Japanese knitters are discovering the joys of knitting socks, and more sock patterns are appearing in Japanese publications. Try your hand at a fairly straightforward one! Like all Japanese patterns, it’s almost entirely graphic and easy to follow once you understand how to interpret the schematics and charts. We’ll use (with permission) a free pattern to get you started. It’s a cuff-down basic sock, with a short-row heel that you may not have seen before. We’ll swatch a heel and a toe and review the conventions of other kinds of heels and toes that you may encounter. None of these techniques is new to experienced sock knitters, but you’ll be interested by the way they’re charted, rather than written out. Bring in any Japanese sock or slipper design that you may have questions about.

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Note taking material; sock yarn for swatching and needles for your preferred method of circular knitting (DPNs, two circulars or magic loop); a handful of stitch markers (the pattern calls for 18 markers, which are optional); scissors and your usual notions.