Socks-for-Mum
In the rhythm of the needles there is music for the soul
Two Socks at Once – Set Up
If you have ever, with great excitement and enthusiasm, knit one sock using a pattern that looks quite adventurous and then felt that enthusiasm drain from your very being as you were faced with knitting the exact pattern over again then you have undoubtedly displayed symptoms of something knitters call Two Sock Syndrom. You have one lone sock waiting for its partner because you have shoved the remaining sock yarn into a project bag waiting to be resurrected when the enthusiasm returns at some later date. Hopefully, you remember what pattern you were using when you knit that first sock and, if you made any modifications, you remember those as well. On occasion, I have not been as fortunate.
I have had a few friends ask me how to knit two socks at the same time and today I will post a photo tutorial. There are probably countless videos on You Tube demonstrating a few ways to do this but I have my own favorite technique that I will share here. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and a video is worth ten thousand more but, unfortunately, I do not know how to make a video so I will go the route with fewer words.
If you are a seasoned sock knitter then you will recognize most of the steps outlined although you may find the cuff set up and the way the heel is worked somewhat different.
I will be knitting a small toddler size sock using a worsted weight yarn in two colors. The two circular needles are Size 5 in two different lengths, 16″ and 24″. You are certainly welcome to use whatever you have as long as the needles are the same size. Two differing lengths helps a teensy bit differentiating them from each other as you begin knitting.
Using the 24″ needle, cast on 32 stitches.
When you are finished, your working yarn and tail should be on the left.
Using the tip of the 16″ unused needle, transfer 16 stitches from the first needle to the second.
When you are finished, the stitches face inward to the left and the working yarn and tail should be on the right.
The connected stitches face to the left by the needle tips and the open stitches face to the right towards the cables.
Slide the stitches from left to right down the cables to the right empty tips.
When you are finished, the stitches face inward and the working yarn and yarn tails are on the right.
The connected stitches are facing to the left towards the cables and the open stitches face to the right by the needle tips.
Flip the needles so that the tips with Sock A on them face to the left,
The 16″ is still on the bottom and the 24″ is still on the top but now the working yarn and yarn tail are on the left close to the needle tips.
To join the stitches so that they can be worked in the round I use a tapestry needle and do a Figure 8 Weave.
Weave the yarn tail up through the first stitch on the top needle.
Weave the yarn tail back down through the first stitch on the bottom needle and back up again into the top.
Give the yarn tail and working yarn a little tug pulling from opposite directions to snug it up.
Slide Sock A off the needle tips and onto the cables into a resting position and proceed to cast-on Sock B. Starting on the opposite empty needles from the ones used for Sock B, cast-on 30 stitches on the bottom 24″ needle.
As before, use the tip of the 16″ needle to transfer 16 stitches from the 24″ needle to the 16″ needle.
The connected stitches will be close to the needle tips.
The open end will face the cables and this time the working yarn and yarn tail will be on the top needle facing left.
Join Sock B in the round just as you did Sock A by taking the yarn tail and a tapestry needle and doing a Figure 8 Weave.
Snug up by pulling the yarn tail and working yarn in opposite directions.
Slide Sock B down the cable until it is next to Sock A.
All of the tails should be on the left side of each sock all ready to start knitting!
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Great pictures and instructions, well done Teach!
Great tutorial and thanks for showing the weaving technique in joining the round. I always have a problem joining in the round as the 1st stitch is always loose.