The Knitter's Book of Socks: The Yarn Lover's Ultimate Guide to Creating Socks That Fit Well, Feel Great, and Last a Lifetime Author: Visit Amazon's Clara Parkes Page | Language: English | ISBN:
0307586804 | Format: EPUB
The Knitter's Book of Socks: The Yarn Lover's Ultimate Guide to Creating Socks That Fit Well, Feel Great, and Last a Lifetime Description
Review
In
The Knitter’s Book of Wool and
The Knitter’s Book of Yarn , Parkes educates knitters on the ins and outs of fiber and makes minutiae interesting. Here, she describes the qualities that make yarn suitable for sock knitting, explores the different types of fibers that can be used in sock yarn, and analyzes stitches and stitch patterns commonly used in sock knitting. There’s also a beautifully curated selection of sock patterns, including new designs by some of the biggest names in the field. Though the instructions are clear, the majority of the patterns are best suited for those with sock-knitting experience. An essential addition.
-Library JournalAbout the Author
A lifelong knitter, Clara Parkes has spent more than 10 years immersed in the world of yarn and fiber as the publisher of KnittersReview.com. A frequent contributor to
Interweave Knits and
Twist Collective, she is also the author of The Knitter’s Book of Yarn and The Knitter’s Book of Wool. She lives on the coast of Maine in a farmhouse full of yarn.
- Hardcover: 208 pages
- Publisher: Potter Craft; 9.11.2011 edition (October 11, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0307586804
- ISBN-13: 978-0307586803
- Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.9 x 1 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Exactly what you would expect from yarn expert Clara Parkes: a sock knitting book that focuses on yarn selection! The book starts with an explanation of what a sock needs. This is (1) lasting elasticity, (2) strength (tensile strength and ability to withstand abrasion), (3) moisture management (absorption and wicking), and (4) a willingness to be worked and worn. With these requirements in mind, Parkes then talks about the structural differences in various fiber types (protein, plant, regenerated cellulose, synthetic); and about the role that yarn construction (singles, 2-ply, 3-ply, 4-ply, S-on-S cables, true cables, core spun) plays in the choice of good yarns for socks.
Parkes includes a full chapter on stitch tricks for maximizing elasticity (using ribbing, stretchy increases, cables, faux cables), and for maximizing strength (using twisted stitches, fine gauge, slipped stitches, stranding and double knitting). In this chapter Parkes also discusses (1) the pros and cons of using nylon reinforcing yarn; (2) the choice of heel types for greater or lesser durability; and (3) the basics of ease required for proper sock fit.
In the remaining three quarters of the 208-page book, Parke presents 20 wonderful sock patterns, mostly charted, by famous sock designers: Cat Bordhi, Jane Cochran, Cookie A., Stephen Houghton, Jennifer Hagan, Norah Gaughan, Marlaina Bird, Anne Hanson, Jayme Stahl, Melissa Morgan-Oakes, Sivia Harding, Nancy Bird, Sandi Rosner, Cirilia Rose, Jared Flood, Lucy Neatby, Kathryn Alexander, A. Karen Aifke, Ann Budd, and Clara Parkes herself. There are descriptive introductions to each pattern, and there are brief designer biographies in the back of the book.
The most common size is Women's Medium, but many patterns include more than one size.
I love to knit socks and I just love a good sock knitting book. I can't think of anyone who could do a better job with this book than Clara Parkes. Her past two books are winners and I look forward to her blog, Knitter's Review, regularly. The book is a bible for anyone who knits socks or has wanted to try knitting them. It starts out with what a sock needs - lasting elasticity, brute strength, and moisture management. It then goes into Fiber Foundations - the language of sock fibers, protein fibers, silk, plant fibers, regenerated cellulose, and synthetic fibers. Then we come to the Yarns - Getting the right twist, singles, two plies, three plies, four and more plies, s-on-s cables, true cables, and core-spun. The knitter is then shown Stitch Tricks - Tricks for Elasticity and Tricks for Strength. Then come the wonderful patterns that Clara has put together and which I'll share with you a bit later. There is a section on Resources - Caring for Socks, Foot Length Tables, Materials Resources, Standard Yarn Weight System, and Recommended Reading. Last, but not least, is a section on the pattern designers.
Common questions for the sock knitter are answered such as Nylon Reinforcement or not, what kind of toes should be knit, how do we get the right fit. Clara goes into tricks for making the best socks. My favorite one is the part on how to use ribbing for elasticity. As she says, "A well-wearing sock will hold snug to your foot, minimizing any slippage in the shoe, so that foot, sock and shoe can move as one."
The patterns start out with the easiest and move on to the more advanced. My favorites are the following:
Hickory designed by Jane Cochran. It looks a bit like a basketbeave pattern and is knit in a lovely red out of fingering-weight yarn.
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