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Stocked in the corner of your wardrobe, socks need a lot of attention. Learn how to make socks at home.
Socks are the essential clothing items that deserve a lot of attention. They are a fundamental part of your closet that gives you the utmost comfort and style. Like other clothing items, socks also come in different sizes, patterns, and fabrics for men and women.
The basic purpose of socks is to keep your feet warm and comfortable. The socks’ patterns are like the icing on the cake.
When you go to a store to buy socks, you often look for the style and comfort level. The size, pattern, and fabric may not be suitable for you. Sometimes you don’t get satisfaction from the ready-made socks.
If you don’t want to spend dollars on buying these small clothing items, then this article is for you.
In this article, we will help you learn how to make socks at home using sewing machines and knitting methods.
Ready to embark on your journey of sewing socks? Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
How to Make Socks: 4 Essential Tips
As per the National sleep foundation, wearing socks while sleeping ensures quality sleep.
Socks are essential for keeping your feet warm. They are the types of clothes that everyone will have in their closet. Learning how to make socks becomes easy when you have some hand tips.
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The following top four tips will help you make functional and stylish socks at home.
Use a Stretchy Fabric
When you learn to sew socks at home, make sure you choose a stretchable fabric. This fabric makes sure that your socks stay in place while sewing and fit your foot.
Image Source: Jingsourcing
The ideal stretch fabric will be stretchable in both horizontal and vertical directions. It gives plenty of room for your toes.
If you are an intermediate sewist, you can start learning how to sew socks in a DIY project with knit, nylon, and cotton-polyester blended fabric.
Consider Upcycling
Learning how to make socks at home gives you many opportunities to experiment with the sock fabric. The best thing about making socks at home is that it doesn’t require much fabric.
Upcycling clothes and turning them into functional, stylish socks is one of the best ways to sew socks. You can use your old t-shirt or sweater and repurpose them into beautiful socks.
Use Your Creativity and DIY Your Pattern
If you love your old socks and don’t want to throw them away, you can use your creativity and make an amazing pattern.
You can choose knit fabric and trace it to socks. Keep half an inch for seam allowance and use various embellishments to make an amazing pattern.
Image Source: Thirdman On Pexels
Don’t forget that making socks at home is all about making something out-of-the-box. It’s your DIY project, so don’t let the opportunity waste.
Want to give your handmade socks a professional boost? Head to Superlabel Store and place your order for super customizable and high quality,
Play Around Your Seams
There are different ways you can use seams on different types of socks. You can create side seams on the socks and change the entire look of your socks.
Make sure you experiment with the seam position before settling for it in one place.
How to Make a Pair Of Socks Using The Fabric
Learning how to make a pair of socks at home allows you to design the pattern of your own socks. You can experiment with your taste and make functional yet unique socks at home.
There are two basic ways to make socks at home:
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- How to make socks using fabric
- How to knit socks
In this section, we will help you make an amazing pair of socks using different types of fabric. Follow these steps.
Image Source: Sock Republic
Materials You’ll Need
The following are the sewing kit essentials you will need to begin how to make a pair of socks:
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- Rotary Cutter
- Snips
- Scissor
- Paper
- Pencil
- Fabric Marker
- Sewing Thread
- The fabric of your choice
Choose the Best Fabric
When learning how to make cotton socks at home, the first thing you need to do is to choose the right fabric.
There are many fabric types available in the market, but choosing the right fabric for socks will decide the success of your DIY project.
Image Source: Into Into Blog
Here’s a chart that will help you choose the right sock fabric as per needs and occasion.
| Need | Best Sock Fabric | Worst Sock fabric |
| Durability | Cotton, Spandex, Nylon, Bamboo, Polyester, Polypropylene | Cashmere |
| Comfort and Cushioning | Wool, Cashmere, cotton, Merino, Bamboo | – |
| Compression | Polypropylene, Spandex, Polyester | Wool, Cashmere |
| Sweat and wick moisture | Polypropylene, Polyester, Cotton |
Wool, Polyester, Cashmere, (other), Nylon |
| Lightweight | Nylon, Cotton, Bamboo | Wool |
| Warmth | Cotton, Wool, Cashmere, Merino | – |
Types of fabric for making socks as per the occasion
| Occasion | Best Fabric | Worst Fabric |
| Work | Bamboo, Polyester, Cotton | – |
| Lounging | Cotton, Cashmere, Wool | Nylon, Spandex |
| Formal | Cotton, Nylon, Spandex, Bamboo, | – |
| Winter | Wool, Cashmere, Cotton | Polypropylene, Bamboo |
| Summer | Polyester, Bamboo | Cashmere, Wool |
| Sports and athletic | Bamboo, Cotton, Nylon, Spandex, Polyester | Cashmere, Wool |
| Hiking and outdoor | Merino, Bamboo, Wool, Polypropylene | Cashmere, Polyester |
Make the Pattern
Once you have picked your desired fabric, you can proceed with preparing a pattern for socks. Put those socks on the fabric and trace them around the edges of the socks.
