Thinking of knitting some socks? Why wait? Find a pattern and cast on stitches on your knitting needles. But, wait, you can even plan your design, it’s that simple. Cast on stitches is the foundation of any knitting project. You make the first row or round of stitches on the knitting needles. The number of cast on stitches depends on the project and pattern. There are various methods to cast the stitches. In this blog, we’ll take a look at the calculations of how many stitches to cast on for socks.
Before deciding on the number of cast on stitches, settle upon a knitting needle. Either choose double pointed knitting needles, preferably three to make the circumference and the extra one to knit with. The trick for neat cast on stitches on dpns is to cast all stitches on one needle and then divide them evenly on the number of needles. Or, you can use a circular needles of lengths ranging between 10" – 40". The choice of circular knitting needles are also extensive given the choice that either use a small circular needle (small in terms of length) preferable 10" or knit using a magic loop with a needle of 40" or even two circular needles. You can also start knitting on one needle and transfer to other needles according to your comfort.
So, let’s take a look at these points.
- For knitting socks, you would require anything between 35 to 60 stitches. Baby socks will require not more than 30 stitches while adults will need a 50+ stitch. So, the next time you get ready to cast on socks, decide upon the size of the socks. Is it for a baby or an adult? It could also be extra helpful if you can measure the ankles and the area of the gusset so that there is hardly scope of miscalculations.
- To knit socks that really fit it is important that you get the cast on stitches right. To get the number right, it’s always recommended to find out your own measurements by knitting a gauge swatch. Make a small square swatch of 10 X 10". This is a versatile method guaranteed to achieve the best results. You can also experiment much better with a swatch What if you decide to knit bulky socks with a very heavy yarn the next time, the number of the stitches to cast on will be vastly different than a sock-weight yarn.
- The number of stitches you need to cast on depends on the size of your knitting needle. For knitting socks the most popular options are US 2 (2.75mm) and US 3 (25mm). Most sock patterns using fingering weight yarns call for this size, but you could also go for a bigger or smaller size depending on the gauge swatch.
- Knitting tension also has a role to play when it is time to cast on stitches, especially for socks. Each knitter has a unique style. To cast on stitches it is best to cast with two needles (one big size & small size) for a stretchy edge.
No matter the knitting needle, the yarn, and no matter if it’s for a man or a woman, with the above points in mind you can easily calculate the number of stitches to cast on for socks.
