Mistake: tight cuffs in socks
A common problem with socks is that they tend to sag down the ankles. A common mistake is to believe that this is because the sock cuff is too loose and making them tighter. However, the reason for it is exactly the opposite. If a sock is too tight at the cuff, it tends to go down to the ankle where the leg is thinner. If your socks have this problem, try adding some shaping at the leg by adding extra stitches in the top region of the socks.
Note: in the following I assume you're knitting "standard" mid-calf socks. Needless to say that ankle socks do not have this problem and for knee high or even longer socks shaping of the leg is always required.
The general rule of sock knitting is that the foot and the leg of most people have about the same circumference. So, except for toe and heel shaping, most sock recipes create a long straight tube. Needless to say, this rule is not exactly true and the great advantage of knitting your own socks is that you can easily obtain a sock that fits you perfectly. So if, for example, the region above your ankle doesn't look at all like a straight tube, neither should your knitted socks. Just add a bit of shaping to your favourite sock's recipe, it's easy.
Another neat trick that may fix this problem is to use different sized needles. Use needles one size larger to knit the upper part of the leg, then change to the right size needles for the rest of the sock.
A completely different solution is using ribbing not just at the cuff, but all the way down to the ankle. This can help, but is not a solution if you love fancy socks with pretty cables or lace patterns.
Note: in the following I assume you're knitting "standard" mid-calf socks. Needless to say that ankle socks do not have this problem and for knee high or even longer socks shaping of the leg is always required.
The general rule of sock knitting is that the foot and the leg of most people have about the same circumference. So, except for toe and heel shaping, most sock recipes create a long straight tube. Needless to say, this rule is not exactly true and the great advantage of knitting your own socks is that you can easily obtain a sock that fits you perfectly. So if, for example, the region above your ankle doesn't look at all like a straight tube, neither should your knitted socks. Just add a bit of shaping to your favourite sock's recipe, it's easy.
Another neat trick that may fix this problem is to use different sized needles. Use needles one size larger to knit the upper part of the leg, then change to the right size needles for the rest of the sock.
A completely different solution is using ribbing not just at the cuff, but all the way down to the ankle. This can help, but is not a solution if you love fancy socks with pretty cables or lace patterns.
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