Unboxing Socks

As a teacher, there is nothing more exciting and rewarding to me than that moment when a student grasps a new skill or concept.

With my kids and homeschooling, the most spectacular of those moments was when we’d both realize that they were truly reading fluently. But there were other similar moments, like when they suddenly consistently started associating me with the word “Mama” or when one realized they were fully able to prepare a complete meal from start to finish.

When you have the privilege of witnessing a person transition from no knowledge or capability to complete fluency or competency, you know you’ve seen something wonderful. You almost expect bells to ring. Anne Shirley would probably call it a holy moment.

It’s a moment I’ve been thrilled to experience with many knitters and crocheters, too, as they’ve learned the basics of a new craft or progressed to more advanced skills. It never gets old or boring.

I love teaching people how to knit socks. Handknit socks are fabulous for so many reasons, but gaining the knowledge and confidence to make them yourself is awesome. Sock patterns are packed with techniques that are used in all kinds of other patterns. If you can knit socks, you have an excellent collection of tools in your toolbox to use in tackling any other pattern out there.

That’s a bit of a double-edged sword. For a beginning knitter, that pile of techniques can be intimidating. That’s why I wrote the free Boxing Day Socks pattern.

This is my simple sock recipe, thoroughly over-explained and accompanied by pictures and links to free, ad-free videos.

It’s more than a pattern. It’s also a description of how the sock is being constructed and how each element relates to the whole. It goes into definitions of basic stitch instructions. It explains the “why” along with the “what next.” For an experienced sock knitter, it has way too much information. Frankly, they might find it annoying.

But the experienced sock knitter doesn’t need this pattern. That person could probably construct the same one in their head or make use of the 3,001 other published patterns that would produce roughly the same sock with instructions containing a lot fewer words.

This free pattern is specifically for the knitter who would really like to knit socks but isn’t sure they can. Or is intimidated or confused by typical commercial sock patterns. Or needs just a little extra help, either verbally, or with the included pictures or video links.

I would love for this pattern to help any knitter achieve that “holy moment” when they realize they can knit a sock. When they see what they’ve accomplished and can almost hear the bells ring.

Maybe you’re like me and enjoy helping other knitters gain new skills in their knitting journeys. The Boxing Day Socks pattern might be a helpful tool for you to use as you help your friends along.

You can read about the sweet story behind these socks in the article here.

You can also access the free Boxing Day Socks pattern on Ravelry here.

Finally, here’s a little graphic I included in the pattern to help with the Kitchener Stitch. When I was a beginning sock knitter, I had an extremely tattered piece of paper in my knitting bag with Kitchener instructions printed on it. It took a long while before I had it memorized, and I too often got confused. If I’d had the capability then, I’d have Pinned it or saved it in my phone photos.

Maybe it will help you or a knitter you know.

Wouldn’t you like to cast on a sock today?

Happy knitting!

Kiersten J