Solitary chicken - need advice

[HarrisonFamily]

Why are ladies socks only 1 size ?

 

Are all ladies feet between 4 and 7 ?

 

I am only size 5 but my feet are rather wide - more like ducks feet so I have to buy mens size 6 - 7.

 

Why are mens socks so boring ???

 

I know there are alot more important things going on but sometimes I just need to know why ?

[patsylabrador]

I wanted non-elastic topped socks but designs are dire. That's when I started I started knitting my own and I love all my socks now.

[bluekarin]

Tell me about it! I am a size 8 so most socks are too tight for my tootsies. Men's socks aren't boring nowadays bwt. Have a look in Debenhams. Bought my son some recently and they are brightly striped and feel lovely. ED is after them as she likes them so much They are £10 ish for a pack of four which is pricey, but they are lovely.

[Cat tails]

I know how you feel! I normally only wear socks with pictures on it, but it's hard to find nice ones these days. I'm a size 42, which is a 9,5. Impossible to find nice feminine shoes that are wide enough (duck feet here too...).

[Charlottechicken]

I wear boys sports socks now, cheaper and stronger than the ladies ones! BTW, I am a size 4 shoe but some ladies size 4-7 socks are too big.

[Angie]

Asda do ,at times, have an in between size 3-5 and 5-8 ladies socks.

Then Matalan sell socks called soft grip in a 4-8 and are very stretchy and roomy....I prefer these on my poor arthritic swollen feet , but they are very dazzling and not sombre footwear for most occasions but fit nicely.

Another sock is the golfers sock esp Edinburgh wool shop, they fit wider feet nicely.

Or Roomy socks on line. They fit nice too.

[The Dogmother]

As a woman with size 2.5-3 feet, a lot of socks are too big for me, I only wear black socks though (apart from the lovely hand knitted ones I wear at home) so I buy boy's socks. Jude, our market sells lovely 'soft top' socks, which stay up, but have a soft, wide welt at the top so they're not tight.

[PixieDust]

I found some roomy socks in Asda. I am an 8 but with a wide foot.

[chickencam]

Primark sell some funky mens socks. I was always trying to differentiate between my son's socks and my husband's therefore had to find different ones. Used to get black or grey with fancy toes and heels for work and school. Asda had some good ones too.

[Valkyrie]

My walking boots and shoes are for men. The ladies are too narrow - then add walking socks to that little lot and it would be really uncomfy. Found some lovely walking socks at Snow and Rock. I do have the largest ladies one. But I have had mens size in the past - allow for shrinkage in the wash. I haven't worn normal socks in years - go around barefoot most of the time. Proper shoes are from M&S but I have to get 7 and a half just for the width. Normally they don't fit either. Another place I got my boots from was Simply Be as they cater for wider feet. So nice to go out with smart boots in the winter - I usually wore my sandals! Oh and I wear my walking socks with them too!

Oh and Clarke's don't do shoes for my "large width" - really? OK I'll not buy any more stuff from you then!

 

I also remember my grandmother had the same problem, although she had tiny feet they were wide, so she bought boy's shoes (yes schoolboy's shoes) and was dead chuffed with the comfort!

[Chickabee]

Buy children's socks if you can. You don't pay vat on them. The girls ones go up to 6 or 7, I've bought some great ones in M & S sale in the past. I love the idea of knitted socks though. Are they easy. I can knit and follow a pattern, but not very good at sewing the bits together

[bluekarin]

My sister in law knits her own socks. She is currently making me a pair She uses 4 needles and does them in the round, so no sewing bits together. I think it starts at the rib ankle bit and finishes at the toes. I have tried crocheting them, but it takes me ages and I've yet to find a pattern I really like.

[The Dogmother]

Patsylabrador and Snowy on the forum both knit socks, so they'd be able to advise.

[Chickendoodle]

This it the sock pattern I always use.

http://www.sockyarn.co.uk/shop/free-sock-knitting-pattern-calculator/

 

There are loads of ways to knit socks - this one is from the cuff down to the toes with no sewing up

 

You can get such amazing wools that I personally don't think it's worth knitting any fancy patterns. It's a very difficult concept to get your head around as the sock is all knitted in one piece and the heel turning is very hard to understand from a pattern.

 

When I first started I searched the internet until I found a brilliant series of video tutorials which showed the method I wanted. Here is the first one

 

Sock wool is pretty expensive BUT the socks seem to last forever. I made my OH 7 pairs last winter. He wore them all winter and they still look like new.

[patsylabrador]

I knit mine from the toe up with a pair of circular needles. I learnt from a book simply called Socks From the Toe Up. I think it's a great book and has told me everything I needed to know. I also don't bother with lacy patterns because the yarn is so much fun. There is no sewing involved.

[Chickabee]

Thanks patsylabrador