can all sock patterns be done with ML?

[m448]

I'm attempting silver's sock tutorial using ML and doing the toe up sock for my first attempt. Just one sock at a time though. I'd like to be able to knit more socks but will I run into a problem knitting along in ML while the pattern keeps referring to Needle #X and the # of stitches on each?

Also, what book would you recommend for a total sock newbie? I'm still in the figuring out stages and just realized my sock is knitting inside out.

[redwitch]

First, knitting your sock inside out is fine, I sometimes do this deliberately in stranded colourwork to keep my tension good at the corners. If this bothers you just turn the sock inside out by pushing the other end through the middle of the needles, you will now need to hold them with the working needles on the side closest to you. Imagine the sock is a glass of water, you know how you drink from the edge closest to you? That's the edge you knit on to make the sock right side out. Your sock will not suffer for doing it the other way, although sometimes you may need to do something that's easier with it right way out. In that case you could still knit it inside out and just turn it right way round whenever you want to.

In most sock patterns there are two basic facets: the top/front/instep of the sock, and the back/heel side. You can have 2 circs with half each, or each half of the ML circular can have one half of the sock. Or you can knit it on 5 DPNs total, one empty DPN, and two for the front, two for the back.

Or you can use 4 DPNs total, one empty and the others having a third of the sock stitches each. Or one empty, one has half the sock on it - the back half - and the other two each have a quarter of the stitches.

These ways are how most patterns will describe your stitch placement. Actually, you can put any number of the stitches on any of 3 or 4 needles, as long as you remember which stitch is the start of the round.

If you have a highly-patterned stitch on the foot/leg, the pattern may call for changing start of round positions, and sometimes this will specifically require rearranging stitches on the needles if you have changed it from a DPN pattern to ML/2 circs.

Others move stitches back and forth between DPNs frequently. Any of these should not present problems.

For an unpatterned sock, or a basic ribbed sock, you shouldn't even need to bother thinking about rearranging. If you are looking at a tute for 2 circs, ML should substitute with no modifications required. Check out the videos here to show knitting in the round to make the sock right side out, or the 2 circ/ML methods. There are good tutes online showing how to do socks in ML also.

For your particular case, I suggest marking one side of the sock in some way: like put a safety pin into the fabric, and call that side needle# 1. The one without the marker is side 2/needle2. Think of that when you are following instructions mentioning a specific needle. If you've done some already, you must be getting the idea of how the circ interacts with the different sides.

Until you reach the heel, the two sides should be the same: unless you have ribbing on the top of the foot and plain stocking stitch on the sole. If this is the case, you will be working the heel on the stocking stitch half, not the ribbed half.

You should be able to find enough tutes online to explain socks well, I'm in NZ and don't have easy access to all those knitting books! But I hear good things about Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. But please do try Googling for sock patterns and tutorials, there are dozens at least!

Sarah