Today, we will learn how to make socks with the Cozy Critter Sock Pattern. Do you ever find yourself with a drawer full of mismatched socks? Or maybe you're tired of spending money on store-bought socks that just don't fit right or have uncomfortable seams. Well, why not take matters into your own hands and learn how to sew your own socks? In this blog post, we'll walk you through the process step by step, from choosing the right fabric to mastering the art of sewing a perfect sock seam. So grab your sewing machine and start creating custom-made socks that will fit like a dream!

I used the Cozy Critter Socks Pattern from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop for the tutorial. The Cozy Critter Socks Pattern will surely become a beloved choice for children! This pattern offers knee-high, crew, and ankle lengths and 8 applique shapes for making adorable animal knee-highs. The design of the Cozy Critter Socks prioritizes fit and comfort, featuring a dart at the heel for optimal shaping and seams along the sides and across the top of the toes. There is no seam at the front of the toes to ensure maximum comfort. I love the options that it includes, including:

• 3 Different Lengths – ankle, crew, and knee-high
• 9 Animal Faces – fox, raccoon, panda, penguin, reindeer, bunny, kitty, puppy, and owl

For the tutorial’s sake, I stuck to a simple pair of socks with no animal face, but the pattern includes great instructions for adding the animal faces! And, if you’re looking for adult sizes, you’re in luck – the Cozy Toes Socks Pattern includes the same options but in adult sizes!

Let’s get to work!

How to Sew Socks with Our Sock Pattern

Materials Needed / Sock Supplies

• Knit fabric with at least 30% 4-way stretch and 5% spandex (for good recovery)
• Sewing machine/serger (a sewing machine is recommended for most of the steps)
• For the animal face options: scraps of knit, fusible interfacing, buttons, and/or embroidery thread

Measuring for Socks

The Cozy Critters pattern includes sizes newborn-12 (foot lengths 3-9.75″) and includes measurements for foot length, height (for the knee-high socks), and calf size to help you get a perfect fit. The Cozy Toes pattern includes sizes XS-XXXL (foot lengths 8.5-12″) and has three different widths in each foot size (slim, regular, and plus). As someone with larger calves than average, I definitely appreciate this option!

For this tutorial, I made a pair of knee-high socks for my daughter, and her measurements put her in a size 4T.

Cutting Out Sock Pattern Pieces

First, cut out your pieces. Both patterns include letter-size pieces and A0 and projector files, so you can choose which method works best for you. There are three different pieces for the simple socks (for all heights) – front, back, and band. For a pair of socks, you’ll need two of each piece, so you’ll end up with six pieces total. (Your front and back pieces will look different from those pictured below if you chose the crew or ankle length socks.)

How to Sew Socks | Step-by-Step Instructions

You’ll want to use a stretch stitch on your sewing machine and a 1/4″ seam allowance for most of the steps. This allows you to trim the seam allowance to 1/8″ after sewing to make the socks more comfortable. There are a few steps where I broke out my serger (and I’ll be sure to point those out), but a serger is unnecessary.

First, you’re going to sew the heel dart. Fold the back piece right sides together (RST) where the arrow is pointing.

Align the heel dart opening and sew together. Use a sewing machine here. After sewing, trim the seam allowance.

Next, press the heel away from the toe.

Then, sew the toe ends of the front and back pieces together. Make sure you take a moment to find the correct end. Double check against your pattern piece if you need to make sure (it gets especially confusing with the knee-length socks).

Place the toe ends RST and sew. I used my serger here since trimming the seam allowance wasn’t necessary.

Press your seam allowance towards the front piece and topstitch.

Fold the sock RST together along the toe dart. Line up the top edges of the front and back pieces and slightly stretch the front piece so it fits the back piece. I like to pin/clip the toe dart and top edge and ease the front piece in. At the heel dart seam, I pinned/clipped the seam towards the back of the heel.

Sew together with a 1/4″ seam allowance until you get to the curve of the toe dart. Here, taper the seam allowance to 1/8″ to give a nice, rounded toe seam. Trim the seam allowance along the sides and down to the toe dart, where you tapered off.

Finally, add the bands. Fold the band RST together, and sew along the short edge (a serger is fine here since this seam will be enclosed).

When I use a serger to make a band, I like to snip my seam allowance right along the middle without cutting through the outer thread. I press the top and bottom seam allowances different ways, and then they nest together nicely when I fold the band wrong sides together to make a nice, smooth top edge.

Turn your sock right side out, and slide the band over the top of the sock. Position the band seam along a side seam or the back. Stretch the band to fit and sew. This is another spot where a serged seam is okay. Whatever stitch you use, make sure it’s nice and stretchy so you can get the sock over the ankle.

Press your seam allowance down towards the sock, and topstitch it with a nice, stretchy stich. I used a coverstitch, but a twin needle, zig-zag stitch, or stretch stitch work great, too.

Repeat the process for the other sock (or maybe you were sewing them both at the same time). And, voila, you have yourself a pair of awesome custom socks!

As soon as my daughter put this pair on, she let me know just how soft and comfy they were. She was an instant fan! I personally love styling the knee-high socks with skirts and dresses for my daughter, but I really want to sew up lots of crew and ankle socks for everyday wear, too!

Get More Help Sewing the Socks

If you need additional help we have a few options for you. First, we have an amazing YouTube Tutorial where we go into detail on how to sew socks. It's not too hard - the video is only a little over 5 minutes so you can figure out how to sew socks quickly. If you need more help, then make sure to join our Facebook Group with over 95,000 sewists to help you out.

How long does it take to make a pair of socks?

Knitting your own socks might take hours, but sewing socks is surprisingly quick and will take minutes, not hours. Even your first pair of socks should come together in no time at all. It's also a great way to turn your fabric scraps into handmade socks.

Sock Pattern Sewing Reviews

Our customers love the feel of home-sewn socks with our sock patterns. The seams are along the side which feels great on the inside of the sock. There's also no seam at the front end of your sock - this provides maximum toe comfort. They also love how quick these socks come together. Here are a few reviews:

"Great gift, quick sew. I just made a dozen of these in size 7,8,10 for my great niece and nephews. They were thrilled and said they were very comfortable. Made some ankle, some crew, some knee. Used mostly leftovers from cotton lycra shirts. Takes longer to pick out the fabric than to sew. Used serger for all the seams. These kids all have wide feet. Might have to increase seam allowance for a narrow foot." - Deborah

"Great-fitting socks. Fleece socks make fabulous gifts and this pattern fits very well. Others I have tried are loose fitting which is okay if you don’t want to wear them in boots or shoes but the Cozy Toes are the best I’ve tried. My family looks forward to new fleece socks every Christmas and this year I got rave reviews on the fit." - Barbara

"Love these socks. The pattern is very simple to follow and super comfy to wear. My favourite part though is that I can now make myself knee socks that actually fit over my calves without having to hack a pattern like crazy." - Amanda

Troubleshooting Common Issues in Sewing Socks

Thank you so much for joining us today to learn how to make socks. Time to get started with you first sock now - get some stretchy fabric and get to work. Sewing your own socks can be a fun and rewarding project. With the help of sewing patterns from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop, you can create custom socks that fit perfectly and match your personal style. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced sewer, these patterns provide step-by-step instructions and guidance to ensure success. So grab your sewing machine and get ready to embark on a new sock-sewing adventure!

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