**updated 30/05/2019**
The table lists all the wools I've tried; some good, some not so good. It's a three pager by now, so click on the image and it'll download for you.
In general, I've found that the best, longest-lasting sock yarns are of European origin, are not advertised as "merino", and contain at least 20% nylon. I avoid merino. (why? you can read about this breed and its market dominance here.)
My favorite "daily wear" sock yarn is Regia (I prefer the plain colours but it's available in a huge variety), followed closely by H&W Comfort Wolle (which sadly is very difficult to find). My "special occasion/gift" sock yarn is Woolen Rabbit Pearl, but be warned that this requires handwashing for best longevity. My favorite "self-striping/wild-n-crazy" sock yarn is Schoppel Zauberball Crazy.
Good, affordable, easily available sock yarn in Canada: Patons Kroy (Michael's) and Dynasty Sock (Fabric Land); both a little thicker than I like and maybe not my favorite colours, but very long-lasting and excellent value.
After many times trying, I now avoid yarns that contain any silk, bamboo (a silk replacement - it's cheaper), angora, cashmere or alpaca; even in blends. Cotton-blend yarns are also more fragile than pure wool ones, and I find they harden / stiffen over time. Fibres other than wool or nylon do not stand up to abrasion well and I find that the resulting sock (foot) becomes unsightly quite quickly. These yarns are lovely for other purposes but really, walking on them will ruin them.
The table lists all the wools I've tried; some good, some not so good. It's a three pager by now, so click on the image and it'll download for you.
In general, I've found that the best, longest-lasting sock yarns are of European origin, are not advertised as "merino", and contain at least 20% nylon. I avoid merino. (why? you can read about this breed and its market dominance here.)
My favorite "daily wear" sock yarn is Regia (I prefer the plain colours but it's available in a huge variety), followed closely by H&W Comfort Wolle (which sadly is very difficult to find). My "special occasion/gift" sock yarn is Woolen Rabbit Pearl, but be warned that this requires handwashing for best longevity. My favorite "self-striping/wild-n-crazy" sock yarn is Schoppel Zauberball Crazy.
Good, affordable, easily available sock yarn in Canada: Patons Kroy (Michael's) and Dynasty Sock (Fabric Land); both a little thicker than I like and maybe not my favorite colours, but very long-lasting and excellent value.
After many times trying, I now avoid yarns that contain any silk, bamboo (a silk replacement - it's cheaper), angora, cashmere or alpaca; even in blends. Cotton-blend yarns are also more fragile than pure wool ones, and I find they harden / stiffen over time. Fibres other than wool or nylon do not stand up to abrasion well and I find that the resulting sock (foot) becomes unsightly quite quickly. These yarns are lovely for other purposes but really, walking on them will ruin them.
[click here to view original size and download]
It's in order of preference. Orange highlights indicate that I'm not wowed by the product (or that it is unavailable or really, really hard to get); red highlights indicate that I consider the yarn poor value for money and would not buy it again, or recommend it to anyone (note: for socks! It might be beautiful for other purposes!).
I freely admit that these ratings are highly biased, but they are completely independent. I'm not paid to review yarns, and no company has ever sent me free samples to try. My ratings are driven by my own personal sock preferences, which are as follows:
I freely admit that these ratings are highly biased, but they are completely independent. I'm not paid to review yarns, and no company has ever sent me free samples to try. My ratings are driven by my own personal sock preferences, which are as follows:
- I prefer a tight, non floppy sock - socks should hug the leg. This means I tend to prefer a yarn that is more tightly plied and less "squooshy".
- I value stretch and longevity over softness; nobody I knit for has "princess feet" and they are not irritated by "scratchy" yarn.
- I wear handknit socks all winter, so they need to stand up to a high degree of wear and washing. Yarns that pill, felt, or get visibly discoloured are de-rated. Note that I wash my socks in a European-brand front-loader, in cold water with delicate detergent, using a "handwash" cycle. The socks are subsequently air-dried. I do not wash socks by hand.
- My socks get worn at the office, so they need to be thin - fingering weight only (400m/100g). I do not knit socks with sportweight yarn.
- I knit for a lot of men, so I'd like yarns to come in XY-chromosome-friendly colours like browns, greys, and greens.
- I very rarely use self-striping wool; I prefer plain or "kettle dyed" product that allows intricate stitch patterns to shine. Although lately I have been getting to some wild 'n crazy yarns and patterns, so this requirement is starting to become less of an issue!
- I am on a budget; I'd prefer it if the product cost me less than $20/pair. I will only try more expensive yarns if I can actually see them (I won't order expensive stuff off the interwebs unless I know what I'm getting). That said, if I find a beautiful yarn that also lasts, I will try it and keep in mind for a special gift.
Click on the link to figure out yarn "yardage".
For more detail, there are some blog posts:
Sock Wool 1 (Scheepjes Invicta, KnitPicks Risata, Lang Jawoll, Kroy Sock, KnitPicks Stroll)
Sock Wool 2 (Schaefer yarn, Araucania Ranco, KnitPicks Stroll update, Gloss, Regia Stretch)
Sock Wool 3 (Malabrigo Sock, Lana Grossa Meilenweight Cotton Stretch, Araucania Itata)
Sock Wool 4 (Tosh Merino Light, Sweatermaker Simply Sock)
Sock Wool 5 (Schoppel Zauberball, Kroy Sock 3-ply, Lion Sock-Ease)
Sock Wool 6 (Malabrigo Sock and Tosh Merino Light update, Regia 3-ply, Lang Mille Colori, Woolen Rabbit Pearl)
Sock Wool 7 (Regia 4-ply jacquard, Lang Magic Degrade, Online Supersocke)
Sock Wool 8 (Woolen Rabbit Harmony, Turtlepurl Sock, Cascade Heritage Sock)
Sock Wool 9 (Manos del Uruguay Alegria; Ancient Arts Fibre Craft sock yarn)
Sock Wool 10 (Phildar Phil Folk, DGB Confetti Superwash)
Sock Wool 11 (Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome, Alsan Trends Santa Fe, Dynasty Sock)
