Think Outside the Sox: 60+ Winning Designs from the Knitter's Magazine Contest

When Knitters Magazine publishes a new book it's usually time to celebrate, and this is no exception. 'Knitting Outside the Sox' is a great resource for sock knitters with a wide array of wonderful patterns for just about everyone.The first chapter is called 'Classic' and there is a wide array of classic socks with a smidgeon of change - think colors, zippers, length.The second chapter is called 'Holes'. Here we have lace and cable socks. One pair even has buttons on them. My favorites are Hester's Socks, a beautiful lace pair knit in handspun 3-ply Shetland. I also love the Wandering Vine Socks knit with Mountain colors. This pattern is lace but looks very much like traditional aran cable with a vine pattern.The third chapter is called Twist. Here come the cables. They are exquisite. The Interlochen Cables knit with Zitron Trekking XXL are colorful and practical. The Twisted Mosaic is colorful, knit with Regia 4-fadig Mosaik and is definitely for the advanced knitter.Chapter four is called Color. All I can say is WOW! The Drip Candles Socks are bright and cheery, knit with Cherry Tree Hill/Louet Gems Fingering. The Mirrored Fair Isle is photographed in a pair of high heel shoes. Just right for a night on the town. Snow Under Cedars is knit with Zitron Trekking XXL and is a classic Norwegian pattern, lovely to look at in black and white. Jungle Socks look to me like a colored panel window. They are knit with Zitron Pro Natura and are exquisite. The brightest pair in this chapter is the Fancy Gaiter, knit with Cherry Tree Supersock. You might want to put your sun glasses on to look at these.Chapter five is called Outside. I believe that the chapter takes its name for being outside the beaten track. These socks are all different and don't fit into one category. Hexagons can be knit in the colors of your choice and are a series of hexagons of different colors knit with Regia Design Line by Kaffe Fassett. You know that they're colorful when you see Fassett's name attached to the pattern. Spiral socks are fantastic. They are knit with Plymouth Boku and are a series of spiral stripes in different colors. Most of the socks in this chapter are very colorful.At the end of the book is a gallery of winners of Knitters sock contest. My favorite are the Dreadsox. They look like a series of dreadlocks on top of socks. How clever can you get! There is a short technique section at the end of the book.I think that only advanced intermediate or experienced sock makers will appreciate this book. Even the easiest patterns call for some tough thinking. The book is beautiful to look at and has many wonderful patterns to knit. Without reservations, I rate it a '5'.

There are over 60 unique patterns in here. The pic I added is just one and the one on the cover is another. I just love this book. It’s just great to look at over and over again. I’ll be busy with these patterns especially when it’s hot outside. I’ll be taking it in the car with me on trips.

Knitter's Magazine held a sock contest, and received close to 300 entries. From these entries, they've selected over 50 patterns (the exact number is hard to count, since some patterns have two or more variations)that comprise the heart of this book. The patterns are loosely grouped by general categories, such as "Classic" (more traditional styles), "Holes" (mainly lace and eyelets), "Twists" (cables and twisted stitches), "Color" plays with color (including fair isle and other stranded socks, use of multicolored yarns, entrelac, mosaic stitch, even intarsia), and "Outside" features socks that are less traditional and more innovative (knit in unusual directions rather than cuff to toe, hexagonal and other modular knitting, spiral patterns, and so on). The depth and breadth of the selection is wonderful. Not all socks are winners, but that's par for the course in any pattern book; the reader naturally likes some patterns and is likely to be unimpressed with a few as well. This is not a book for the new knitter or even the new sock knitter unless you are, truly, fearless: the vast majority of these patterns include stitch patterns, chart reading, complex methods of construction and other challenges that are likely to intimidate a nervous or brand-new knitter. (And there are no "how to knit" or "how to knit a sock" instruction sections.) But for the intermediate to experienced sock knitter, looking for a way to use up some of that sock yarn stash, or get rid of the sock knitting blahs, this book is full of interesting, creative and complex patterns to enjoy.

I hate that I had to buy the whole book just to get one pattern, but I guess it was worth it. I wanted to know how to do the heel on the entrelac socks and the book unlocked the secret.

I keep thumbing through this book wanting to make ALL the socks, even though I have picked out my first project from it (Lonely Socks Club, which features 2 techniques Ive been longing to try).Socks are a cute and fast project in which to experiment with new techniques, or to refine older ones, and this book with 60 patterns of various techniques and in various skill levels does not disappoint. I'd love to knit them all!It's not a book for rank beginners, but if you have some knitting chops- and are willing to rip out when you mess up- these are exciting designs.

I chose this book because I needed some new ideas for a sock challenge for a knitting class. I was so very pleasantly surprised when it arrived. The featured socks were the 'winners' in a sock contest and it is clear why they won. What telented and clever designers they all are.The patterns range in difficulty levels from beginner to experienced, some of the designers spun and dyed or painted their own yarn to make socks - but you won't have to because the instructions for using commercial yarns are there too. There are socks for adults and children (fun socks), different sock structures are shown (knit flat then folded in half) and the photography is so beautiful it alone will inspire you.If you want to 'up your sock game' and go beyond the basics, you would enjoy this book.

I was very impressed when this book arrived as it was more substantial than I thought it would be. It is packed full of wonderful sock patterns, each with colour photos. My only slight concern is that a lot of the socks look very complicated, although they are all rated according to difficulty.There is a very useful glossary of knitting techniques at the end. Overall a fabulous book and I shall spend many happy hours browsing it, and hopefully pluck up the courage to make the ones on the cover, which I simply adore.

Fabulous book. I'm new to knitting socks although I've been knitting for over 30 years. It's got loads of other useful detailed information and the patterns could easily be adapted for other garments as the charts are very clear. I like that each sock pattern is photographed beautifully and the wool they have used is also listed. A great purchase.

A nice colourful book, with a lot of different sock patterns in. Some are most unusual, but the indtructions could be a bvit better. I wanted this for one particular pattern the woven effect sox but I struggle to see how the heel was turned (and I am no beginner to knitting). There are some really lovely designs and I will aim to turn them into toe up sox where they are not.

This book is excellent value for money. I will knit a good proportion of the socks in the book. There is a wide range of skills and techniques to work through at all levels of abilities and new things to learn, however I find some of the information is not well explained and could have been better laid out for ease of access to it.

Bought this book for the hexagon socks. It's a brilliant book with lots of nice patterns, some beginner and some advanced. Have knit 3 of the 60 patterns so far.