Socks - Socks - Socks: 70 Winning Patterns from Knitter's Magazine Contest

by Elaine Rowley (editor), Alexis Xenakis (photographer)

Provides patterns for basic socks, as well as children's socks, Icelandic socks, lace socks, and socks featuring specific colors, textures, or whimsical themes

Genres: Knitting, Crafts, Nonfiction

114 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

One of the original three founders and often referred to as the 'R' in XRX publications, Elaine Rowley has been an editor since the founding of Knitters Universe. She says 'We have knitters in mind' and clearly that has been her focus long before she met David Xenakis and Alexis Xenakis. She met them in her shop 'The Golden Fleece', encouraged them in their crafts, and eventually they founded XRX in the basement of the shop.

Elaine stays busy editing books, and is still a contributing voice in the fiber world more than 100 issues of that first issue of Knitters Universe later.

Reviews

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have made socks from this book, but there are a lot of hideous crazy looking socks in here too!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

lots of interesting little patterns in here, some useful (i.e. beginner's socks, tennis anklet's, etc.) and some fanciful (i.e. tiny socks knit with thread, little fake-socks that are knit with string-licorice)...

my fave pair are actually the very last pattern in the book, where were submitted by a Norwegian born farmer who is living in Iceland.. a native Icelandic woman showed her how to make the socks (a very clever design, made of a single garter-knit strip that is folded and sewn in places to make an actual ankle-length sock)... after i made a proto-type i was convinced that my foot looked like it belonged on a pixie instead of me ;-)

so i ran out and bought Lopi in several kinds of greens, to make my own set of socks... look out Peter Pan. ;-)

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the variety of different patterns in this book. I also liked that there were a number of entrants from Canada & Iceland. I have sticky notes marking the patterns I want to try first. It’s been a long time since I knit sacks so I’ll start with the easier patterns.

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Color and variety abound

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has lots of great ideas, and innovative designs, some of them too far-flung for this knitter, but they were fun to look at. I found a half a dozen I would make.

[Mollie *scoutrmom* · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the patterns contained in this volume are winners of the contest, they are as varied and difficult as one would expect. I liked the ones for toddlers best.

As good as these designs are, the book from the subsequent contest,
Think Outside the Sox: 50 Winning Patterns from the Knitter's Magazine Contest is much more worthwhile, in my opinion.

[Erin Germain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of the 70 patterns, I'll maybe do 15 or 20, so that isn't too bad. A lot of them can be used as templates for my own stitch patterns, which is always nice, and the more fanciful ones are simply fun to look at (the tiny holiday stockings for a dollhouse done at 1/32 scale!!!). My main complaint was that virtually all of the patterns are written for 4 DPNs, but I can get around it to use the 5 I'm used to. And since many of the patterns are charted, I don't have to do my usual rewrite it in my head routine to make things work for me (I'm a lefty knitter).

Overall, a good book and one I think I may come back to often.

[Theresa]

Book of 70 winning patterns from Knitters Magazine sock contest. Mainly cuff down, very few toe up. However, some cute socks and the instructions are divided into the different sections of the sock with illustrations next to each section of how your stitches should be arranged on dpns (which I don't use).

There was one pattern that said the skill level was Adventurous Knitter (which I am, more by accident than design--but even I didn't want to attempt those socks). My guess is that some of these could be converted to toe up very easily if I found a pair I really wanted to make.

[Tonileg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of sock patterns with 80's style photos and haircuts, but everyone will find atleast one pair to knit up for themselves for the children, men, family members in your life.
I'm not sure how good the patterns are as I have yet to try out a few, but most need lots of different yarn for Fair Isle style patters, but I guess if you have a large leftover yarn stash then this might be the book for you to get through some of your stock.
3 stars

[Saleris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been after this book for years. I skimmed a copy about 6 months after it came out and loved over half the patterns. My pattern criteria change over time (I'm fickle) but even so, there's enough variation in here to keep me interested in over half the socks.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few patterns to go back and revisit.

[BookMouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great variety of sock patterns.

[Elphabaj21 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't actually knit any of the patterns from this book but have pored over the pages many times to admire the clever designs and beautiful patterns. It's on my wish-list *wink wink*

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

lots of sox

[Fangirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of sock patterns designed by readers of Knitter's Magazine.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book I always go to for the best cast-off for toe-up socks.