Top-Down Sock Knitting: A Beginner Step-by-Step from Cuff to Toe
Mary Beth Temple
Class Preview
1:13
- In-depth Instruction; over 63 mins
- On-demand video access anytime
- Bonus downloadable PDF resources
- Access to class Q&A
Session 1: Intro & Materials
3:03
You can make socks out of any yarn with appropriate needles, but today we will work in a fingering weight yarn, and two sizes of double-pointed needles (DPNs). I am using size 1 (2.25mm) for the cuffs and size 2 (2.75mm) for the rest of the sock. We will be making a crew length sock today.
Session 2: Cuff
11:00
The cuff of a sock serves two functions – appearance and utility. You want your sock cuff to look attractive, but you also need it to have some stretch and some negative ease to hold your sock up where it belongs and keep it from puddling up in your shoe. Today we are going to do a classic 1x1 ribbing.
Session 3: Leg
6:00
The leg is the part of the sock that goes from the bottom of the cuff to the top of the heel flap. We are going to knit it in plain stockinette stitch, but this is the part of the sock where you can really go crazy with stitch patterns.
Session 4: Heel Flap
7:30
Today we are going with a classic heel flap. The heel flap is knit in rows instead of rounds, and the edge stitches are slipped to make it easier to pick up the gusset stitches later.
Session 5: Turning the Heel
7:00
When the heel flap is finished you have essentially a rectangle hanging off the back of your sock leg! We turn the heel by working short rows, making a cup shape that creates fabric under your heel for a comfortable fit.
Session 6: Gusset & Foot
10:45
The next technique we need to go over is picking up stitches and then working decreases to create side gussets. Gussets are another part of a handknit sock that helps you get a close-fitting shape, making for a more comfortable wearing experience.
Session 7: Toe
17:30
We are almost to the finish line! In this session we are going to work a wedge toe and finish it off with a Kitchener Stitch graft. Then all we have to do is weave in two ends and our first sock is finished.
There are almost as many ways to knit socks as there are sock knitters — and that is a LOT! — but the best way to start your sock knitting journey is to have a firm grasp of the basics. In this class we will do a stockinette stitch top-down sock on double-pointed needles, and when you have completed your first pair of socks you will be able to fearlessly go on to other patterns and styles.
Mary Beth Temple
Mary Beth Temple is a long-time designer of knit, crochet and sewing patterns, and lover of any other type of craft that comes across her path! She can often be found crafting by the beach near her home in Wilmington, North Carolina, and makes no guarantees that there won’t be sand in her samples. With more than a dozen books to her name, Mary Beth is a prolific designer whose independent work can be found under her brand name Hooked for Life. You can check out her doings at HookedforLifePublishing.com/blog, and from there visit her various social media outlets.
Bonus materials available after purchase