This week’s blog post is all about sock knitting! Those of you who have been with me for a while know that I have a bit of a love/hate obsession with knitted socks. 🧦

I have tried to make them and given up sooooo many times, even though I love the look and feel of them. So this week I decided to analyse why I give up and I think the main reasons are:
▶️They always seem to come out too big
▶️The second sock syndrome (SSS) gets to me
▶️They seem to take ages to make

Number 1 excuse – FIT SORTED
I came across a You Tube video this week which explained my potential size issues. It is by Nerdy Knitting (link here) and I learned an awful lot from it. Things I thought I knew were explained in a way that makes much more sense. Who knew there were SO MANY different foot shapes!

One of my main issues is that I have realised I have never allowed enough ‘negative ease’ in the circumference of the sock. If the term ease is new to you, it is the difference between the actual size around your foot and the size around the the finished sock. For socks the actual sock needs to be smaller than your foot so that it stretches to fit and doesn’t slip off. Ease also comes into play for the length of the foot, although not quite as much.

Another thing I realised was that I have a high instep, and catering for the size of my instep would potentially make the rest of the sock too big. There are ways around that, which I can now investigate further. 👍

Number 2 excuse – SSS SORTED
Now I know you are going to say, ‘try knitting two socks at the same time’ using magic loop, BUT I have a problem with this. I like to work toe up socks and try them on as I go to see if they fit, (which previously they haven’t), so the idea of starting two and then finding they don’t fit and frogging both fills me with horror.

Again the You Tube video taught me that this is a mindset change I need to make. Just start with one sock and check fit as you go. If it doesn’t fit adjust and try again. In other words I AM BEING TOO IMPATIENT. It takes a while to get to the perfect fitting sock for you. 👍👍

Number 3 excuse – SORTED
Yes they take time at first, but once I have worked out the perfect fit for me it won’t take so long next time.  Another mindset issue for me to conquer. 👍👍👍

So I am going to have another try, one step at a time, to get the perfect fitting sock for me. I have made a start this week with some beautiful sock yarn I already have. If you think the toe looks a bit too square – that is how my toes are! So first fit issue sorted. Onwards and upwards.

Any more tips from you lovely folk would be gratefully received… 💕