Kate Atherley’s Top 5 Tips for Sock Knitting

Designer Kate Atherley is one sophisticated, sensational sock knitter. With a degree in mathematics, a background as a software designer, a best-selling sock book under her belt, and a gig as Managing Technical Editor at knitty.com, Kate knows a thing or three about knitting socks.

Above: Constant Cables Socks by Kate Atherley

We’re so excited to have her join us the first week of June for an Interweave @ Home workshop, where you can learn all about sock heels and toes from Kate in the comfort of your home.

To tide you over until the workshop, here are some of her top tips for sock knitting:

1. Feet are weird; adjust accordingly.  

I have small feet. The heel of most “standard” socks comes well over the back of my shoes and then bags into a blister-raising lump at my ankle. If I take the time to shorten the foot, my handknit socks will always be more comfortable than something I buy in a store. The same goes if you have long feet, narrow feet, etc. A plain sock pattern is easy to adjust by adding or subtracting stitches and rows.

2. Measure those feet.  

Before you start knitting, make sure you measure your foot’s length and the circumference at the instep and ankle. A well-fitting sock should be around 10% smaller than your foot circumference (or around an inch, depending on how math-y you want your calculations). 

3. The best yarn for socks is indeed “sock yarn.”   

It’s tempting to grab any fingering-weight yarn, especially the super-squishy one that calls your name. Ignore that siren song! Socks need to withstand a lot of abrasion. Yarns labeled “sock yarn” are dense, with multiple plies. They also tend to be wool with a bit of nylon for added strength. I have socks made from this kind of yarn that are easily 10 years old, while the ones made from a soft 100% Merino felt wonderful . . . for the year they lasted.  

Note: Some people are sensitive to wool. Conditions such as diabetes also call for softer socks. In those cases, a cotton/elastic blend sock yarn is an ideal choice. 

4. Swatch, swatch, swatch. 

It’s tempting to just go with the yarn and needle size your pattern recommends. Don’t. A dense, stretchy fabric is KEY to a well-fitting, well-wearing sock. Yarn knit on size 2 needles might be too loose to withstand wear, while the same yarn on a size 0 is so firm it will stop a bullet. Swatch until you find that Goldilocks gauge. If you want a sock that will last years, it’s worth the time spent swatching. 

5. Getting back to “feet are weird”

Maybe you have pointy feet and shape the toes of your socks so that you don’t poke holes in them. If you knit a custom sock for each foot (you clever thing, you), make a small “mistake” in one of them so you can tell them apart. Modify the ribbing for a few stitches at the top of one cuff. 

Taking a little extra time to find the right materials and correct fit means happy feet for years. 

If you’d like to learn all about the ins-and-outs of sock heels and toes, don’t miss Kate’s Interweave @ Home workshop, running June 1 and June 4! She’ll be discussing some common and not-so-common methods for both top-down and toe-up socks, and go over how to substitute your favorite method in an existing pattern.

More from Kate Atherley + Interweave