How to Knit Socks That Fit

Whether you're working socks from the toe up or from the cuff down, designer Donna Druchunas's complete, step-by-step instructions make sock knitting easy, enjoyable, and successful. You'll learn several approaches for getting started, and you'll also discover how to shape comfortable toes, create heels that fit, and ensure stretchy cuffs that can be counted on to keep your socks up. Druchunas's useful tips and tricks include working confidently with double-pointed needles, knitting socks on one or two circular needles, and even knitting two socks at the same time. Once you've mastered these basic techniques, you can adapt them to create your own custom sock designs.

Introduction: Why Knit Socks?

Chapter One: Yarn for Knitting Socks
• Yarn Weights
• Fiber Content
• Yarn Colors
• Why Twist and Spin Matter
• Yarn Amounts

Chapter Two: Needles for Knitting Socks
• Needle Materials
• Knitting in the Round
• Tips for Arranging Stitches on Different Kinds of Needles

Chapter Three: Sock Fit and Sizing
• Taking Foot Measurements
• Working a Gauge Swatch
• Choosing What Size to Make

Chapter Four: The Parts of a Sock

Chapter Five: Cuff Down or Toe Up?
• A Little History
• Structural Differences
• Pros and Cons

Chapter Six: Knitting Cuff-Down Socks
• Basic Cuff-Down Sock Pattern

Chapter Seven: Knitting Toe-Up Socks
• Basic Toe-Up Sock

Chapter Eight: Heel and Toe Variations
• More Ways to Work a Heel
• More Ways to Work Toes

Chapter Nine: Knitting Two Socks at Once

Chapter Ten: Stitch Library

My Favorite Knitting Resources
Abbreviations
Metric Conversion Chart
Index