By Rohn Strong
Published by Interweave Books/F+W Media, Inc.
I have been crocheting for decades, and I have to admit, I
have never crocheted a sock, much less two, to wear. (I did crochet a
"sock" for a Christmas Stocking pattern for a book, but it was a sock
with no heel - a straight sock, from the toes to the cuff.) So I never did
learn the various parts of a sock or how and why to measure the parts – parts
like the foot, the gusset, the ankle and the leg circumference, or the foot
length, or the toe length, or the heel diagonal. I didn't even know there were
such things when I made that Christmas Stocking. So when I was asked by
Interweave Books/F+W Media Inc. to review the book STEP INTO CROCHET - Crocheted Sock Techniques from Basic to Beyond!, by Rohn
Strong, I didn't think twice. Maybe NOW I could learn to crochet real socks.
When I received the book, and started looking it over, I saw some great information on the methods to crochet all the different parts of a sock. And the good news was, you could mix and match the parts and the methods. So if a sock pattern you liked showed one method to crochet a part of the sock, but you liked another method, you could substitute the method you liked. Or if you liked another cuff pattern, you could substitute the one you liked for the one that was given. That means that each sock you crochet (or pair of socks, hopefully) could be unique to you. And you could start each sock from the toe and work up, or from the cuff and work down. Each way that you could choose to construct the parts – well, the reason why you should pick that method is explained. So if you don't know what to do, or why you should chose one method over another, it's all in the book, all explained.
I was ready to get started on my first sock! But first, I
had to pick the yarn. I usually crochet with DK weight (#3), WW weight (#4), or
thicker yarn. But the patterns in the book called for sock weight (#1 Super
Fine). The book explains all about sock weight yarn, what fibers to look for, how many plies, and why you should look for elasticity, strength, and absorbency in your yarn. Also, how to care for your socks. But I have always told my students in my classes that when they want to
learn a new technique that uses yarn they are not used to, they should first
work a sample of that technique using yarn that they ARE used to. I decided to take my own
advice, and work with WW (worsted weight) yarn. Cotton - because usually you can see the
stitches better with cotton than with acrylic or wool. So that's what I picked.
(Whew!)
Then I had to pick the pattern. The patterns start with the
Simple Socks (that's the title of the first chapter of projects), then go to
the next chapters, Textured and Cabled Socks, (below is pictured a sample – North Hills Socks),
Colorwork Socks, (below is a sample –
Lake Lynn Socks),
and Lace Socks, (below is a sample – Little Rose Garden Socks).
Okay – I picked a sock in the first chapter, Simple Socks, for my first try at crocheting socks. The Simple
Socks in this chapter are described as "basic" socks – the "foundation"
of all crocheted sock patterns. There are 4 different patterns in the chapter -
two toe-up socks, and two cuff-down socks. (Each of the toe-up socks has a
"twin", a cuff-down sock.) I decided to start with a toe-up sock –
and the first of the two pairs in the first chapter. I thought it would be the easiest
for a beginner in crocheting socks, like me!
The sock I picked is called the Gorman Street Toe-Up Sock.
First, below is a picture of the Gorman Street Cuff-Down sock, the first sock pattern in the first chapter, Simple Socks.
And below is a picture of the Gorman Street Toe-Up Sock, the second sock pattern in the first chapter, and the one that I tried -
And finally, here's the picture of the sock that I crocheted - my version of the Gorman Street Toe-Up sock!
The crochet hook below the sock is there to show you how large my sock turned out. Also, the cuff, worked in the WW cotton, just like the rest of the sock, did not fit the
top of the sock – it's too long, and started to ruffle. But I finished it anyway,
just to see what it would do. I think it ruffled because the yarn that I used
was thicker, heavier, etc., than the yarn that was called for. (I could have
easily modified the directions to get the cuff flat. But I wanted you to see how it turned out without any modifications!)
The directions for all the patterns give you the yarn that
was used, including the weight, so you can substitute if you need to. Also, how
many yards, and meters, and grams are in each skein. How many skeins you'll
need. What size hook to use - and also how to adjust hook size if necessary to
obtain gauge. What the gauge should be. What notions you'll need. What the
measurements are for the sock that's pictured, and also, what you need to do to
make it smaller or larger. Special stitches that you'll use are also included
in the description. Then, each pattern has sub-titles like Gusset, Heel Turn,
Heel Flap, Cuff, Leg, Foot, and Toe, to let you know what part of the sock you are working on. Some of these you may know what they are,
but some may be like reading or speaking a foreign language. So all these terms
are explained in a section called The Anatomy of a Sock, in the chapter Basic
Sock Construction, and further in a chapter called Heels, Toes, and Cuffs. The
beginning chapters also tell you how to measure each part of your foot, so you
can pick the right size to crochet. Another chapter tells you how to pick the
right yarn for your sock. And how to take care of the socks – how to wash and
block them.
The sock patterns are written in clear language – with
special stitches and techniques you might need in the back of the book – all
with pictures and written instructions. Stitch guides are included with the
instructions. And there are stitch diagrams also, where needed. As I was crocheting my sock, I found it
easy to figure out the pattern, easy to decipher all the terms I did not know,
and easy to follow the pattern.
So if you want to learn how to crochet socks, starting from the basics to beyond the basics, this is the book for you. All the information you need as a beginner is here, along with how to advance to beyond the beginner. If you have already been crocheting socks, this book helps you put together your own socks – using the information that tells you how to switch parts of the sock patterns given. And how to work socks from the toe up, or the cuff down. Your choice.
So if you want to learn how to crochet socks, starting from the basics to beyond the basics, this is the book for you. All the information you need as a beginner is here, along with how to advance to beyond the beginner. If you have already been crocheting socks, this book helps you put together your own socks – using the information that tells you how to switch parts of the sock patterns given. And how to work socks from the toe up, or the cuff down. Your choice.
If you're interested in this book, it's available here:
It's available as both a paperback and an ebook.
And if you crochet a sock (or, hopefully, a pair of socks) from this book, please post a picture with a comment. I would love to see what you made!
