How to Design a Pair of Tube Socks
If you want to design a simple pair of socks with minimal shaping, try tube socks. Tube socks are easy to design and make, and their stretchy nature means that a single size can fit feet of various widths and lengths. Although tube socks feature a basic structure that even first-time sock designers can easily tackle, they are also easy to customize. Once you master designing tube socks, you can create easy patterns for beginning sock knitters to follow.
Instructions
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Choose your yarn. Many design features will depend on the yarn you choose. If you want to create a chunky tube sock design, choose worsted weight yarn. Thinner, more delicate tube sock designs require fingering or sock weight yarn.
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2
Decide on a stitch pattern. If you use yarn without lycra or a similar stretchy material, you need to design a ribbed stitch pattern. For simple socks, this may consist of a simple knit two, purl two stitch pattern. However, you can create more intricate ribbing by making cable or lace ribs. These patterns still require alternating knit and purl ribs, but added increases, decreases or cables will create interest.
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Design all ribbing in a spiral pattern; to achieve spirals, simply shift the first stitch of your pattern to the right every few rows.
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Knit a gauge swatch. Before you can draft a completed tube sock design you need to figure out how many stitches and rows fit into a 4-inch square. Knit a 6-inch square in your chosen pattern to determine how many stitches you need to cast on to create your tube sock design.
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Figure out where you want the top of your tube sock to sit and calculate the leg circumference at that point. Subtract between 1/2 and 1 inch from this figure to account for stretch.
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Use your gauge swatch to determine how many stitches you need to cast on to equal the number determined above.
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Plan shaping. If you're designing a tall tube sock for wide calves, work decreases into your design to create a more shapely ankle. You can decrease the number of stitches as you reach the ankle, or you can switch to knitting on a smaller sized needle.
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Determine toe shaping. Since tube socks have no heels, the only next shaping you need to write into your design is for the toe. Plan to begin decreases at the base of the big toe.
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