I actually finished a pair of socks! These are my first pair of toe-up socks AND my first short row heel.. and I’m pretty happy with them. As you can see, the heel is a bit wonky but I don’t really expect that many people to be staring at it when I wear the socks. When I first finished them (Tuesday night) and put them on to look in the mirror.. I was struck with how absolutely ugly they were. I’m actually quite amused with them now… they’re so ugly that they’re cool, I think. The stats on the socks are as follows:
- Wendy’s “Figure 8″ Cast on
- measurements from the Universal Toe Up pattern
- size 2 US dpns for the foot and 32″ size 2 US circular for the cuff (magic loop)
- Regia Crazy Colors 4ply (from Jane’s destash sale sometime last year) in the “I seem to have misplaced the ballband” colorway. I do remember that the name had something to do with fruit.. “Tutti Fruitti” or something.
- completion time: shockingly.. I think these only took a week.
I’ve knit about 2 pairs of socks (plus numerous ’strays’) using the standard ‘top down’ technique.. and I have to say that for me personally.. I prefer the toe-up method. I feel like they go faster because there isn’t all of that increasing and decreasing for the toe and the gusset - I could just knit without really thinking about what row I was on.. or which way the increases needed to lean.. etc. I also prefer the short-row heel to the heel flap because it doesn’t require a lot of steps.. when you’ve run out of wrapped stitches (unless you’ve screwed up royally) you’re back at the number you started with and you can just pop the instep stitches back on needles and continue to knit.
I’ve just turned the heel on the pointy Koigu sock which is not so pointy anymore after its emergency toe-up surgery.. and I’m about to start a patterned cuff. Watch out.. not only am I now knitting socks.. but I’m knitting “girly lacy” socks too. I’ve crossed over to the dark side people..