Classes

Recreating Traditional Folk Socks

In this workshop, we will look at vintage sock patterns, photos from socks in museum collections, and samples of folk-art socks that I’ve collected in Eastern Europe, as well as any socks you’d like to bring with you to examine.  We will then learn how to “read” the socks to determine how they were made and answer these questions, and more: Toe up or cuff down?  What type of cast-on?  What type of bind-off?  What pattern stitches and colors?  What is the gauge?  What fiber is used?  At the end of the class, each student will be ready to begin reproducing a pair of ethnic socks and will leave the classroom with charts and an outline of instructions for making their own reproduction or a modern variation inspired by a traditional sock design.

Donna Druchunas

Class Level:Advanced
Class Skills:Need to know how to knit with double-pointed needles, and be familiar with several kinds of sock heel and toe construction methods.
Cost:$150
Class Length:6 hours
Class Materials:

Students should bring pencil and pen, graph paper, calculator, basic knitting stitch library (optional), eye glasses or magnifier (if you need them for close work), a pair of hand-knitted socks you’d like to reproduce (or you can use one of my examples), 3-4 balls of sock yarn in different colors, and a set of 4 or 5 appropriately-sized double-pointed needles.

Homework:

None.

Simply Socks Yarn Company Blue Moon Fiber Arts The Fold Knitter's Magazine WEBS Wool2Dye4 Louet Soak The Loopy Ewe skacel