Sock Club - Book Review

I normally like to try at least one pattern from a book before I review it. In this case I have felt the need to try several patterns before I got to the review. In fact I am in the middle of another one although it's turned into a UFO as I have to finish a few other things. It might be Christmas before this review was posted if I waited until that pair of socks got finished. I think the reason I have felt the need to try more is that each of the patterns are actually designed by different people. The authors are really the editors who compiled the patterns. Although, I know that Charlene Schurch is a sock designer in her own right as I am pretty sure I have another of her books on my shelf. The theme of the collection is there in the title. Each of the patterns were at one time sent out as part of a sock club.

The types of patterns range greatly from intricate lace to colour work to cables. I don't know if you can see it in the above picture but there is also one pattern with beads. The difficulty level ranges from intermediate to expert. It doesn't contain a basic sock pattern although some are more simple than others. So if you haven't knitted socks before I maybe wouldn't recommend the book until you have.

Having said that, this book contains the mosaic sock pattern that I fell in love with. It is one of the more difficult designs. Yet a friend of min who hadn't knitted socks before managed it with just a little guidance. So if you are determined enough and have someone to help you with the technical parts I would say go for it.

I have just one little bug bear about the book and it's really about the layout of the pattern itself. I like a pattern to be systematic. That's just me and the kind of person I am. Start off with the cast on, then the cuff and so on. You can't really get lost with that. These patterns all start with the design of the sock itself and then the cast on and the cuff. In some cases it's even more mixed up than that. The mosaic pattern was particularly mixed with no real logical order. It made making mistakes very easy and made teaching the pattern difficult. My two friends who were learning to make them also found this frustrating but they had me to keep them right as I had knitted them twice already and was used to it.

Other than that it's a great books. Not a lot of designs in it compared to some I think, However, there is a pattern in there to suit every taste. For most of the patterns I would recommend a solid sock yarn but there are some that need a variegated yarn.