(1) Sock showing division between upper and lower stitches
(2) How to tell which way the sock was knit: cut a strand and see which way it unravels
(3) Replacing the bottom from a sock knit in one piece: mark the join by sewing a contrast piece of yarn, cut off the bottom well below the join and fray back
(3b) Face weaving in many ends
(3c) Clean-finish the edge (hand-overcast, serge)
(4) Replace the toe/ball only – the new piece can be made toe-up and grafted completely around or the raw stitches picked up and knit to the end. The pattern will be 1/2 stitch off if the old and new parts were done in different directions.
(5) A sock knit in two pieces; joined by grafting at the back of the heel and the rest overcast together.
I do excellent hand work but find that mending socks leaves a ridge or thick place that my foot doesn’t like. Sewing a patch over would be worse.
This is my take on a useful concept.
Socks are knit as an upper and a bottom which are then sewn together (I prefer two-at-a-time Magic Loop on one circular for each set, but you can use whatever you’re comfortable with). The sock at left, an early trial, was basted together with fishline to check its fit (it did).
There are several advantages:
- Socks wear out at the bottom of the heel or its back (where a shoe rubs), the toe, and/or the ball of foot. Separate bottoms are easily replaced.
- The uppers can be made of different, far more fragile yarn. Socks of cashmere lace? Sure! A quick, solid pattern (heel stitch, eye of partridge, or ordinary garter or stockinette) for the bottoms can be married to whatever is singing to be the uppers.
- As the bottoms are made to a template, different weights of yarn and sizes of needles can be used. My default is fingering weight yarn with size 1 needles; early trials with test knitters were done with worsted weight on honking big U.S. 7s!
If you’re on Ravelry, there are examples on my Projects Page. The link below will take you there.
There are two parts to the process: generating a template from a tracing around the foot plus a few measurements, and knitting sock patterns using it. Bottoms from templates have been test-knit cold, but I haven’t worked either into final form yet. If you’re interested in having me make you a personalized template (with detailed, illustrated instructions), send me an email. No obligation – I love to visit with people (and usually learn something).
Carefully darned thin spots in sweater tights: the toes are clearly visible. Most darning leaves lumps that tend to cause blisters.
Earliest work:
My socks are knit in the round except for the section of the upper over the top of the foot.
This pattern by Becky Greene (greenethumb) alternates working rows with straight knitting. I’m going to swatch a different pattern that changes every row by throwing in neutral ones and see what comes out.
60 wool/40 nylon sock bottoms from an unraveled sweater that will get dyed to match the uppers
Separates from the gitgo.