Basic sock construction

Socks are pretty simple really; basically a tube with one closed end and a bend in the middle. You can start at either end (toe-up or cuff-down), but my preference is for toe-up so you can try them on as you go along. This article on Knitty is a good start for understanding the construction, terminology and anatomy of a sock.

Provisional Cast Ons

Judy's Magic Cast On

My personal favourite provisional cast on for toe up socks is Judy's magic cast-on, which involves two circular needles but no faffing with unzipping waste yarn. You cast on over two needles, leave half the stitches hanging on the cable of one needle while you knit your short-row toe, and when you're done with the toe, just pick up the second needle and carry on knitting.

Knitted provisional cast on with waste yarn

Crochet chain cast on with waste yarn

Step by step tutorial here.

Turkish cast on

The Turkish cast on is similar to Judy's Magic Cast On in that it uses two circular needles (or one long one), but I find it more fiddly.

Magic loop knitting

Of course, you can knit your socks one at a time on 4 double pointed needles, but I prefer to make my socks two at a time using the magic loop method. It avoids having to count rows to make sure you make both your socks the same, and means that that feeling of satisfaction when you finish one sock isn't marred by having to start again on the second one :).

Here's a tutorial on magic loop:

And how to use magic loop method for two socks at once. It is possible to start two at a time from the cast on, but I find it much easier to cast on and knit each toe separately and start knitting both at once after that.

Short rows

A nice straightforward tutorial on short rows and the wrapping and turning methods.

Also very detailed but recommended: Techknitter on short row techniques.

Stretchy Cast Offs

A toe-up sock is cast off at the cuff; it needs a nice elastic cast off that will keep your sock up but not be tight and make the sock hard to put on. There are many different methods:

• Elizabeth Zimmermann's sewn bind Off
• Tubular cast off
• Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off
• Miraculous elastic cast off

My favourite is the Tubular (or Italian) cast off. It is tricky, but it makes a really neat edge where the ribbing looks like it rolls over the top of the sock.