How to Knit Initial Letters in Socks and Stockings was published in Weldon’s Practical Knitter, Twenty-Second Series (1893), and republished in Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 8, with this advice: “It is convenient to know how to knit initial letters in socks and stockings, as to do so saves the trouble of marking them afterwards, and is besides more durable, because the knitted letter forms an integral part of the actual fabric, and therefore will last as long as the stocking itself.”
Laurie Sundstrom’s “Gentlemen’s Monogrammed Socks” were adapted from Weldon’s Practical Needlework.
I have used three capital letters from the alphabet instructions to personalize a simple pair of men’s socks (adapted from “Gentleman’s Plain Sock” in Weldon’s Practical Knitter, Second Series (1886), and republished in Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 1. The socks are knitted on double-pointed needles from cuff to toe; the seven rows bearing the initials are knitted back and forth, and the small seam that results is sewn up after the sock is complete.
I used grafting to finish the toe; if you wish to finish it with a “period-correct” technique, complete the sock with a three-needle bind-off.
Want to learn how to add monograms to your knitting? The pattern can be found in the January/February 2013 issue of PieceWork.
Also, remember that if you are an active subscriber to PieceWork magazine, you have unlimited access to previous issues, including January/February 2013. See our help center for the step-by-step process on how to access them.
Laurie Sundstrom has owned Vintage Knits since 1996, selling “gently used” needlecraft patterns and books. When she’s not knitting, she can be found reading, attempting to get something to grow in her garden, and hanging out with her four delightful children and her grandpuppies, Lucy, Lois, and Walter.
Originally published August 29, 2018; updated July 8, 2024.