Wondering how to knit socks on straight needles? Try this two needle flat sock pattern. You can have all the glamour of 4ply socks without the worry of extra needles.
This article about knitting socks on straight needles contains affiliate links, meaning that if you do choose to buy, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
Despite there being thousands of socks knit in the round. there is still strong demand for the flat knit sock pattern. This method is perfect for those of us who prefer knitting with two straight needles but want to try socks.
When I proposed the idea of designing one last spring, it was met with some scepticism. Why would anyone want to knit flat when you can knit with socks in the round? Where will the seam go? Will it be comfortable? It will be too much hassle with a toe seam, a heel seam or a side seam.
I managed to solve all of these potential issues. It is now my bestseller. There is good reason for it; not everybody wants to knit in the round. As a designer, I have always believed that design should solve problems as well as appeal to needs. If you prefer two sticks to four sticks, that’s absolutely fine. In fact, I am so happy with offering choice that I am working on my first two needle sock knitting ebook this year.
Every now and then I see enquiries pop up in Facebook knitting groups along the lines of ‘where can I find a 2 needle sock pattern?’.
Here! You can find one here!.
What’s so special about my best selling flat knit sock pattern? A few things!
- They are made using 4ply sock yarn.
- They are cuff down.
- They are worked flat the whole way- even the heel.
- There is no heel seam to put on a stitch holder.
- There is no toe seam to put on a stitch holder.
- There is no side seam either.
What? How does this even work?
You knit from the cuff to the heel, increase for the heel, work some short rows (don’t be scared, it’s easier than it seems), knit to the toe, do some more decreases, and seam up the front.
The true difficulty depends on your seaming skills to be honest. If you choose a solid colour, you can hide the seam easier than striped, but that shouldn’t matter. It’s a sock. It will be worn under trousers and shoes. Also, in my experience people don’t tend to inspect my knitwear.
Need help choosing sock yarns?
Here I’ll recommend my favourite sock knitting yarns and tell you a bit about them:
West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply Sock Yarn.
It doesn’t get any better than this, sorry. West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply is such a straightforward, everyday sock yarn. It’s perfect because it’s a blend of British wool and some nylon for strength. I’ve used it for most of my sock designs, and have quite a bit in my stash. Other reasons why it’s great include:
- It comes in a 100g ball. Perfect for a pair of adult socks.
- It comes in a huge range of colours.
- The yarn smells deliciously sheepy (if you know, you know.)
- It comes in self-striping as well as solid or marl.
I’ve even used WYS Signature 4ply in my sock knitting patterns. You can find my basic cuff-down sock knitting pattern by clicking the image below.
