Best yarn type for knitting socks

Question

i recently started knitting socks and i love doing it. it's fun and i can always wear the product. so now i am getting started making lots of socks for christmas presents ( i have a lot of people to make them for lol!!) for the socks i made for my mom and me i used this very expensive but gorgeous and soft japanese wool. i'd like to use something cheaper but still nice and easy to work with for everyone else.

can you recomend a good brand for me? i'd like the skeins to not be more than about 5 USD.

Answer 1

My friend made some with Peaches and Cream yarn like you can buy at walmart! I really like the colours they have!

Answer 2

there are some really gorgeous "fingering" or "sock and sweater" synthetic yarns available. Red Heart is one of the most popular brands anywhere. Caron is another that I have used. Both are within your price range.

Learn to spin and it takes 6 times longer to make the socks, but you have the added luxury of knowing how the yarn came to be before it was a sock!!

Answer 3

You may be able to find some sock yarn on close out at Webs, Smiley's or Elann's websites.  For socks that will last and wear well  you really want a yarn spun for socks with a wool and polyamide (nylon) content, and may have a cotton component to it as well, depending on the yarn.  A ball of many of these will make a pair of socks, but will run you $15 to 20 US unless on closeout or specials.

BTW, Webs is having it's summer warehouse sale right now, so you may want to take a look to see what they might have for sock yarns, check Grampa's sale, there too, www.yarn.com.

Answer 4

Depending on your needle size;

Red Heart Strata

Moda Dea Sassy Stripes

Lion Brand used to have Magic Stripes, now they've come out with Sock Ease (but I haven't used this one yet)

Answer 5

I have been knitting socks again---did 50 years ago when I was courting my husband---for about 2 years now.  Love using German yarn--I buy it at Fifth Stitch in Ohio---on the internet--she is very nice and shiips right away.  

Answer 6

Comfortable socks can be made from a lot of different yarns.  One thing you might want to consider is how the recipient is going to wear these socks.  If they're going to be worn inside only or as bed socks, you can use thicker yarn, plus they'll knit up faster!  If the recipient is actually going to wear them in shoes, you'll have to use thinner sock yarn, one that has about 25% nylon in it to prevent wearing holes right though the heels!

While there is some cotton sock yarn in stores, it isn't very stretchy and the sock cuffs won't stay up.  Wool (with some nylon) really is the best for socks; there are many sock yarns available for under ten dollars for a skein that will make a pair of socks.  When you see yarn on sale, make sure you're getting at least 100 grams of yarn for each pair!  Sometimes you'll find 50 gram balls - it seems cheaper, but you have to buy two balls for socks.

Berrocco makes a great acrylic and nylon called Comfort Socks.  Knit Picks also has wonderful sock yarn.