmony Aran guides, where the patterns are broken down by number of stitches in a repeat. The patterns are arranged like a stitch dictionary, too. Instead of every pattern verbatim, they have one pattern at the beginning of the section with the different stitch repeats and then behind that, they have thumbnails of the pattern stitches with charts and long hand instructions. The section with 4 stitch repeats has 12 patterns alone!

After that, there are sections for 5,6,8 and 12 stitch repeats. Then sections for cables, patterns for self-striping yarns, Fair Isle, "reticulated" patterns (small Fair Isles that repeat to make a bigger allover pattern look, like the green sock on the cover) and mosaic patterns. A quick count netted 72 possible patterns from this book alone!

98 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference, August 14, 2006

By	blakdove - See all my reviews

This is a great book for the sock knitter.



Here's a breakdown of some of the features of the book.



1. Gives instructions for toe-up and top-down socks so you can have your pick. Although some stitch patterns are written to be done toe-up and some toe-down, it's pretty easy to just do the sock the way you want to, using the stitch pattern you want.

2. Provides directions for different ways to do heels and toes, including short-row, afterthought, fore-thought, and flap-and-gusset heels (for both top-down and toe-up socks). Gives directions for easy toe and short-row toe for toe-up socks. This really helps with helping you discover the sock-knitting methods best suited to you and your yarn.

3. Clear directions, once you get used to the format.

4. You can knit socks in any size yarn, for any size foot, because each pattern is written for various gauges and foot circumferences. This actually makes the patterns a bit confusing at first, but once you get used to it, it's a breeze. I definitely recommend photocopying the patterns and highlighting YOUR numbers.

5. Gives charts for yarn amounts needed, foot sizes (very helpful if you're knitting socks as gifts and know the recepient's approximate shoe size, but can't exactly measure the foot), and all kinds of other useful sock information.

6. For each sock, directions are given for using 4 or 5 dpns or two circular needles. This, again, makes the patterns slightly confusing at first (see item #4).

7. There's a stitch dictionary for each pattern, including simple knit-and-purl and lacey patterns done in repeats of 4, 5, 6, 8, and 12 stitches. There are also cable patterns, Fair-Isle patterns, mosaic patterns, and patterns that create a chevron-like ripple in your socks (great for self-striping yarns).

8. Very clear organization. You start with one-color, 4-stitch repeat patterns and work your way up.

9. Reasonably clear instructions for different types of cast-ons used in sock knitting, as well as the different techniques and stitches used in the book.

10. Clear and enticing illustrations!

11. With all the stitch patterns given, you can make over 100 socks, all different. Plus you can make them in different weight yarns, and make them for everyone, from toddlers to the biggest guys.

12. There are lots of little tips on making your sock knitting neater and easier, such as avoiding gaps in the heel gusset and "ears" on the heel flap, and making symmetrical decreases.



I'm an intermediate/advanced intermediate knitter, and I've made two pairs of socks from this book. One pair was top-down with a forethought heel, the other toe-up with a short-row heel. The toe-up socks and forethought heels are totally new to me, but the directions were very clear, and I didn't have any problems knitting either pattern once I got used to reading the format of the patterns. I am planning many, many more sock patterns from this book!

99 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars which to knit first!!, September 24, 2005

By	happy reader "d/mil" (Harrison, AR USA) - See all my reviews

Many knitting books are full of pretty pictures and patterns but rarely are they pictures of garments etc that real people might wear.
This book is WAY different. If you're a sock knitter,no matter if you're just a beginner or a seasoned expert, this book is a must. Although I will warn you that life is too short to try out all the ideas shown and different, workable patterns for every kind of yarn you might imagine. This book is definitely a keeper.