Skill level: Beginner/Intermediate
Dates: Saturdays 21 Nov – 5 Dec, 10:30 am – 1:00pm (3 sessions, 7.5 hours total)
Instructor: Mairi McKissock
Cost: $80 + HST + materials

For first-time sock knitters, this is a basic class that teaches all you need to know to create socks of any size, using a classic, cuff-down sock structure.

In this class, you will create a pair of top-down socks and learn:

• how to knit with a set of double-pointed needles (dpns)
• long-tail cast-on technique
• how to swatch for a sock, and how to avoid swatching
• how to measure for the right fit
• how to work a heel flap and turn a heel (‘Dutch’ or ‘square’ heel)
• how to pick up stitches and work a heel gusset
• how to decrease for a comfortable fit at the toe
• how to graft a toe using Kitchener stitch

• be comfortable with knit and purl stitches
• be able to identify simple mistakes and problems in your knitting (such as accidental yarn-overs, dropped or incorrectly mounted stitches)
• be familiar with basic increase and decrease stitches

Materials

You will need:

• 100g of fingering weight yarn
• set of 5 double-pointed needles, size 2.25-2.5mm

OR

• 100g of sport weight yarn
• set of 5 double-pointed needles, size 2.75-3mm

OR

• 100g of worsted weight yarn
• set of 5 double-pointed needles, size 3.5-4mm

if you feel that you are more of a beginner, are a very slow knitter, or have any arthritis or other difficulty with your hands, you may be more comfortable knitting thicker socks with heavier yarn and larger needles. Ask the instructor for help selecting yarn and needles.

Homework

There is no homework required to prepare for the first class. Homework will be assigned each week to prepare you for the next week’s instruction.