Where to Start?

Where to start, when learning to knit socks?  

If I'm teaching someone to knit socks, the first thing I tell them is that they need to go get yarn and knitting needles.  And while it's obvious to me, since I've been knitting socks for a while, the idea is so overwhelming for some people that even basic questions need to be answered:

"What kind of yarn?"

"What kind of needles?"

As with anything new, answers lead to more questions, so I'll just jump right onto the merry-go-round and pick a place to start...

There are a few things to consider when picking out yarn.  Lets start with: 

YARN WEIGHT

Yarn has weight.  In the case of yarn, "weight" can be thought of in terms of thickness.  Yarn for knitting can be very thin or very thick.  The thicker the yarn, the heavier the weight.  

The Craft Yarn Council has a very convenient chart that puts this information together in a nice visual.

Standard Yarn Weight System.  

Most yarn companies will indicate which standard weight category their yarn falls into on the label of their yarn.  (Handspun yarn may not be labeled, but that's a discussion for another day).  As you can see from the chart, they usually also include recommendations for needle sizes and the expected gauge.  I'll cover needles and gauge in other posts.   

This is my basic summary:

The finest yarn, or lowest weight if you like, is LACE weight yarn. The standard system assigns the number of "0" to this weight of yarn.  Sometimes lace weight can be so fine it almost feels like thread.  This yarn is generally too fragile and thin for socks that will be worn on your feet.

The next weight of yarn in the line up is the one we are interested in for most socks:  SUPER FINE.  This weight of yarn is commonly referred  to as "fingering weight," or "sock yarn" (hint! hint! hint!). The finer "baby weight" yarns also fall under this category.  This yarn is assigned the number "1".   If you want to knit socks, then super fine is a great choice.  

FINE yarn can also be a good choice for socks.  This yarn will make a nice, if slightly bulkier sock, but most sock-wearers are comfortable with this weight of yarn.  This yarn is also called "sport" or "baby" weight.  The standards assign this yarn the number "2."

LIGHT yarn, also known as "DK" or "light worsted" can be used for socks.  If I'm knitting socks with this weight of yarn, I prefer to use them as house socks or slippers.  I find this weight to be a bit too bulky for wearing with shoes, but it could work well with rubber rain boots or winter boots if there is enough wiggle room (which can be especially nice in the winter to add that little bit of extra warmth). Generally however, I don't recommend this weight of yarn for every-day socks.  This yarn is weight number "3."

MEDIUM weight yarn, number "4" is about the heaviest weight of yarn I would choose when knitting socks. This is the basic "worsted" weight yarn.  ("Aran" and "Afgan" yarns also fall into this weight category).   This is the weight of yarn most crafters use.  You can recognized it on the shelves of most big-box or craft/hobby stores.  I use this weight for demonstrations.  I haven't knit a pair of socks with it yet, but it's on the agenda to maybe knit some around-the-house socks?   I've also considered it for making a holiday stocking to hang on the mantle over the fire place.  This is the weight of yarn I tell my newbies to get when we make our first sample sock. After we make the sample, then we go shopping for super fine or fine yarn (yay!).  

   

Next in the line up of yarn weights comes BULKY ("5"), SUPER BULKY ("6"), JUMBO ("7"), and then what I call "Beyond Jumbo" (The hand print).   Unless you are doing something artistic or experimental these yarns are not really practical for knitting socks.  My brain toys with the idea of knitting a sock in one of these weights, just to see what it's like, but unless you are looking to feel like you are walking around with blankets on your feet, I'd stick with weights 1 through 4.  (Maybe it would feel like walking on marshmallows?.... humm, curious....).  

One last little note:  Not all yarn is made of the same stuff.  Not only do you have to decide which weight of yarn is best for your project when knitting socks, but you also have to take into consideration what the yarn is actually made of.  I'll talk about that next.