[.ca] Folk Socks: The History & Techniques of Handknitted Footwear (ISBN 0934026971)

From Amazon.com:
Join the sock knitting revolution! Many knitters today, too pressed for time to knit large garments, are turning to knitting socks-- thanks in part to this lively book with its easy-to-read directions for socks from many European traditions. An hour with this book will have most knitters hunting up their needles to begin a pair of Scottish kilt hose or colorful Estonian socks. Includes precise techniques for various heel and toe shapings, along with a wealth of information on the history of sock knitting. A wonderful book for your collection or as a gift for the knitter in your life.

One of my all-time Favorite Knitting Books:
I love this book! I'd never knit a sock before I bought it and ended up making almost every pair in it. Some were easy; some required a lot of attention; but the patterns were clearly written so that a novice could do them. They are all just beautiful. Her book "Knitting for the Road" is my second-favorite sock book.

Disappointing - The Title is Misleading:
I bought this book hoping to learn the traditional techniques involved in the production of the wide variety of beautiful socks from many cultures featured in tantalizing color photographs. I was deeply disappointed to find that this was not the case. The first edition had many factual errors in knitting history, of which some were corrected in subsequent editions. And Bush teaches few of the actual traditional techniques. In fact, her "reproduction" socks were all highly simplified modern inventions, based only in part on some of the colors and patterns of the original socks, but not truly involving their techniques. While many of the socks were traditionally knitted from the toe up, in every case Bush knits them from the cuff down. The photographs are just teasers that left me frustrated and unfulfilled. I finally stopped looking at her directions for her simplified socks. Instead I analyzed the socks in the photos to attempt to knit them as they were originally made. While it is a good book to learn modern sock knitting and in it Bush does cover a wide variety of techniques, it doesn't cover what its title says. If you want to knit modern socks, you may like this book. But if you're looking for the traditional knitting techniques of other cultures, Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' book "Ethnic Socks & Stockings" will actually teach you how, while Bush will not.

Good for the experienced sock knitter:
The book is beautiful, and has great history. The patterns are very interesting, but if you don't have sock experience I don't know how you'd work them. I have experience, but have never had this many problems. My first pair (light blue and white ones) had the weirdest heel. It made the sock almost completely straight, but since my foot bends at the heel, it was horribly uncomfortable. My local yarn shop couldn't understand how it would ever fit a normal foot so I rewrote the pattern and ripped back. The second pair (grey with off-white heel, toe, and top) was huge, although my guage was correct, and I had to restart that one, too. Then I did the ones on the cover, and the heel, though very interesting in concept, is way too big and forms basically a bubble jutting out from your foot (I just knitted every other row and it came out great). The last ones I did, the red cabled pair, came out very well (but cables give a sock more 'give,' so it's easier to fit them correctly). I'm tired of knitting 3 socks every time, so I'm going to be very careful about the patterns in the future. Here's what I suggest: knit a pair that fits your foot (preferably from a different book), and get the measurements of it, especially at the top and at your ankle. Then figure out the measurements of the pattern as it's written in this book, and change the pattern liberally until it is in normal human proportions. They are beautiful when you finally get them right. My feet are always the prettiest in the room!

Best I've seen for new sock knitters:
When I bought this book, I had never made a pair of socks. Now I've done dozens. The instructions in the front part of the book were just what I needed. Granted, I learn best from written instructions, but for those who are like me, I can't recommend a better book to start with. I found some of the charting a little hard to follow, but I chalk that up to inexperience. I have made several of the patterns included and have been pleased with all of them. I also like having options for other than one standard size. Knit till it is 2 1/2 inches from the length you want, then start the toe. That is my kind of instruction. This was particularly important because some of the people I knit for have very long feet. Knowing how long the toe was going to extend was wonderfu. I recommend this book for everyone from beginner to expert.

A beautiful book:
This book is inspiring. The photography is outstanding! The patterns are lovely.