Loom Knitting Socks: A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting Socks on a Loom with Over 50 Fun Projects (No-Needle Knits)

Loom Knitting Socks can be easy and fun. But for me, well I’m not a fan. So when I was looking for my very first loom knitting book review choice and I saw this book among the listing my first thought was – ah NO. Then I remembered that this book had a pattern for the Trellis stitch and that was the game changer. I bought the book.

I have to start by coming clean and admit that I now use this book  A LOT and I mean a lot but not just for socks. This 144 page resource by Isela Phelps is a treasure trove of beautiful loom knitting stitches. Complete with easy on the eyes stitch charts. I LOVE stitch charts – big time.

I’m happy I bought the book. There are some pros and some cons. But the cons are microscopic and for some people not even that.

A Beginner’s Guide: Really- is it Really?

Yes, it is. That is the short answer. Now the long version….

First, don’t be insulted by the picture on the left. You’re not a dummy.You are loved by me because you are a loom knitter and you read my blog. That means you’re smart. This is just a cute and funny cover for a series of technical books. However, the term does apply to some people, sorry. Here is an example of what I mean…

I have read a lot of reviews about this book. Most of them on Amazon. One that actually made me mad.  She claimed that the big problem was that the name of the book is misleading, because it is not a beginners book. The person who wrote this also lets us know that she never even owned the book. She came to her conclusion based on other people’s review. What can I say? If you break done the word, RE-VIEW you will find the word VIEW. The means that the first requirement is to view the product so that you can later re-view.  I believe there lays the problem for most readers, even those that own the book. The haven’t Viewed the book completely. It has 144 pages with over 50 patterns. The pictures are beautiful and they immediately draw you to the patterns. Many are very complex.

This is not a beginners book because there are complex patterns included? Well, no. If you skip the first three very detailed and nicely illustrated instructional sections of the book and jump right to the really pretty and complex patterns you will be a discouraged beginner and give up loom knitting socks before you started. There is a strategic placement of awesome beginners information and projects and it should be followed in the order the author suggest. You will get the most out of this resource if you do it that way. Learn the Rib Stitch before learning the Shell Stitch. Start at the Beginning of the book if you are a Beginner. And, it’s OK to take a virtual ride to YouTube for some visual instructions.

 

The Patterns – 5 Stars – Don’t Judge by Cover

This is by far my A number 1 reason for my love of this book. The cover does not do the content justice. Not a bit. It gives you the impression that what’s inside is Plain Jane and run of the mill. They look like the free patterns that you can get on-line. Far from the truth.

I wish I could scan the pictures of all my favorite socks and include them on this post for you but I’m not sure that the copyright laws would allow me to do that.  Let me just say that the Lace Socks which start on page 102 are my favorites. The Garden socks on page 104 are gorgeous and Dido for the shell socks on page 110. Both are a great patterns for shawls and sweaters and for my favorite project, hats.

The range of not just patterns but also styles of socks is impressive. Hello, over 50 patterns ! So did you know there were specialty socks for yoga and pedicures. Socklets are worn only on the ball of your feet. How about that for sock trivia. These are not your mothers socks. You can really get funky loom knitting socks with this guide.

Slowing things down a bit, please note that if you want to stay conservative she does have Dress socks for Sundays and weddings.

 

The Loom for Loom Knitting Socks

Don’t freak-out but if your plan is to make the socks , make them correctly and you don’t have a sock loom the bad or maybe good news is that you will need to go shopping. Your small 24-peg Knifty Knitter, Boye, or Darice loom,  will not work with most of these patterns.

The gauge needs to be small. That means you need a lot of pegs on the loom. The one used for the socks in the book was a 64-peg extra fine loom. I researched the Wonder loom with no luck. Any sock loom should work fine. I believe the authors current loom of choice is the KB Authentic Knitting loom – please do not quote me.

Boye Sock Loom Option

Boye does have a sock loom. Among the list of available sock looms this seems to be your most inexpensive option. In some cases it can be as much as 50% or even 75% cheaper.

I have not tried this loom and can’t tell anything about it other than it’s selling right now between $11- $16 bucks on Amazon. I will be ordering this loom online because I have not seen it available in any of my local craft stores, Walmart or Target and it’s so cheap on-line right now that it’s not worth the gas to keep hunting it down.

More Projects You can Make with the Sock Loom

Investing in the loom is not all down hill.

There are many other things you can make with a sock loom other than socks. You could try gloves, mittens, scarves and teddy bears.

I found a listing for this book. Sock Loom Projects. Looks like part two of the Loom Knitting Socks book to me.

I can’t comment on this book because I don’t own it. Just wanted to give you a second option.

 

The Stitch Chart

Let’s talk about one very important element included in this book, the stitch chart. For a visual learner or anyone with even a mild attention disorder who is looking at flat monochromatic listing of words, the stitch chart is a beautiful thing.

Maybe I speak only for myself but I can’t speak enough about it. I instantly capture the concept and many times leave the written words and resort only to the chart.These little knitting road maps can be found with every intricate pattern. You won’t find them for basic stitches like say a rib stitch.

Instructions on how to read the chart is on page 7 of the book.  Read this because there is a difference in using it for flat knitting as oppose to circular knitting. If you are like me you will be using these patterns both ways.

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Conclusion: Loom Knitting with Socks – Book Review

Your question must be why not 5 Stars. Well my issue being that I wish there were more at least mostly easy to do sock patterns for beginners. People who are loom knitting socks for the very first time and want to practice on a lot of different but easy projects. I would say that most of the 50 projects are from intermediate to difficult. Please understand me correctly. I do think this is a great loom knitting socks book for beginners book. The introduction alone confirms the title. But it would have serviced the reader better by including more of the easy patterns.

Other than that, in the words of my little friend from my Operation Christmas Child group, “This Book is Banging ! ! ! ” and for those that don’t understand I will tell you in my words that This is an AWESOME book with great resources that is worth every penny.

 

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