Materials Needed

Materials Needed

Knitting Needles

You'll need a 47-inch-long circular needle in the size generally appropriate to the yarn you choose for the project. Thicker yarns call for bigger needles, thinner yarns use smaller needles. In the previous lesson we recommended worsted yarn for your first socks, but you can knit the socks in any weight of yarn, from fingering to super-bulky.

The exact needle size you choose will depend on how tight or loose you knit. You'll find this out by knitting a gauge swatch and measuring your gauge (the number of stitches you see in one inch). We'll show you how to do this in the next lesson. Here are some general recommendations:

• Fingering-Weight Yarn: US Size 2 (2.75 mm) - Gauge: 7 sts/in
• Worsted-Weight Yarn: US Size 7 (4.5 mm) - Gauge: 5-5.5 sts/in
• Aran-Weight Yarn: US Size 8 (5.0 mm) - Gauge: 4.5 sts/in
• Bulky-Weight Yarn: US Size 10 (6.0 mm) - Gauge: 3.5 sts/in
• Super-Bulky-Weight Yarn: US Size 13 (9.0 mm) - Gauge: 2.5 sts/in

As mentioned in Lesson 2, you can also knit the socks in ANY gauge and ANY weight of yarn by following our generic Fleegle-heel pattern.

As for needle brands, Addi Turbo is my favorite brand, but you can use Addi Rockets or Lace, Knit Picks, ChiaGoo, or any other circular needles you enjoy using. I would avoid the birch or bamboo needles with the plastic cable that you find at big-box craft stores.

Knitalong members can get a discount on yarn and needles at Imagiknit - details below.

Yarn - What Kind and How Much

You will almost certainly want to choose a washable wool yarn unless you are okay with hand-washing your socks. I prefer wool yarn or wool-and-nylon sock yarn to yarn that contains acrylic. Merino wool is a great choice. Stay away from cotton, bamboo, and silk yarns for your first socks.

How much yarn you need will depend on the weight of yarn and size of the socks.

Recommended Yardage:

• Fingering-Weight Yarn: 340-420 yards (310-385 m). The longer length is for knee socks.
• Aran-Weight Yarn: 180 yards (165 m)
• Worsted-Weight Yarn: 220 yards (200 m)
• Bulky-Weight Yarn: 120 yards (110 m)
• Super-Bulky-Weight Yarn: 90 yards (83 m)

Get Your Yarn and Needles Easily with a Discount

Imagiknit has prepared yarn-and-needle kits to help support you in this project. Your 15% off discount code is KFSOCKKAL2022.

Your discount code applies to all colors of Malabrigo Sock yarn, Cascade 220 Superwash Merino Worsted and Cascade Superwash Merino Aran yarn, and all sizes of Addi Turbo and Lace circular needles.

Fingering-Weight Kit:

• 47-inch Addi Turbos Size 2
• 1 skein Malabrigo Sock yarn divided into 2 equal balls

Aran-Weight Kit:

• 47-inch circular needles US Size 8
• 2 skeins Cascade 220 Superwash Merino Aran yarn

Worsted-Weight Kit:

• 47-inch circular needles US Size 7
• 1 skein Cascade 220 Superwash Merino Worsted yarn divided into 2 equal balls

You can call Imagiknit at (416) 621-6642 if you have any questions about their yarns and supplies or issues with the discount code.

If they sell out of yarn and/or needles because of this knitalong, I'll let you know so you can look elsewhere or wait a few days for them to restock.

Once you buy your yarn and have in hand the circular needles you think are the right size, we'll do a gauge swatch to check your gauge.

Post Your Questions in the Comments

Leave a comment below if you have a question about buying your materials or anything else in the knitalong.