Knit 2 Socks in 1 is a fun technique guide with tutorials and patterns for hand-knit socks 2 in one written by Safiyyah Talley. Due out 1st March 2022 from Storey, it's 152 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
I have been knitting for decades. In fact, my paternal grandmother taught me to knit back when circular needles were still relatively rare. When I learned to knit socks (and other small circumference knits in the round), my go-to technique involved double pointed "sock" needles. Not too many years ago, a colleague taught me magic loop and I started knitting 2 socks (or sleeves) at a time - because, as the author wisely points out, lots of people lose the impulse between knitting the first sock and finishing the second one. She jokes, but I actually have misplaced a sock and couldn't find it when I was finishing the second sock in the pair. I'm also really bad about buying yarn for a project and then misplacing the pattern before I get started.
This is a completely new-to-me and innovative technique which really could be a game changer for some knitters. The basic premise involves knitting one long tube, starting with the ribbing on sock one, using waste yarn to mark out the live stitches for an afterthought heel, continuing on for the foot, waste yarn carrier where the toe decreases are going to start on sock one.. continuing in the same order down the leg of sock two, marking waste yarn carrier for the heel on sock two, through the foot, and finishing the toe decreases of sock 2.
The basic techniques are easy to understand and the tutorials are accompanied by crisp, clear, color photos without any hands or other objects in the way of the camera. The author shows the technique on a wide variety of yarn types and in a bunch of different sizes, from baby socks to adult sized super thick slipper socks.
The introduction contains a good basic primer on yarn weight, tools, and supplies, but contains no tutorial for learning basic knitting, so absolute beginners will need to find a tutorial or knitting mentor to help out (I recommend knitting buddies, they're awesome). Throughout the text, she's included useful tables and charts to help readers DIY their own patterns and customize different details. In fact, she describes the process like one of those choose-your-own adventure books which I absolutely devoured at a frightening rate when I was a kid. It's a good analogy.
I enjoyed the chatty conversational writing and the encouraging "vibe" of the whole book. I don't want to overemphasize, but I also appreciated the fact that the author is a woman of color and representation is so important. She's a talented teacher, innovator, and designer as well, and that's probably more salient, but it's nice to see someone who doesn't necessarily look like me (middle aged white gal) bringing her perspective to the table. I'd love to take a class or workshop someday from Ms. Talley.
Four and a half stars. Most of the terms are in American English. There's a retailer list at the back of the book with links to suppliers, most in North America along with a short general knitting abbreviations chart.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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