Different Ways to Do Socks

The patterns I've offered this month and the knitting instructions I've provided call for knitting socks on double-pointed needles, but of course that's not the only way to go. It's possible to knit a sock using two circular needles or even using just one really long circular needle, which is known commonly as the Magic Loop method (check out this site for a video, since a picture is worth more than a thousand words when it comes to explaining this method).

Most knitters learn to knit socks one way, then try out the other methods and eventually settle on a method they prefer. Using a different method doesn't change substantially the way you work a sock, you just need to be mindful of which stitches a pattern is talking about if your pattern says to do something with needle one or needle three and you only have one or two needles.

Yet another way to knit socks is two at a time on one circular needle, as is done in the fun book 2-At-a-Time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. This book uses a Magic Loopy method to get both socks on and off the needle at the same time. No worries of second sock syndrome or making one sock longer than the other here!

It's fun to try out all these different techniques and see which way works best for you. And learning all the different methods is a great excuse to knit more socks!