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Title: Sock Innovation
Author: Cookie Apichairuk
Date Published: April 2009
Review Date: March 6, 2009
 Sock Innovation
Who is this book for?
Cookie A designs socks with punch for knitters who want more challenge from sock knitting than space dyed yarns and knitting on two circular needles provides for those already familiar with Cookie A’s smash hits “Monkey” and “Pomatomous” sock designs, this eagerly anticipated book delivers more of the same. Cookie takes the knitter who is familiar with the basics of casting on, knitting in the round, slipping stitches, picking up slipped stitches and the Kitchener stitch to virtuoso pieces. She offers 15 progressively challenging patterns along with a tutorial for adapting patterns and creating your own designs. Anyone who completes the tutorial will feel capable of taking on greater knitting or design challenges.
What Yarns does it Feature?
This book is more than a pattern book; it is a textbook of knitting technique and design and it is a handy knitting reference guide. One of the more effective tools Cookie employs is to present all the socks in the same size, using the same weight of yarn, and knit to roughly the same gauge (most are 32 stitches/4 inches). All of the socks featured are knit with fingering weight yarn (super fine #1). Flip through the book to see a remarkable variety in the fiber content, texture, sheen, and dyes in the yarns. Some of Cookie’s socks display a choice between solid and multiple-toned yarns, showing the knitter how the same cable and lace designs present in different yarns. Whether you are knitting a pair of socks for yourself or several pairs to bestow on friends and family, the adjustments you make in one pattern to achieve size and gauge should nicely translate to all other patterns in the book.
What’s Inside?
The book is chock full of advice on design principles, knitting technique, and 15 amazing sock patterns progressing from simple to complex. The helpful text is supplemented with charts, drawings and sharply detailed photographs in an appealing color palette.
I immediately noticed and appreciated that the socks are modeled on real feet, showing off the remarkable 3-dimensional quality of Cookie’s designs. Except for a few vintage pattern books in my collection that display socks on strange plastic foot models, most sock books conventionally display flattened two dimensional socks that look more like a cartoon character smashed on the roadway than a garment shaped to fit human anatomy. By looking at the socks on real feet, you can see how the socks should fit, how long the calf portion of the sock will be, and how important design elements are placed along the calf, heel and foot. Cookie devotes a large section of the book to proper fit of socks and she provides the knitter good examples by showing well fitted socks on live models.
Using It
The first half of Sock Innovation is devoted to a detailed discussion of sock knitting and design. Even experienced sock knitters can gain valuable tips from this section. Cookie leads the knitter into a designer’s world by sharing her biases and prejudices along with her insights and technical tips. Her principle for good design is taking simple components and combining them in a way that is greater than the sum of the parts. She designed all the patterns in this book using a basic formula of ribbed cuff, flap heel, and wedge toe which, when combined with lace, cables, or traveling stitches, yield spectacular results. Cookie prefers the ribbed cuff, flap heel and wedge toe because of their superior fit. She uses these structural components for each sock, focusing her design decisions on pattern placement and transitions.
There are lessons on converting charts, manipulating designs, and placing design elements. The detailed chapter on charting, with its workbook-like section on charting, is useful for any knitter who wants to move from line-by-line instructions to knitting from charts. It is also a helpful tutorial for anyone who wants to create an original design. This comprehensive chapter begins with lessons on both sides of the stitch and moves on to mastering cabling, increases and decreases, and pattern placement.
In the second half of the book, Cookie demonstrates the design principles in 15 remarkable sock patterns. Each pattern features close up photographs of essential design elements, clear instructions, and charted stitch patterns. Cookie advises the “truly adventurous” knitter to apply the information from both parts of the book in creating their own designs using the sock as a blank canvas.
Interweave Press is a respected publisher of knitting books, promoting excellent design and technique. The layout, font selection, charts, drawings, color rendition and photography delight the eye and clarify the patterns. The book is greater than the sum of all its parts.
Best Pattern
This small book includes a lot of useful information, but the chapter on fit for socks is invaluable for anyone who wants to knit socks with a custom fit. Cookie deconstructs the sock to help knitters understand how and where to measure for fit, and discusses how stitch patterns affect gauge. Cookie shows the knitter how to adjust stitch patterns for fit, either by resizing the stitch pattern or changing the texture within the pattern. The precise photographs and illustrations help to remove the mystery from this arcane discussion.
Each of the patterns are challenging and interesting, and many solve complex problems. Cookie uses the diamond motif in “Wanida”, a sock dedicated to the aunt who taught her to knit. She solves the problem of wrapping a diamond around the foot and transitions perfectly from the circular calf to flat knitting at the top of the foot. The diamonds grow out of the cuff and ease into the toe without interruption. The deceptively simple sock is really a complex challenge flawlessly executed.
Recommendation
Sock Innovation is all about socks, but Cookie’s technical tips and design insight apply to all knitting and knitwear design. Cookie generously shares her knowledge and several valuable tools in the introductory portion of the book. The heel flap chart is useful beyond measure: Cookie has worked out the math for turning a heel of nearly any size. If you don’t share her preference for the heel flap and wedge toe, Cookie provides good instructions for constructing a garter short row heel, a stockinette short row heel and afterthought heel. The latter is clearly illustrated with photographs for each step in the process including showing exactly where to pick up stitches. The design tutorial can be extended beyond socks to any garments. If that is not enough, the unique sock designs challenge even experienced sock knitters.
Overall Recommendation 
There is a trove of information in Sock Innovation that can be used far beyond knitting 15 different amazing socks. The lessons in this book can be used to develop new knitting skills like reading charts, placement of cabling and lace designs, shaping, traveling stitches and cables, and converting knitting from flat to circular or from circular to flat. Although the patterns are not easy, they are well charted with detailed instructions so that any motivated knitter can complete these patterns. For the knitter who wants to advance their skill, this book rates as #10.
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