>  

http://www.woolworks.org/patterns/genericsocks.txt
>   http://www.socknitters.com/directory.htm
>   http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/index.html
>   knittinghelp.com
>
>   Sock Tips
>   Murla wrote:
>   Here's my request: Would you sock experts (you
> know who you are) please post your top five insider
> tips on making socks?
>   Here are the answers from the readers of KnitTalk:
>   1) a well-done Kitchener stitch graft of the toe
> is a thing of beauty and will make you the envy of
> others. Plus it makes the sock MUCH more
> comfortable.
>   2) when you're doing the ribbing at the top, the
> rule of thumb I follow now is "when you're sick of
> doing ribbing, you've done enough to hold the sock
> up." Just make sure you measure the first one so the
>   second matches.
>   3) speaking of matching, when working with yarns
> that self-stripe, or
>   self-pattern, etc., fraternal twin socks are WAY
> easier on the brain
>   than trying to manage identical twins. Especially
> if you're just
>   starting out.
>   (4) - when you finish sock #1, start #2 right
> away. Like within seconds. Just trust me on this. :)
>   5) Figure out whether you like 4 or 5 needles
> better and go with that. Using 5, having 4 in the
> sock, fit right into my hands perfectly. Others will
> encourage you to use 2 circulars instead of the
> dpns. Try both, see what works for you.
>   6) If you're using 2 colors on a row (I realize
> you aren't, this time around), turn the sock inside
> out so you're knitting on the inside... then you
> aren't so likely to pull the sock in.
>   7) For ME...you may not find it so...I found a
> heel that I like and that's the only one I use. I
> make lots of socks, large and small, and use it for
> all of them. They look good, wear well.
>   8) Make both socks at the same time, particularly
> if they are done on size 0s or 1s in a large size.
> That avoids 2nd sock syndrome. It's the big socks on
> tiny needles that lead me to SSS. It's fun to knit
> 20 rows on one and then 20 rows on the other. At
> least, I think so. ;) (I'm easily entertained!)
>   9) Be careful to use a cast on that is not too
> tight.
>   10) Try both the top/down and toe/up to see which
> you like better.
>
>   11) If you use the toe/up, I suggest that you
> learn and use the sewn bind-off...it makes a pretty
> finish and is quite stretchy. Second choice is to
> bind off with a crochet hook and add a single
> crochet at regular intervals to loosen up the bind
> off.
>   12) The Crazy Heels And Toes method. It's kind of
> like one of those "for Idiots" books IMHO.
> Exceptionally concise directions, lots of very clear
> pictures, and no I won't get a kickback for this,
> just a very happy customer.
>   13) Although I love working with double pointed
> needles (dpns), my favorite sock tip is to use a 12"
> circular needle for sock knitting. You do need to
> whip out the dpns for knitting the heel flap and
> heel turn, and at the end of the toe, but what the
> heck, the rest of it goes so much faster with the
> short circs.
>   14) My next bit of advice for new sock knitters is
> about the heel turn: Don't think about it, just
> follow it blindly and it will all work out.
>   15) Slip your first stitch in every row while
> working the heel flap so that picking up gusset sts
> later is easy.
>   15) When you go into the sides of the heel flap to
> pick up
>   gusset sts, knit into the back of the strand you
> picked up on the side
>   of the heel flap. This makes a nice tight pick up.
>   16) Hmmm... I guess my 5th bit of advice is to buy
> lots of sock yarn, because you are going to get
> addicted!
>   17) Lucy Neatby has a great idea about toe
> chimneys. Check out her website at
> www.tradewinds.com and look in the section called
> Bosun's Locker.
>   18) Think ribbing! Rib not only around the top of
> the sock, but also across the top of the foot
> (a.k.a. instep). Lace is nice, but the ribbing is
> much more forgiving if you want the sock to be
> wearable, especially with your first efforts.
>   19) Using 5 double point needles instead of 4 will
> definitely help to eliminate the "ladders".
>   20) Buy two sets of those double points -- and
> make the two socks at the same time. I guess I'm a
> lot like Katherine, I alternate between
>   the two, so there is rarely a lot of work to
> finish the second one after the first is completed.
>   Don't worry about the twisting when you having
> finished the first round and are about to start the
> second-- its easier to see if the circle is twisted,
> and still correctable, as you finish the second
> round. And also try not to be pulling the yarn from
> inside the circle, its just annoying.
>   22) Make tracings on paper of your friends and
> family's feet so that you can always get their
> "custom" foot length correct.
>
>   23) Always have a pair of socks on the needles.
>   24) Think ribbing! Rib not only around the top of
> the sock, but
>   also across the top of the foot (a.k.a. instep).
> Lace is nice, but the ribbing is much more forgiving
> if you want the sock to be Wearable, especially with
> your first efforts.