Image Source: The Spruce
Make sure you trace the edges by keeping at least half an inch. This will ensure that your socks fit you right. Find your old socks and use them as socks sewing pattern templates.
Cut Out the Fabric
Grab your rotary cutter and cut out your sock’s fabric. Now lay out the pattern on your fabric. Make sure you double-check the grain lines before cutting the fabric. In the end, you will have two separate pieces of socks.
Mark the Notches
At this stage of how to make cotton socks, you need to grab fabric chalk and start marking the notches.
Image Source: Doina Alexei
Make sure you mark the notches on both sides. This will help you while sewing the socks.
Choose Sewing Machine
You can use an overlocker or serger machine to sew socks at home. These machines will help you make professional-looking socks from scratch.
Image Source: Annie Spratt On Unsplash
Place your fabric on the sewing machine and line up the small notches. Start sewing the fabric pieces together. Next, you need to start sewing from the top edge and sew around the entire socks.
Sew the Top Band
Till this stage, you will be halfway sewing the socks. Now take your top band and fold it in half size with the right sides together.
Take the tube and start folding it on the wrong sides so that you get the right sides on the front side. Now you need to attach the band to the sock by lining up the side seams.
Sew all the layers together and line up all your layers as you stitch around the edges of the socks. Don’t forget to repeat the same process for the other sock.
Voila! Your Socks Are Ready!
Here are your beautiful handmade socks that you made by yourself. Isn’t it amazing?
This DIY socks sewing pattern is easy to sew and takes less time to complete. You can wear these DIY socks anywhere.
Image Source: Cottonbro On Pexels
If you want, you can grow your small business by starting a clothing line. Don’t know how to start? Read our comprehensive guide on how to make a clothing line.
How to Make Homemade Socks: 8 Knitting Socks Patterns
Before we proceed on how to make knit socks, it’s essential to get an idea of different socks’ knitting patterns. This will help you decide which socks knitting pattern you can choose as per your knitting skills.
Image Source: Blue Corduroy
Check out top socks knitting patterns to start your journey on how to make homemade socks.
Free Basic Socks Knitting Pattern
If you have never tried your hands-on knitting socks, it can be challenging. This amazing and simple knit socks pattern offered by Winwick Mum is perfect for beginners.
It includes step-by-step instructions, and the information is written in short circulars while covering everything from choosing the right yarn to needles.
Ribbed Sock Knitting Pattern
Want to know how to make non-slip socks? Choose Glenna C’s amazing ribbed sock knitting pattern.
Image Source: Nimble Needles
It features a cuff-down, 3 x 1 ribbed pattern with gussets, and a flap heel. You can decrease or increase the cast-on stitches by multiplying them by four and accommodating them as per your size.
City Rollers Socks Knitting Pattern
Our rundown on how to make homemade socks knitting patterns is incomplete without mentioning Mara Catherine Bryner’s great city rollers socks pattern.
The best thing about this pattern is that the socks are knitted from the top down and have a traditional heel flap. If you are a beginner sock knitter, then you should choose this pattern.
Vanilla Latte Socks Knitting Pattern
Want to knit socks while watching your favorite TV show? Choose this amazing Vanilla socks knitting pattern by Meaghan Schmaltz.
If you know how to make clothes, then you can complete this pattern in less time.
Hiking Socks Knitting Pattern
To make hiking knitting socks, you will need to know how to make sock yarn like fingering weight yarn.
This is another free sock knitting pattern designed by Kerin Dimeler Laurence. This pattern allows you to apply new techniques and colorwork to add more structure.
Mekong Socks
Are you bored of knitting those traditional socks? Check these modern socks knitting patterns offered by Sys Fredens for Hobby. It features rib stitch, stockinette stitch, and moss stitch.
Swell
Margaux Hufnagel for Berroco offers a striking, cozy, colorful, and cute socks knitting pattern. This pattern features a mosaic color change technique, so there will be no color change in the middle.
