I’ve been on a sock-knitting kick, lately. It comes and goes with me. I’ll knit three, four pairs all in a row, then don’t knit another pair for a year. Of course, during the down time I’m still buying sock yarn when the mood strikes, (not like it expires, right?) Right,
Sock Innovation by Cookie A. is written like a course in sock pattern design, as she takes us through her design process. “Socks are a perfect first step towards learning to design, as a wide variety of skills and considerations must be taken into account, Any technique that can be used in a sweater can be done on a smaller scale in a sock.” – Cookie A.
She gives us a basic sock outline at the beginning, detailing each step in the process to make a basic sock, then she gives us variations on cuffs, heels, and toes. There is a section on how to position patterned panels, mirroring a cables, and exploring symmetry and asymmetry. She goes over how to read the symbols on a chart, which is especially helpful when visualizing a knitting pattern before you knit, and keeping track of where you are in your knitting. The book runs over common charting errors for when you are drafting your own charts, like miss-aligning your stitches so it’s not an accurate chart, and not charting enough repeats to make the design clear.
The patterns themselves are all unique and well-constructed. The only caveat there is that they are all knit from the top down, with the majority having ribbed cuffs, flap heels, and stockinette toes. “Beginning with the cuff gives a sense of how the stitch pattern is progressing before having to decide how to divide.” However, once you get the hang of it, you can easily take the pattern repeats and fit them into your own preferred sock construction.
Monkey, which was my gateway to her patterns is a very good example of how she designs her patterns. There are multiple smaller repeats for easy memorization, you start at the top and work your way down, and once you start, you can’t stop! They’re addicting to knit, hence the description on the pattern page on Knitty.
Pick up a copy on Amazon here…