Sock Knitting Tutorial Part Two

Top Down 2-AT-A-Time Socks

I am going to show you how I knit a pair of socks both at the same time. I have found that it is possible to use any general sock pattern with some slight adaptations for this and I’m going to show you just how I do this using the pattern called Blitzen from ‘Christmas Socks Colllection One’ a book by Winwick Mum. The pattern for these socks is available to download for free from the West Yorkshire Spinners website, click here if you would like to do that.

In this tutorial I am using a combination of videos and still photographs. The videos show me knitting the Blitzen pattern and the photographs are a basic pair of socks but I have done them in different colours so that it is easier for you to see which sock is which.

Here is a little introduction and you can see me casting on the stitches for both socks. This is followed by photographs showing the same process.

Casting on for both socks.

You may find it hard to follow what is happening in that video as there are two balls of yarn in the same colour, lots of ends of yarn and the cable of my circular needle all in the frame at the same time. Here are some still photos of two socks in different colours which I hope may be helpful to offer further clarification.

Casting On – Step One

cast on half the stitches of sock one then all of the stitches of sock two

Casting On – Step Two

fold the cable in half and separate the stitches of sock two so that half of them are on each side of the cable

Casting On – Step Three

cast on the rest of the stitches for sock one

Casting On – Step Four

needle tips pointing to the right and first half of stitches on bottom needle, second half of stitches on top needle

In the next video I am going to show you how to start knitting the first round of the Blitzen socks. For alternative patterns the rib stitch may be different but the process is the same.

Again I have made some photos to show this process.

1-Sock One

holding the needles with tips pointing to the right

second half of stitches (side two) are on the top needle

2-Sock One

pull the top needle to the right so that the stitches of side two move onto the cable

3-Sock One Side One

begin knitting side one of sock one (f

4- Sock Two

when side one of sock one is completed, drop yarn for sock one and pick up yarn for sock two

5- Sock Two Side One

begin working first side of sock two

6-End of Side One

when you have finished knitting the stitches of the first side of both socks, the tips are pointing to the left and the stitches that you have just worked are on the needle tip

the stitches of side two that are still to be knitted are on the cable

7-Sock Two Side Two

rotate the needles so that the tips are facing to the right and then

8-Sock One Side Two

Now knit side two of sock one.

Next there is a video for you to watch where I am just going through how to knit the next round of both socks. There is also a little tip about using a marker so fast forward to about 3 1/2 mins in if you don’t need to just see me knitting.

When you have finished knitting the cuffs of your socks you can just proceed to knitting the legs as you would normally. The next video is mainly to show you how to do the cable stitch of the Winwick Mum pattern which I thought might be useful as it is a bit unusual. For plain socks simply carry on until you have worked the legs to the length that you require and then we will look at creating the heels.

When you have knitted the legs to the length that you need them to be, the next stage is to knit the heel flap which you will have to do one at a time. Start by knitting the heel flap of sock one.

Sock One Heel Flap

The heel flap on sock has been knitted and the heel turn needs to be created next.

Here I am following the Winwick Mum pattern to do this.

Once you have done the heel turn, make sure that you finish at the left hand edge, ready to pick up some stitches down the left side of the heel flap.

Pick up the number of stitches required down the left side of the heel flap of sock one and then move on to sock two. Work the heel flap & heel turn for sock two, then pick up the stitches of the left side of the heel flap. Now, rotate the needles and move on to working across side two of both socks before completing the heels by picking up the stitches for the other side of the heel flap.

In the next video you will see me finishing off picking up the stitches and beginning the shaping (decreasing) to create the gusset and complete the heels of the socks.

Heels Completed

The stitches have been picked up along both edges of the heel flaps on sock one and sock two and it is now time to create the gusset shaping.

Shaping Completed

Once the decreases have been worked, continue knitting your socks 2-at-a-time, to work the foot of each sock until it is the length that you need (I usually knit until it is 5cm shorter than I want the finished sock to be)

You are almost at the end now. Soon you will have a finished pair of socks!

I am going to do the toe shaping now and when that is finished you can complete the socks with kitchener stitch. If you need some instruction on this I will add a video at the bottom of this page.

Here is a quick look at Kitchener Stitch if you need it.