Work from the ground up with knitwear create your own socks!
Sock Knitting Master Class showcases methods for designing and knitting creative socks, featuring signature elements and techniques from 16 top designers. You'll learn what makes good sock design, and then dive into knitting 18 spectacular, brand-new patterns featuring the widest variety of techniques.
With patterns divided into two sections by top-down and toe-up construction, Sock Knitting Master Class explores such techniques as cables, twisted stitches, lace, stranded colorwork, entrelac, shadow knitting, and intarsia worked in the round. Plus, you'll discover inventive ways to start and end socks, shape heels and toes, and knit the soles.Ìý
Sock Knitting Master Class is an all-star assembly of the most inventive, exciting designers working in socks including Cookie A, Kathryn Alexander, Nancy Bush, Cat Bordhi, Priscilla Gibson-Roberts, Anne Hanson, Melissa Morgan-Oakes, Meg Swanson, Anna Zilboorg , and many more. And you'll also learn how each yarn contributes to the overall design from Clara Parkes .
Who knew you get could a PhD in socks? Reading this book is like getting a college education in sock making.Even beginner sock knitters will find this to be an excellent reference book.
When I bought this book my first goal was to make the socks on the cover. Bought everything, came home, and starting knitting. The problems were several: I had never made anything in the round with that many different colours, and I didn't know how to properly manage and correctly do stranded knitting; I was a pretty tight knitter than (learnt to loosen up 😉since); and I was just too excited to show off strutting my stuff with these beauties. Well I got as far as just past knitting the heel (it was a top-down sock) when I'd decided to try it on and see how it looked. To my absolute horror it was so tight I couldn't pull it past my heel. I must have spent the good part of every free moment of a couple of months, and I couldn't pull it past my own heel because everything was too tight. I never finished the sock, but it hangs proudly on my cork board in my crafts room. I learned a lot of very important things trying to knit that, and one day I think I will try again.
Whoa! There are a lot of great looking patterns in this book, but all of the patterns seem way too advanced for me. There is a lot of info on techniques, and the book comes with a DVD (full disclosure: I haven't watched the DVD.) I would like to come back to this book later, but I borrowed this copy from the library. In my opinion, it would be better to own this book than borrow seeing as you would probably need to hold on to it for a while, and any one pattern refers to other areas of the book for explanations on techniques used in the pattern.
I'm reading this book a dozen years after publication and may put it on my "buy" list. There are good explanations on techniques and I thought that, yes, perhaps I could knit every one of these projects. Custom Socks: Knit to Fit Your Feet by Kate Atherley is a better book if you just hd to buy one, but the designs here are very inventive. DVD included, which I didn't use. Book is well organized with lots of photos with details, graphics, and stitch charts.
Hugely informative primer on basic sock knitting techniques, but all of the patterns were perhaps a bit too advanced for a beginner sock knitter like myself. Something basic to start out with would have been appreciated before all the cables/lace/intarsia, but I can see why the book assumes the reader would want to be thrown into the deep end first.
Wonderful patterns, some are very interesting which I cant want to give them a go. Especially love the bios of all the people who provided their spins on knitting socks
This is such a neat book! It begins with about 40 pages of design information, the perfect introduction for a new or intermediate sock knitter and an excellent review/reference for the more experienced. And then come the projects - 17 patterns that are super seductive, thanks in part to the excellent photography. There are only a few I am not immediately interested in making. Each pattern includes commentary by Clara Parkes (yarn swoon) regarding the specified yarn and potential substitutions.
The book truly is a master class - if you knit your way through it, you'll learn every sock technique there is. It is divided into cuff-down and toe-up sections. I'm probably not going to work my through every single pattern... but I'll certainly try a few new things.
I already have Cookie A's Asymmetrical Cables socks on the needles and plan to knit Meg Swansen's Twisted-Stitch Stockings (which have a sole like none I've ever seen before) and Ann Budd's Mock Cables and Lace (lovely, if not very originally named). I predict that this book will become as popular as Interweave's Favorite Socks book.
It also comes with a DVD. I haven't watched the entire disc yet; what I've seen so far truly replicates the text in the book. Perhaps some techniques are demonstrated, which would be more helpful.
I'll be leaving this on my coffee table for a long time to come - partly to inspire me, and partly to have potential sock recipients leaf through it to let me know what they like. S2 has already placed a couple of post-its!
I bought this book in the hopes that one day, I would take the plunge and break out of my vanilla-sock-making comfort zone. Well, I haven't yet, but the book has proven to be a great resource. The cd is handy, the book is both instructional (even for chickens like me) and inspirational. I have never regretted buying the book. One day, I'll cast on for a moccasin toe...one day.
Ann Budd provides detailed, easy to understand directions with options for all levels of sock knitters. There are sections for toe up and cuff down socks. There are lots of patterns included with wonderful pictures and illustrations.
Lots of sock patterns, that have a range of difficulties, but lots of expensive yarns that are easy to substitute for cheaper choices. I did not like this enough to buy and add to my collection. 184 pages and borrowed from the main library 4 stars
Wow, my favorite designers, lovely photos, geeky details. The technical illustrations could have clearer annotations, but they are still lovely, and so handy to have them all in one book.
I'm a want-to-be sock knitter, so this book is over my head. But the designs are beautiful. There's a CD in the back that offers additional instructions. I'll check this out from the library again!
I'm giving this 5 stars based on my first quick read through. I'll give a more in depth review once I've read it all the way cover to cover and knit a pair of socks from it.
Good patterns and instructions. Like how there is a statement with the pattern on what techniques will be used in the pattern. Found 3 patterns I liked.