The basics – cuff down and toe up.
As I’ve mentioned before, my foray into yarny adventures began with crochet. After I crocheted for awhile, I realized how different knitting and crocheting are, and that each lends itself better to certain things. My original reason for wanting to learn to knit was so I could make socks. People do crochet socks, but all the ones I saw my friends making were knit, and I wanted to be able to do that too!
Sock knitting has been a difficult thing for me, for whatever reason. DPN’s do take some getting used to, and then there’s the heel turn, and getting the darn things to fit on my extra long feet! However, I will say, despite the struggles I’ve had, I still think a handmade pair of socks, even those like mine above, which don’t have any fancy pattern, are a crafter’s well-earned luxury. Most of the socks you buy at chain stores may be cheap, but they’re not made from superwash merino or alpaca and cashmere, and let’s be honest, they just don’t look half as cool! Most people would abhor the idea of spending $25+ on a single pair of socks (the going rate for a skein of fine sock yarn), and to make them means you’re completing practically as many stitches as you would if you made a sweater. However, I figure it’s a small price to pay for a really special luxury!
Toe-Up – given a choice, I do like toe-up better than cuff-down.
If you are new to sock knitting, I recommend that you find a very simple pattern to follow, or begin with Silver’s Sock Class. You can always use a variegated or self striping yarn as I did to give basic Stockinette interest. My first ever pair was done cuff down. I then decided I wanted to try toe-up, which is the second pair I just finished. There are many books on sock knitting, but when I’m learning something new, I like to stick to the basics for awhile. Now that I’ve tried the basic techniques and managed to finish two pairs, I’m ready to try a pair with a little more pattern. If you are struggling to make it through the second sock, I encourage you to push through to the finish, because you will be rewarded when you slip them on your feet!
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