Image Source: Berroco
Success Shorties
Want to knit short socks? This adorable short socks knitting pattern was designed by The Graceful Tangle.
It is a beginner-level and simple knitting socks knitting pattern, so you will feel comfortable while knitting this pattern.
Instructions on How to Make Knit Socks
Whether you are new to knitting or an experienced knitter, you will love to learn how to make knit socks at home.
Image Source: La Magie du Fil
If you have little experience, you can use a pair of straight needles to make knit socks. If you are experienced, then you can use a pair of circular knitting needles.
In this section, you will learn how to make knit socks at home with minimum supply and basic patterns.
Ready to make knit socks?
What You’ll Need
The following are a couple of things you will need to begin how to make knit socks tutorial.
-
- Double pointed needles
- Stitch Markers
- Fingering weight yarn
- Tapestry needle
- Notebook and pen
- Ruler or tape measure
Measure the Circumference
The first step of how to make knit socks is to take accurate measurements. Use a sewing tape measure and wrap it in the middle of the foot.
Image Source: Nimble Needles
If your foot size is 12 inches, then the equation will be 12 x 4 = 48. This equation will help you get the right size.
Here’s a quick overview of women’s socks knitting measurement:
| Shoe size (US) | Foot length (inch) | Estimated foot circumference (inch) |
| 4 | 8 1⁄3 | 8 1⁄3 |
| 5 | 8 2⁄3 | 8 1⁄2 |
| 6 | 9 | 8 2⁄3 |
| 7 | 9 1⁄3 | 9 |
| 8 | 9 2⁄3 | 9 |
| 9 | 10 | 9 1⁄2 |
| 10 | 10 1⁄3 | 9 2⁄3 |
| 11 | 10 2⁄3 | 10 |
| 12 | 11 | 10 1⁄3 |
Men’s Socks Knitting Measurement
| Shoe size (US) | Foot length (inch) | Estimated foot circumference (inch) |
| 6 | 9 1⁄3 | 9 |
| 7 | 9 2⁄3 | 9 |
| 8 | 10 | 9 1⁄2 |
| 9 | 10 1⁄3 | 9 2⁄3 |
| 10 | 10 2⁄3 | 10 |
| 11 | 11 | 10 1⁄3 |
| 12 | 11 1⁄3 | 10 1⁄2 |
| 13 | 11 2⁄3 | 10 2⁄3 |
| 14 | 12 | 11 |
| 15 | 12 1⁄2 | 11 |
Cast Stitches on the Needles
Use the number like 48, which you get in the above step, and cast stitches on your socks. You will need to cast at least 48 stitches onto your needles.
Knit Until You Reach Your Desired Length
To knit socks, you can use any of your favorite stitches. Just in case you want knee-length socks, then you will need to make them extra long.
Continue knitting until you reach your desired socks length.
Tip: The female shin-length socks are 20 inches long, and the male socks are 27 inches long.
Decrease the Stitches to Create the Toe Flap
You need to knit two stitches together in order to decrease the number of stitches. Decrease two stitches for each row to five rows and create a diagonal line on the sock.
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By decreasing the number of stitches, you can narrow down the end of your sock to make it fit your toes.
Sew the Seam
Thread 25 stitches through a needle and knot it at one end. Pull out the wool through the top stitch and pull it through the top stitch on the sock’s left seam.
Keep joining the seam by threading the wool down the entire seam. Make sure you pick the same color wool as your sock so that it blends with ease.
Secure the Seams
Start tying the knot on the end of the wool and secure it so that they don’t come out.
Tip: Tie the knot from the inside of the sock so that it won’t be visible from the outer side of the sock.
Image Source: Knitting In Flashes
This will help your handmade knitted socks look professional.
With this last stage, you have just completed knitting the socks. Voila! Your knitted socks are ready to wear in the winter season. They will keep your feet warm and help you look stylish.
Conclusion
Investing time and effort in making something that keeps your feet healthy and happy is the best investment you will ever make.
Socks are not just a fancy accessory, but they serve many practical purposes. We all have different bodies and skin, so why go for a single socks pattern.
Avoid buying socks from ready-made stores and start learning how to make socks from scratch at home.
The above information will help you sew socks at home. You can use your creativity and add a personalized touch to your handmade socks.
Don’t forget to order labels from Superlabel Store to boost the professionalism of your handmade clothing items.
Happy sewing!
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