I'm a beginner knitter just learning and I saw this book stating that beginner knitters can knit socks.  Well I tried it and became frustrated and quit.  Maybe I'm not someone who can ever learn to knit socks.  Does anyone have any suggestions or help.

Wish I could. I kind of gave up on knitting myself. Socks were my last project. Maybe they just kill it for us?

I became determined to knit socks, too, about 2 years ago.  It's been a longer road than I thought.  I have finally almost finished my first pair (!).  My first sock is unattractive, in that it is all stretched out and lumpy, since I ripped it out and started over so many times, but my second sock is uniform and very sock-shaped, so I can see I learned alot just from "doing".  I think you need to just gut through your first sock, doing each step correctly of course, but don't worry so much about what the finished sock will look like.  Because, by the end of it, you will understand the whole process much better and that will help you knit all subsequent socks.   

I am lucky to have a yarn store right in town, and the proprietress will give walk-in help/lessons on any yarn project (if you buy from her, of course), and of course that helped me immensely.  I will say, when I went in the first time and told her I wanted to learn to knit socks, she would not let me begin with socks.  She said they are too confusing for beginner knitters.  I told her I did not want to knit just a scarf or something boring like that, so she had me start on mittens, believe it or not.  And they turned out to be easy!!  And because they were so easy, I knit about 4 pair before moving on.  They were great practice!!  After that, I knitted a sweater vest, and only then, after getting all that knitting under my belt, did she finally say I was probably ready to tackle socks.  In hind-sight, I appreciate now that she made me "learn the ropes".  So, I will caution you that if you are truly just a beginner knitter, socks may a frustrating place to learn.

All that said, there is a very nice website called knittinghelp.com which has short videos that, believe me, I have watched over and over, especially when I've had to rip out rows or pick up dropped stitches, which I (still) find very difficult to do.  They can show you how to turn the heels and all that.  I hope you find it helpful.

Good luck!!  It's exciting to finally be able to knit a sock that looks like a sock!!

Have you checked out this site?  I'm using it to knit my own first pair of socks.  I should be starting the heel flap tonight or tomorrow and so far it's been really helpful.

Alise, that site is awesome!!   I've been dying to try a pair of socks and just keep putting it off.  I can't wait to get started now.

A beginner learning to knit socks?  Wow - I admire that mbition!  I am a **beginning** beginner and I can't see doing socks for a very long time!  I just completed my first piece of knitting - it is a "thing".  Yep, a very ugly 4x6ish piece of knitting - perhaps it is a coaster.  Ha ha.  At any rate, the "thing" is ugly so I can't picture advancing much right now!  :)  But I feel I will persevere and thus will keep the "thing"to see how far I am progressing.

I would love to make socks someday, though. There were many pairs hanging on the wall when I took my beginner class and they all looked so snuggly warm!  And such funky patterns.

And thank goodness for knittinghelp.com!  I sit on the couch with the laptop right next to me.

Knit on!

I would suggest as a beginner sock knitter to use bulky yarn and large sized needles (like 13 or 15) and make slipper socks.   With the bulky yarn it goes quicker and you still get the basic idea.  Lionbrand has a pattern called Cottage slipper socks - I can make a pair in two days.   I have started (over a year ago) a "normal" sock knit pattern and I am still plowing my way through them. 

I have been knitting about 6 months and have become completely addicted.  I also wanted to learn how to knit socks but was completely terrified by the prospect of knitting with multiple needles.

I found the book "The Magic Loop" that allows you to knit smaller things with circular needles (genius!).  Then I found a pattern at Knitty.com called the "Training Sock" by Kate Atherley.  I successfully managed to knit a sock using this technique (after a few false starts).  The thing I like about that pattern is that you get through all the various parts of the sock with a lot less commitment in time and yarn.  I didn't feel bad about tearing it out and starting over.  I had turned the heel before I realized that it was supposed to be hard. 

Between the two of these, I can't imagine that anyone could think that socks are hard.  Next I am going to try knitting two at once (maybe I will wait until I do a full size sock).

I'm so excited -- I turned my first heel and made my first gussett last night!  I've got pics of my sock in it's not-quite-completed stage up at Ravelry.  I hope to finish and graft the first toe tonight so I can have a finished sock.  w00t!

That's great, Alise!!    I needed some motivation!!

I've been knitting for 2 or 3 years now. I was always able to figure out a pattern/project until it came to socks!  Ended up taking a sock class at my LYS - it was totally worth it.  I think some things are better learned hands on.