Monday, August 06, 2007

Sock knitting


I have a question to ask all those fab sock knitters out there -

Do hand knitted socks stay up?

This of course then leads to another couple of questions:

If so is it the knitting stitch that provides the firmness or do you cheat and add elastic?
Are they bulky in your shoe at all? - taking into account the use of a fine wool

I have always been fascinated by this especially as once you start sock shopping there seems to be a great number of options and there is that slight consumer dread that the socks you are about to buy are going to be duds........

4 comments:

With a Q said...

If you choose the right "stretchy" pattern, the staying up bit is not a problem. And yes, they do take up more room in your shoes, but my, they are sooooo much warmer and great for Canberra winters.
Wear them with Birkies or buy some chunky shoes just to show them off - I have some from Planet Shoes (the red ones I had on at the Knit in on Friday)

happyspider said...

well there are many variables - the yarn, the stitch pattern, the foot, the leg... but all in all, if you make the right choices then yes they stay up. you can add elastic but i dont usually bother - a nice cable rib will usually stand the test of time and not get bizarrely itchy!

missfee said...

once you go to the land of the hand knitted sock there is no return - they do stay up without elastic - pick a rib pattern which fits better - the finner the wool the finner the sock although 4 ply is just fine and for the Canberra winter and cool summer night it would be perfect - the universal sock pattern at Knitty.com is a good place to start, but watch out for second sock syndrome.......or the dreaded sock plague that has hit all knitter this year.....

Georgie said...

I am lucky enough to have a MIL who knits me socks, and she does the top all in rib (lots of patience!). Ive never had any trouble with them staying up, or being bulky - not as fine as "office" socks of course, but not as chunky as explorers, although certainly as warm and never ever smelly!