Socktoberfest Plans

Naturally, the plan includes socks. I joined Socktoberfest, and I just managed to post my first photo to the Flickr group. It’s an FO!

I finally finished the Rib and Cable Socks in CTH Supersock Potluck Brights! They were great socks to knit, but they seemed to take a while. There was some pooling of the darkest red in the colorway, but I liked how the colors worked out. I do have one pattern mistake design change. On the instep I started doing the cable one row earlier than in the leg. Counting is hard for me; I only got through my doctorate in school. Luckily, I realized my “design input” before I got to that point on the second sock, so I was able to knit it like the first.

Now I need to finish Nancy’s peacock socks; I’m on the knit even portion of the second foot. I can see the finish! I have an error change of design in these socks also. I did the K1, Sl1, psso in the toe decreases by slipping purlwise not knitwise. This made the decrease much more prominent, but I’m OK with it.

Lolly, Creator and Moderator of Socktoberfest, posed some questions for paticipants (over 1400–a lot of people are knitting socks this month!) to answer. So here goes:

* When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?
I started making socks last Fall. In late Spring of 2004 I underwent some surgery that required substantial recuperation. My mom flew out to help me and M for the first two weeks. She brought along some sock yarn, dpns, and a basic sock pattern. She had never knit a sock either, but while I did some beading, she knit her first pair of socks. I saw the process first hand (turning the heel was like magic!), and I decided to try it myself. It took me awhile to get to it as I was doing a lot of beading, but a year ago I used the pattern Mom used, and the whole heel turn thing worked for me too!

* What was your first pair? How have they “held up” over time?
My 1st pair were a K2 P2 rib with a st st foot. They were cuff down with a round heel and a grafted toe. The yarn was Brown Sheep Wildfoote in Ragtime. Late last Spring I got a hole in the cuff of one sock. I think I must have caught it on something. I can be hard on my handknits.

* What would you have done differently?
I would have used a smaller needle size. I used US 2, I think US 1 would have made a denser, more comfortable fabric.

* What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
I have really enjoyed Cherry Tree Hill Supersock and Fleece Artist Merino. Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock is also really nice. I just received some Schaeffer Anne from SSYC. I can’t wait to try it; it is so soft. I am also eager to try some Trekking XXL I’ve purchased. I have a significant sock yarn stash. I can’t tell you how large my sock yarn stash is because my mother reads my blog.

* Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
I use dpns. I don’t understand what the Magic Loop method is, but I am curious to know, although I really like dpns.

* Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
I prefer flaps. I’ve not tried a short row heel, but I’ve heard a lot of people say it doesn’t fit that well. I don’t like how manufactured socks fit, and they seem to have short row heels.

* How many pairs have you made?
10 pairs–Not enough! Must get back to knitting!

Tomorrow: buttons for the La Gran cardigan! They’re really pretty.