How to Make a Sock Knitting Loom

Make socks of every kind for you and your family with a homemade sock loom.

Handmade socks can be crocheted, knit on needles or on a loom. Loom knitting requires a shorter learning curve and less strain on your hands than needle knitting. There's no need to scout out the latest gadgets at the craft store to get started, you can make your own sock loom at home. With a few supplies, a basic understanding of gauge, and a little time invested, you will soon be making socks for every member of your family.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Pen or pencil capable of leaving marks on ring material
• Ring
• Hammer or rubber band and tape
• Finishing nails, brads or other small, similarly-sized pegs

Instructions

1. 

   Even the center spool of a roll of tape can serve as a handy sock loom.

   Find or make a ring to use for the base of the loom. The ring can be anything from a jigsawed wooden circle to cardboard packing tube, a small needlepoint hoop, or the spool from the center of a tape roll. The size of the sock you can make depends on the size of the ring, as it will determine how many pegs can be affixed. The type of material the ring is made of will affect the durability of your loom.

2. 

   Brads make good pegs for knitting looms because they have very small heads and are easy to find around the house.

   Measure peg placement on the top edge of the ring base with your measuring tape. Placement will have an important effect on your finished project. The gauge of your sock will be determined by the number of pegs (nails) you attach around the inside edge of your ring and the type of yarn you use. More pegs will create larger sized socks. According to online resource Loom Knitting Help, an average size has approximately 68 pegs spaced about 1/8 inch apart. Mark the placement of each peg with a pencil as you measure around the circumference of the ring.

3. 

   Attach your pegs to the ring using the most appropriate method for the types of materials you are working with.

   Secure the pegs to the ring perpendicular to the center opening with a hammer or duct tape. If your ring is wood, hammer the nails into the top of the ring. For plastic or cardboard materials, you can use rubber bands to hold the nails in place while you tape the nails more securely to the outside of the ring. Your work will hang through the center of the ring, so be sure to eliminate as many snags as you can. If using tape, be sure to put a layer of tape around the bottom of the nails to avoid sticking yourself as you work.

4. 

   Create a small sample of knitting so that you have a good idea of how large or small your finished project will be.

   Test your loom by knitting several rows. Go ahead and try it out. Loom knit a small swatch of material to test that your pegs are secure and to discover how large or small your work will come out. Make any necessary adjustments.

Tips & Warnings

• If you plan on making many pairs of socks, you will want to gravitate toward something made of wood or durable plastic.

• For best results, make sure the pegs (brads) are stable.

References

• Loom Knitting Help: Socks and Slippers
• DaLooms: Sock Knitters