Prym Sock Loom

By Paivi Suomi on June 11, 2013

I purchased a Prym sock loom today. I have read mixed reviews of them but thought I would give it a try. This knitting loom is similar to the round knitting looms but it is oval in shape. It has a rubberized base and the metal pegs look like bent paper clips. With the unique paper clip shape to the pegs, there is plenty of space to pick up or hook the stitch as you are knitting the loops. There are no rough edges and I find that it is quite easy to hold in your hand, and compact and portable to toss into my purse or knitting bag to take with me. The Prym knitting loom comes with a pickup stick that looks similar to a knitting needle. I use this for picking up the stitches but have also found it handy to also have a small crochet hook for picking up different weights of yarn.

The Prym Sock Loom comes in 3 sizes ranging from small to wide feet:

Prym Sock Loom

SIZE	# PEGS	CIRCUMFERENCE	UK	EU	US
Small	28 pegs	26 cm	3.15 - 12.5	20 - 31	4 - 13
Medium	32 pegs	29.5 cm	0 - 5	32 - 38	2 - 7
Large	36 pegs	33 cm	6 - 11	39 - 46	7.5 - 13

Sock Size Knitting Chart
You can make the socks any length you like, regardless of which size of knitting loom you purchased.
This chart gives the length for foot of the sock for different shoe sizes.

Knitting with this type of sock loom is very similar to spool or cork knitting.
How to Use a Corker

Visit PAIVATAR YARNS Web Shop
Sámi Band Weaving
Handspun yarns
Natural Plant Dyes
Nalbinding
Crewel Wool
Sashiko Threads
Rya Rug Kits

EU	UK	US	FOOT LENGTH
39 - 40	5.50 - 6.5	7.50 - 8.5	16 cm
41 - 42	7 - 8	9 - 10	17 cm
43 - 44	8.5 - 9.5	10.5 - 11.5	18 cm
45 - 46	10 -011.5	12 - 13	19 cm

The instructions that came with the knitting loom are a bit difficult to follow as they are written in several languages.
I have rewritten the instructions to make this easier to understand.
To knit on this loom, each loop round is followed by a cast off round. Together this makes a knitted row.
To start, For thicker yarns, loop the yarn around each peg in 2 rounds, followed by a cast off round.
For finer yarns, loop the yarn around each peg in 3 rounds, followed by a cast off round.
I am using Regia 4 ply sock yarn for this pair of socks. Because I am using a fine yarn, I am using the Triple loop method, looping 3 rounds onto the pegs before casting off.

Looping Round
1. Place the yarn from back to front onto starting position 0, leaving a length of 15 cm hanging from the back.
2. Loop the yarn counter-clockwise around the peg 1L, then around peg 1R, 2R, 3R and so on, working your way clock-wise around the loom.

3. The first looping round is finished when peg 1L has been looped twice.

4. Loop the second round in the same way on top of the first round.
The round is finished when peg 1L has been looped 3 times.

Cast off round
Use the cast-off needle to cast off.
To do this, pick up the bottom loop on the peg and lift it up and over the peg.
After each cast off, push the stitches down the peg to adjust the tension.
Continue to cast off working your way around the loom.
To cast off Double loops, Lift the bottom stitch over the top stitch and over the peg. The peg now has one stitch left.
To cast off Triple loops, Lift the bottom stitch over the 2 upper stitches and over the peg. The peg now has 2 stitches left.

Continue working around the sock knitter, alternating between Looping and Casting off rows.
The knitting develops behind the pegs. After about 5-10 rows (depending on the thickness of your yarn) you will begin to see the knitted rows below the knitting loom. I found it much easier to control the tension once the sock had some length as I could gently tug on the bottom of the sock to keep the yarn from slipping off the pegs.