10 pairs of Ragg Socks

The weather this summer gave me a lot of time for knitting. Since I wanted a project that also allowed me to watch TV and listen to music I began knitting socks. The rainy weather persisted and I realised that I was in for a lot of knitting. I had read on the internet that Stockholm City Mission (Stadsmissionen) had a shortage of knitted mittens and socks for men. So I decided that my summer knitting project was to knit ten pairs of men´s socks. And now I am done!

I thought that I might end up bored with knitting so many socks, but discovered that this project was perfect for trying things that I usually do not do when I knit socks.

I tried new patterns and techniques for the cuff, heel flap, heel turn and toe decreases. I learned a lot and also found that there are many ways to knit socks. I have knitted my basic socks the same way since childhood (as I was taught by my mother). It was time for an update!

All in all I used more than 2 kilos (2000 grams) of sock yarn. I used a rather thick 4-ply yarn, in Swedish it is called "raggsocksgarn". The socks are knitted with five double-pointed needles and I often used 4.00 mm needles for the cuff and 4,50 mm needles for the foot.

For those of you who live in Sweden and would like to knit for the less fortunate, I recommend visiting Hjälpstickan.

To avoid second sock syndrome I knitted all socks in pairs and both socks at the same time. In my opinion the safest way for socks as well as for mittens. This method ensures that each part on both socks (mittens) is knitted in the same way, size and tension.