>   25) Well, first off my only real rule about any
> sort of knitting, if you like what you have done
> then you have done it right.
>   26) I am a double point sock maker. Every method
> works
>   and works well. I use five double points. I put a
> marker at
>   the beginning of the row and from then on I ignore
> the needle
>   one two three business some patterns have. I work
> a few more
>   stitches onto each needle before I begin to use
> the one I just
>   emptied stitches off of. I have never had a ladder
> since the place
>   I change needles is always moving. If you are not
> used to doing
>   that it may take a bit to adjust. But, I recommend
> it.
>   27) In order to avoid the little gap you can get
> at the "hinge"
>   of the gusset, I always put the instep stitches
> onto a strand of waste
>   yarn while I am making the heel. The added weight
> of needles in
>   those stitches can stretch out the first and last
> stitch along there,
>   otherwise. If it is a stretchy yarn I might also
> pick up the strand
>   there, twist it and knit into the back of it. Then
> decrease it away
>   when creating the gusset. I also will work at
> least two plain rows
>   (keeping in pattern on the instep if there is one)
> before I begin the
>   decreases that create the gusset. All those things
> tend to make the
>   "hinge" nice and smooth.
>   28) I will make the second and next to last stitch
> in a heel flap a
>   purled stitch so that when I go to pick up
> stitches along the flap it is very neat along the
> edge. Does that make sense? The first stitch is a
> slipped stitch, the second is purled, the center of
> the flap is whatever I need it to be for that sock,
> the second to last stitch is purled and the last
> stitch is knit. On the right side. On the wrong
>   side, the first stitch is slipped, the second is
> knit, the center is whatever it needs to be, the
> next to last is knit and the last stitch is purled.
> So, there is a purl ditch, this is reverse
> stockinette next to the place I will be picking up
> stitches for the sides of the heel flap.
>   29) When making a sock out of the self striping
> yarns I always work
>   toe up and do the standard heel so that the
> inevitable wider stripes you get from having fewer
> stitches in the flap are hidden under my foot.
>   30) Rather than change the stitch count in a
> longer leg, I taper it by
>   changing the needle sizes as I go down the leg. I
> use Bryspun and Brittany needles which come in US
> half sizes.
>   31) Somewhere in one of the groups that I'm in, I
> have a
>   link (or had) to a on-line video on the kitchener
> stitch. I was confused until I watched it.
>
>
http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/basic_techniques/misc.php
>   32) Hi everyone, here's one sock tip I haven't
> seen that I
>   use for every pair, I cast on with needles at
> least two sizes bigger than the ones I am actually
> going to use. I join and knit one row, then change
> to the smaller size to actually begin the socks. It
> eliminates that 'too tight' cast on row, and I have
> used this on every pair I have ever made, except the
> first pair, which of course is too tight at the top,
> lol.
>   33) Go to Knitting Help: www.knittinghelp.com and
> you'll find a wonderful video for just about
> everything!
>   34) I knit socks top-down, on 5 dpns. Here are a
> few of my sock tips for that method:
>   a) Cast on over two needles held together, then
> slide
>   the extra one out. This keeps the cast on loose
> enough to fit over your
>   heel, later.
>   b) When joining into a circle to knit the first
> round, K the first stitch using both strands of
> yarn-- the working yarn *and*
>   the tail. Then drop the tail and continue with the
> working yarn only.
>   This helps eliminate the gapping between first and
> last stitch of the
>   round.
>   c) Take notes! Jot down critical numbers along the
>
>   way, if you are not following a pattern. You can
> jot the numbers on the ball band if you have nothing
> else, just don't loose it when you start that second
> sock. The numbers I keep track of are: inches of
> length in the leg before starting the heel flap,
> inches of length of the heel flap, how many sts
> picked up on each side for the gussets, and the
> inches of length of the foot--from the last gusset
> decrease round to the first toe shaping round.
>   d) With flap and gusset heels I use heel stitch,
> and I
>   continue the heel stitch all the way around the
> heel and under it,
>   rather than just on the back of it. (on the bottom
> half of the sock *under* the heel). I do not stop
> doing heel stitch on these sts until the last gusset
> dec is completed. Then I go back to stockinette st
> all the way around the foot. The slipped sts need to
> be finagled a bit during the heel turn, but I keep
> them lined up as best as I can.
>   e) My dec method for the toes is as follows:
>   Alternate a dec round with a plain round, 4 times.
> Then dec every round. When I get to the last 8 sts
> on top, and 8 on bottom, I stop to kitchener. This
> give a beautifully rounded toe, rather than a long
> tapered, pointy toe.
>   f) Prior to kitchenering, I manually dec the four
> outside sts, (or, the first and last sts on top and
> bottom), by passing them
>   over the st beside them. Then I kitchener the
> remaining 6 top sts and 6 bottom together, with no
> dog ears.
>