Does anyone knit their own socks?

[shelivesthedream]

I love all kinds of handicrafts, and got back into knitting a few years ago. I'm currently halfway through my first pair of socks ever, a pair of thick bedsocks for my grandmother, and I actually like doing it! The heel was kind of confusing the first time, but Youtube helped and now I've done one I get it. So... does anyone here knit their own everyday wearing socks? Why? Is it a hassle to have to care for them? Aren't they hot in summer?

[former player]

Bedsocks are the best socks to knit: from experience (I was not the knitter though, just the wearer) other home-knitted socks tend to wear out too fast - mine always went at the back of the heel.

[shelivesthedream]

Bedsocks are the best socks to knit: from experience (I was not the knitter though, just the wearer) other home-knitted socks tend to wear out too fast - mine always went at the back of the heel.

Interesting. My husband's feet shred socks in under a year. I don't think he owns a pair of socks that aren't at least getting thin at the back of the heel. I, on the other hand, just threw away a dozen pairs of socks I've had for a decade. Not one had a single hole in, but they were all supposed to be white and were finally too grungy to be decent. Do you wear through shop-bought socks the same way?

I have read intriguing things about afterthought heels - you knit the whole sock first, then go back and knit the heel. That way, if the heel wears out, you can unravel it and knit a new one in.

[Cranky]

I am a sock knitter. I knit about 15 pairs/year, and sometimes I look around a room and realize that everyone is wearing a pair of socks that I made, and I think that's fun.

Knitting is definitely a hobby, not a cost saving activity. People always say, "But you can buy socks at WalMart!" and that is absolutely true. I knit because I enjoy it, and it's easily portable, and I'm a fidgety person.

I do like heavy bed socks and thick boot socks, but for everyday wear, you want actual sock yarn, with about 25% nylon content, and you want to knit them to a tight gauge, probably on size 1 needles. There are some pretty fancy sock yarns out there and they are lovely, but you will not get the wear from them that you will from Regia or Opal or KnitPicks commercial sock yarn. Regia and Opal come with 10 year guarantees!

I wash our many pairs of wool socks in the washing machine, and hang them to dry, so not really any special care. And I don't wear socks in the summer, but have been told that wool can be quite comfortable even then. There are also some cotton sock yarns - I've made some yoga socks out of it.

[tralfamadorian]

As a long time knitter +1 everything Cranky said.

[geekette]

Agree to the above - you need some nylon content, plus superwash wool.  Mine go in the washer and hang to dry.  I have a few pairs of shortie socks I've knit with leftovers for summer, along with the usual cotton socks.

I've tried plenty of heels - flap, short row, tomato, and my current favorite - the fleegle heel.  The afterthought heel is basically a short row heel added later, and since my foot needs a gusset, short row heels are out for me.

If you want a heel with more life, an eye of the partridge flap heel might help since it adds more yarn to the heel.  Do loose shoes make for more wear?  I never get holes in my heels, but they'll get thin on the bottom (although occasionally a pair will felt, like the superwash treatment didn't "take").

[RetiredAt63]

I too love the Fleegle heel. I do toe up because I have long feet and I don't  want to run out of yarn. 2 at a time magic loop because when I am finished both socks are done. Expensive socks feel just as nice as handknit but cheap socks aren't even close.

[Cranky]

I don't really find that it's the heel itself that wears out, but the bottom of the heel or the ball of the foot. Nylon content and a tight gauge minimize that, but I do darn handknit socks.

[RetiredAt63]

I don't really find that it's the heel itself that wears out, but the bottom of the heel or the ball of the foot. Nylon content and a tight gauge minimize that, but I do darn handknit socks.

My lovely merino (bought) socks are wearing out on the side of the ankle where the shoe hits.  Since they are bought I have no matching wool to darn with.  Having matching (leftover) wool is a side benefit of knitting your own.  ;-)  Plus after all the effort that went into making them, a little effort to give them a second life is well worth it.

[I'm a red panda]

I knit all my socks. I use super wash wool, so care is wash and dry with all my other clothes. I have expensive taste in yarn though, so socks cost a fortune...  But less than knitting sweaters I never wear.

I like wearing them in the summer, I have some cotton anklets I've made, but early for doing sports, wool socks are just fine.

[former player]

Do you wear through shop-bought socks the same way?

Depends on the material used - anything wool-heavy tends to go at the back of the heel first, which is unfortunate because woolly socks are the best kind.

I used to darn the thin patches before they wore all the way through into holes, which is a lot easier than darning a hole and pretty effective.  Lately, being richer, I tend to just wear them into holes and then put them in the recycling bag to go for rags.  I'm no longer as mustachian as I was when poor.

[shelivesthedream]

This is all really interesting. Sounds like something I might have a go at, but no rush.

[ZiziPB]

I knit socks and wear them, but mostly around the house because I don't like the bulk in my shoes.  I use superwash wool blends (with nylon, sometimes also with bamboo) and wash and dry them in the dryer with my regular laundry.  I've also knitted lots of socks for my family who enjoy wearing them.

I usually knit them toe up, two at a time, and substitute a short row heel for any other type of heel in the pattern I'm working with.

For inexpensive but good quality sock yarn, check out knitpicks.com

[Mtngrl]

+1 on what the other knitters on here have said. I knit most of my own socks -- good sock yarn -- wool blends -- (I like self-striping yarns) knit on size one needles. I usually knit a traditional top-down pattern on four needles. Wash in the machine and hang dry. I have pairs that have lasted for years. Occasionally I have to darn a small hole or thin area -- easy enough to do since I usually have some yarn left over. The yarn can be pricey, but all my friends and relatives know I love sock yarn and have taken to gifting me with yarn for Christmas and birthdays. I once lucked on to several skeins at a thrift store for $1 each and was thrilled. Also, I save all my leftover yarn and occasionally knit "crazy" socks from several different colors. I think they're addictive and a very portable craft -- great for watching TV or long car trips.

[SwordGuy]

My wife knitted several pairs of medieval Turkish socks for use in our re-enactment group.  She enjoyed it.

[Slinky]

I love all kinds of handicrafts, and got back into knitting a few years ago. I'm currently halfway through my first pair of socks ever, a pair of thick bedsocks for my grandmother, and I actually like doing it! The heel was kind of confusing the first time, but Youtube helped and now I've done one I get it. So... does anyone here knit their own everyday wearing socks? Why? Is it a hassle to have to care for them? Aren't they hot in summer?

Yes. Because I like to knit, it's a good out and about brainless knitting project especially on airplanes, and they actually keep my feet warm unlike most store bought socks. I also frequently make them for my mother who says the seams in store bought hurt her feet. It is not a hassle because I only use superwash yarns and throw them through the wash with everything else, dryer and all. They probably do not last quite as long because of that, but I just keep the extra yarn and darn them as needed. I don't generally wear socks in the summer. I did make one pair of knee highs for a summer event and those are made from bamboo yarn and the most comfortable socks I have ever worn for said event. Hands down way better than thin acrylic store bought ones or anything else.