Attention Knitters

[colliemommie]

I want to make socks. Help me.

I can knit and follow a written pattern. (I cannot read charted patterns.)

What is a good starter sock pattern and yarn for socks I can wear everyday with tennis shoes or boots or what have you?

I'd really appreciate any input.

Comments

[colliemommie.livejournal.com]

wow, thanks!

[ginger]

I use fingering weight yarn, a wool and nylon blend - lion brand has a relatively inexpensive version that is decent for starters and comes in self patterning color ways, and it's available inexpensively at JoAnn and the like - on size 3 needles. I will say, I know quite a few people who knit way tighter than I do and need to up the stitch count, or use smaller needles or both, but it's pretty easy to adjust since pretty much the whole thing is based on having a number divisible by four. I usually do 52 stitches instead of 48 for men's or wide feet.

The pattern I think was actually originally adapted from the basic one on the lion brand sock yarn ball band, heh. I also use quite a bit of Stroll fingering yarn from Knit Picks, www.knitpicks.com, which has a lot of decent quality yarn at very reasonable prices.

[ginger]

In the foot round 1 line, ignore the phrases "on 2nd needle" and "on 4th needle" -- the original pattern is based on keeping the same stitches on the same needles, but I find it easier to base my directions on the markers. So it should be

k to 3 before marker A, k2tog, k1, slip marker, k1, ssk, k to 3 before marker B, ssk, k1, slip marker, k1, k2tog, k to end of round.