Crochet hook size guide

Hello! Dropping in with some useful info for you about crochet hook sizes! You may have noticed in crochet patterns that sometimes hook sizes are referred to in metric terms, sometimes with a number and sometimes with a letter & number! This can all be a bit confusing, so I've put together a table with the most popular sizes for you to help keep you right.

The photo above is my collection of hooks, which I like to refer to in millimetres. Most patterns do state the hook size in metric terms (or a mix) so you shouldn't get in too much of a tangle over it!

I hope my table comes in useful for you - why not print it out and keep it to refer to! 

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

PS. Sign up to my mailing list to get crochet posts like this one delivered straight to your inbox! 

Crochet sock terms demystified!

 

Hello! I remember when I first started crocheting socks, I used to get in a right tangle about what all the different parts of the sock were called. Also, toe-up, cuff-down, after-thought heel? What were they all about? I'm here today to help demystify some of these terms for you and also to encourage you to give crochteted socks a go if you haven't already!

The diagram above has arrows pointing to all the different parts of a sock. Most of them you'll be familiar with, the less well known ones are the heel flap & turn, gusset and instep.

The heel flap is worked in rows of crochet and can be on the sole of the sock in some cases.

The heel turn is where the crochet fabric is manipulated to go around the heel - often decreases are used to join the heel flap to the body of the sock (this part is where my degree in Scuplture comes in super handy, I can visualise and design exactly the shape I want!).

The gusset is a series of increases (in a toe-up sock) or decreases (in a cuff-down sock) to allow more room in the heel section.

The instep is the bit which covers the arched upper part of the foot. It's often referred to in a pattern because these stitches are unworked while the heel flap is under construction.

An after-thought heel is used when a sock is crocheted as a tube, without any gusset or heel shaping and a slit is created for the heel. Once the sock is completed the stitches are worked into and then decreased to create the heel.

A toe-up sock begins at the toe section and works up to the cuff.

A cuff-down sock begins at the cuff section and works up to the toe.

Well, I hope this has helped to demystify crocheted socks for you! They really are a dream to crochet - especially because they work up so fast.

My Lazy Days Sock CAL starts in September with the exclusive kits open for pre-order this Friday! I hope you'll consider joining the fun! All the info you need was in my last blog post. Sign up to my mailing list to be notified of the release and to have tips like this delivered to your inbox. 

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

my Fiddle Sock pattern

My 5 Tips For Crocheting (or knitting!) Socks

Hello! Today I'd like to share my experience with you and give you my 5 top tips for crocheting (or knitting!) socks! Maybe you've never tried making socks before or perhaps you're a sock addict like me? Either way, there should be something here to help you on your crochet sock journey.

my Banjo Sock pattern

1.  Take each step as it comes. 

Don't go diving in, looking ahead at what comes up next and freaking out about how you're going to manage that heel! Simply look at row 1 or round 1 and take it from there. Follow that round exactly as the instructions tell you and then work onto round 2 and so on. I think when we leap ahead and see the big scary heel - that's when we're more likely to second-guess ourselves and make mistakes early on.

2.  Wind your yarn into two balls (or cakes). 

This is really easy if you're starting with a skein of sock yarn; I simply wind and when I reach the about halfway I pop the yarn on the scales and make sure that I end up with two balls, roughly 50g each. I've shared this tip before and it's one that I find very useful because then I know exactly how much yarn I have for each sock and I'm not panicking about running out of yarn.

3.  Choose yarn with 20 or 25% nylon content. 

This will ensure your socks are durable and washable. There are lots of different types of sock yarn on the market! Commercial sock yarn is a great choice and is typically 75% superwash merino/ 25% nylon. It's especially good for a beginner because it's less expensive meaning you're less likely to be upset when mistakes happen. There are lots of indie yarns dyers out there too, producing all sorts of gorgeous colours to choose from. These tend to have a 20-25% nylon content, perhaps with Blue Faced Leicester instead of merino. There are also smaller yarn companies producing more traditional sock yarn if you want to go for something fancier. At the moment I'm using a sock yarn with 80% Blue Faced Leicester/ 10% Yak/ 10% silk - it's gorgeous to work with!

4.  Work socks two at a time. 

I've shared this tip before and it's a good one to keep your motivation up. It's especially easy to do if you have measured your yarn into equal balls too! If you choose not to work two together it's a good idea, while your motivation levels are high, to jump straight in and start sock no. 2 as soon as you have finished sock no. 1. You can add the hashtag #nosecondsocksyndrome on Instagram - it's a popular one!

5.  Try on your sock as you go. 

This way you will have the perfect fit - you can get the length and width exactly right. Although most sock patterns are customisable you may need to make adjustments and this is easiest to do if you can try your sock on as you work.

my Synthesiser Sock pattern

Did you know that I have multiple crochet sock patterns available on my website and on Ravelry if you're curious and would like to give crocheted socks a go! Check them out today and remember that I'm always here to help if you have any questions.

I hope you found my 5 top tips for crocheting (or knitting!) socks helpful. Why not share with a friend who would find them useful too - help me spread the word.

Don't want to miss my posts? Subscribe to my mailing list today and have them delivered straight to your inbox. There's a FREE pdf waiting for you when you sign up too, with 25 of my best crochet tips!

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx