Sock yarn

Dear users, dear authors,
sock yarn is, of course, a recurring topic in the world of handicrafts.
So it would be great if we could briefly explain here—for newcomers and anyone looking for information—exactly what sock yarn is and what else you can do with it besides knitting socks.
What are your experiences with sock yarn?


This thread is for information and discussion only—no advertising. Thank you for your understanding.

Sock yarn is particularly durable. It’s usually made of 75% virgin wool and 25% polyamide.
It comes in various weights. 4-ply sock yarn for size 2.5 needles is the classic sock yarn.
There’s also 6-ply and 8-ply sock yarn for needle sizes 3 to 5.
Many people also knit sweaters with this yarn because it’s very low-maintenance and usually has beautiful color gradients.
I really like using 6-ply or 8-ply sock yarn for jackets, ponchos, shawls, or even baby clothes.

Mod.Edit
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First and foremost, sock yarn is of course intended for knitting and crocheting socks. 
In most cases, its composition is 75% virgin wool and 25% polyamide.
It comes in various weights: the classic 4-ply, but also 6- or 8-ply. This refers to the twisted strands.

But sock yarn isn’t only good for knitting/crocheting socks. You can also use it to make hats or scarves/shawls. 
Sock yarn is also suitable for home accessories, as it is very durable.

Sock yarn comes in many beautiful colors, whether solid-colored or with color gradients. There are practically no limits to your own creativity. 

Sock yarn is ideal for clothing that gets a lot of wear and tear. My mom used it to make work sweaters.

I even put my socks and sweaters in the dryer, and they hold up just fine.

Hi everyone,

the (standard) composition of sock yarn has already been discussed. In addition, today’s sock yarn is usually “superwash-treated,” meaning you can machine-wash it very easily despite its wool content.

Personally, I like to crochet with sock yarn (I also dye it myself).
I use it to make amigurumi, clothing for children and babies, shawls, hats…and also bows and socks.

Best regards, Nina

Yay! I knit a lot of socks, so I have plenty of leftover yarn. I run it through a knitting mill, and with the resulting cord, I crochet rugs in various sizes in single crochet using a size 12 crochet hook. I’ve also used the cord to knit blankets with size 15 knitting needles. I also really enjoy knitting pillow covers and blankets with size 3 knitting needles using sock yarn. 

@Nina,

as an Austrian, may I ask what “Schluppen” are?

Best regards, Sabine

Hi Sabine,

Slippers ;) (or house shoes :D)

Best wishes - Nina

Hi,

I have a “silly” question too: Sock yarn is usually rather scratchy wool, right?

So far, I’ve only worked with merino wool, cotton, or alpaca wool, since I can only tolerate soft wool—pure new wool, for example, has scratched me until I bled...

@Nina, thanks—I thought so, but I wasn’t entirely sure
.
I also use sock yarn for amigurumi, hats, scarves, and vests. 

@Anton2412

It really depends on the situation. Some people are just more sensitive to itchy fabrics. I can’t wear all types of yarn against my skin either. Sometimes I even find cotton itchy, which is really something, because cotton isn’t supposed to be itchy at all. ;-)

Anton2412:
Hello Anton,
there are wonderfully soft sock yarns, e.g.

• Step (= 4-ply) and Step6 (= 6-ply) by Austermann with aloe vera and jojoba oil
• Alpaca sock and sweater yarn by ApuKuntur, 60% superwash wool, 20% alpaca, 20% nylon
• Comfort Color Cashmere by H&W, 65% virgin wool, 25% polyamide, 10% cashmere

The softest yarn—pure luxury and wellness—is the cashmere yarn.
The warmest, and almost as soft as cashmere, is the alpaca yarn.
Step/Step6 are my best-selling “standard sock yarns,” though they are much more pleasant than conventional sock yarns; the aloe vera and jojoba they contain wash out after about 40 washes.

One more tip: if sock yarns are used for (lace) shawls or sweaters, etc., I recommend choosing needles about 1 size larger than indicated for socks on the ball band; for example, with 4-ply yarn, socks are usually knitted with needle size 2.0 to 3.0—for a shawl, 3.5 to 4.0 is better so it becomes cozier. I always try out whether I like the stitch pattern better with size 3.5 or 4.0 needles and how it feels best to me.

These yarns are available in my shop in Bernau am Chiemsee.
I would be very happy to welcome CP colleagues/customers to my shop sometime.

@Traudelina
Oh, that's good to know. I'll be on vacation in Bad Endorf in September. I'm sure my route will take me to Bernau at some point too.
:-))

@Michaela, that’s great :-) You can find directions on my website. My shop is right at the traffic light heading toward Aschau. I’m really looking forward to it...

Yeah, great! I’m excited too. So far, I’ve brought back a little bit of yarn from every vacation. :-)

@ Traudelina:

Thanks so much for the info.

The alpaca and cashmere yarns sound great—I’m adding them to my wish list ;-)

By the way, I usually crochet with a hook that’s at least two sizes larger than what’s listed on the label, since I crochet very tightly and this makes my projects a bit looser.

@Anton: Sure...
Yes, exactly—it’s always a good idea to try out for yourself which needle or hook size works best for you, since we all crochet or knit with different tension, and the information on the yarn labels is only a guideline. That’s also why gauge is so useful.

By the way: the needle size recommendations on sock yarn labels refer to knitting socks. For crocheting socks, I recommend using a crochet hook that’s one or half a size smaller than what’s listed on the label. This generally applies to most hand-knitting yarns, with the exception of
crochet yarns—such as filet crochet yarns or MyBoshi—which were specifically designed for crocheting. The needle size recommendations listed here are intended for crocheting. Therefore, when knitting with crochet yarns, I recommend choosing knitting needles that are one or half a size larger. And as I said, trying it out for yourself is key :-)