We’re Done! Congratulations!

We’re Done! Congratulations!

Hurray! We're done with the knitalong!

I can't believe we've made it to the end of what ended up being a four-month project. Thank you for your patience and your intrepidity along the way, and thank you for all the photos and comments you have posted of your finished socks.

I've learned so much on this journey of ours, and I've heard from many of you in comments and emails that you have as well. It's so thrilling to hear you're happy to have learned to knit toe-up socks.

Where To Go From Here

KnitFreedom student Judy J. asked a really great question about what a good next step might be:

"So, my question is, I want to improve my knitting but don't want to go back to scarves. Should I do one of the patterns I have already done but just try to knit it better or go through your super knitter course or what?"
- Judi J.

It's fabulous if you want to take the skills you gained from the knitalong and build on them. And in answer to Judi's question, there are a few different options of projects you can launch into next.

Top-Down Socks

Now that you've mastered Toe-Up socks, you may want to try your hand at Top-Down Socks, which involve a whole new set of skills: the two-at-a-time top-down cast-on, picking up stitches, creating a heel flap, and binding off with Kitchener stitch.

You can also find Top-Down Socks as a part of our Knitting Superstar course. And they are, of course, included as part of our Premium Membership, which gives you unlimited access to our other classes and to our knitting experts for answers to all your knitting questions.

Find a Pattern on Ravelry

If, on the other hand, you can't handle the thought of more socks right now, you may want to spend some time looking through Ravelry to find a pattern that really excites you. You can then follow the pattern, use the Video Knitting Dictionary, and practice reading your work and fixing mistakes as you go.

Challenging yourself on a project that excites you is a sure way to improve.

Tree of Techniques

I've also written two blog posts that you can use as a roadmap to improve your knitting.

The "Tree of Techniques" is our way of visualizing your path as a knitter as you progress from beginner to advanced. Starting with simple scarves and dishcloths, you'll then knit hats and socks, before proceeding to custom sweaters, lace, moebius, color-knitting, and designing your own patterns.

Intermediate Knitting: From Basic Scarves to Beautiful Socks

Having completed the Toe-Up socks, you are beyond the point of being considered a beginner, so let's start by looking at the projects in the Intermediate portion of our Tree of Techniques. This is the sweet spot at the middle of the tree which I think is the key to becoming a knitting superstar.

Using this blog post as a guide, you could continue to expand your Magic Loop skills by trying a hat or a pair of mittens. Or you could branch out into new techniques like Continental Knitting or Cable Knitting.

Advanced Knitting: Start the Project of Your Dreams

If you are (or want to become) an advanced knitter, the Advanced portion of our Tree of Techniques provides a list of recommended projects to try and techniques to learn.

Everything is covered there, including felting, lace, sweaters, double-knitting, and knitting with unusual materials. These projects are what most KnitFreedom readers say that they would like to be able to knit within the next 1-3 years.

Share Your Success

If you've recently finished your Toe-Up socks and haven't shared photos, please come over to our Finished Socks knitalong post and share your successes with us. We would really love to see your socks!

How Was This Knitalong For You?

I would love to hear what worked for you and what didn't work, what you loved and what you didn't love. Please leave a comment below with anything you would like to share with me as I improve these knitalongs - I want to do more of them in the future, so I want to make sure I have a really great product for you.

Congratulations once again. I really loved doing this with you.