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Making socks is one of the most popular knitting projects out there. To make the perfect pair, you’ll want to choose a skein of yarn specially spun for the task. Sock-making works best with a yarn that offers some stretch, and generally knitters prefer wool-nylon blends with at least 20 percent nylon for guaranteed elasticity. If you prefer thin socks, choose a fingering weight skein, and if you prefer thicker socks, choose a bulkier ball. Beyond that, you should choose the yarn that best suits your taste. Available in a plethora of material compositions, colors, and gradients, there’s plenty of sock yarn to choose from. Browse our roundup below of the best options on the market.
1. Patons Kroy Socks Yarn
Made of 75% wool and 25% nylon, this yarn is a quintessential choice for sock-making projects. The four-ply, superfine wool blend comes in an array of 33 solid and gradient colors. The gradient options allow you to knit stripes and other fun patterns, while the solid colors are a more classic choice. With a fine gauge and a machine washable composition, this yarn is ideal for sock knitting and wear.
2. Lion Brand Yarn Sock-Ease Yarn
Like the option above, this traditional fingering-weight sock yarn has a 75 percent wool and 25 percent nylon composition. But it’s a bit of an upgrade pick: For about twice the price, you get yarn that’s finished with aloe vera. The resulting string softens your hands while you crochet or knit, and you won’t have to worry about any scratchiness. Durable and resistant to tangling, it is also completely machine washable. Available in an array of sophisticated solid and gradient colors, this yarn is vibrant and can be used to knit a variety of multicolored patterns.
3. Knit Picks Hawthorn Sock Yarn
This fingering yarn is made of 80 percent wool and 20 percent polyamide to deliver a satisfyingly bouncy and comfortable yarn that won’t scratch skin. What makes it stand out from the rest is that each skein is hand-painted, resulting in singular, beautifully saturated, self-patterning gradients that knit to make beautiful socks. You can still throw them in the washing machine on a gentle cycle; just be sure to turn your creations inside out first. Choose from 16 colorways, with every single 357-yard skein showing individual variations.
4. Malabrigo Sock Aniversario
While this yarn doesn’t have elastic properties, it will knit a pair of ultra-cozy socks fit for even the coldest weather. This yarn—which is treated so that it’s machine washable and is soft and smoothly plied—comes in a range of solid and multicolor options. Spun from merino wool, this yarn is a lovely choice for those looking for an all-natural option that looks good and feels good to boot. Purchase it in 440-yard skeins.
5. Regia Arne&Carlos Design Line
With 17 color gradients inspired by the paintings of Edvard Munch, this yarn makes beautiful self-patterned stripes. Composed of 75 percent virgin wool and 25 percent polyamide, this high-quality yarn has great stretch and is machine washable. The superfine gauge makes thin, breathable socks.