This was my first top-down sock project. I did the lace pattern all the way down the front of the sock instead of stopping at the heel. The yarn is luscious and perfect for the simple lace pattern. The top-down construction method was easy; the only problem I had was with the kitchener toe.
Jury's out on whether the socks wear well. (I am hard on socks.)
Thanks! I've worn them twice so far. They are thinner than my standard socks so I think wearing them in tighter shoes will help; they make my feet slide around in my standard shoes.
It took me a while to decide to knit socks because I thought "Why spend all that money and time on something I can buy for $5?" But then I tried anyway. And I found that having socks that I knit myself completely delights me. Fun colors are a bonus.
Thanks - I think I won't be wearing them for dog walking any more, but I'm generally not a "save things for special occasions" kind of gal. I would rather be regularly delighted by something even if I don't get to keep it for long than to set it aside (where I tend to forget about it).
I noticed on your ravelry entry it says these are your first top-down socks. Could you recommend a good, easy to understand toe-up pattern to someone who has only made top-down? I've tried the Wendy's Toe Up pattern that comes up in google and my brain doesn't get it. I have some koigu that I want to make the tallest socks possible out of, so I'd like to give toe-up another go.
I use a mishmosh of patterns, but I do really like what I've come up with in the combination. I use the "magic cast on" method, and usually cast on a total of 20 stitches. Then I increase to size according to the size charts in Sensational Knitted Socks. If I use a stitch pattern, it's usually from SKS. I use the short row heel from SKS, but use the wrap pickup technique from misocrafty (http://misocrafty.squarespace.com/journal/2006/9/21/short-row-heel-tutorial.html), which results in hole-free heels. In terms of binding off, I have mostly used the Zimmerman sewn bind off, but I've also used the bind off here: http://www.grumperina.com/knitblog/archives/2006/06/so_i_knit_him_a_1.htm which results in a pretty loose cuff.
Listen to annaoj, who has much more sock experience than I do. (I've only knit 4 pairs so far.) I haven't been completely happy with any toe-up pattern I've come across. That said -
The next pair I knit two at a time using KnitPicks "two at once toe-up sock pattern" (http://knitpicks.com/Two+At+Once%2c+Toe-Up+Sock+Pattern_PD50417220.html). The benefit of this pattern is that you really get to use all of the yarn, because you don't have to worry about having enough for the second sock. But it's not an easy pattern to follow either, at least not for a first-timer.
My third pair was done with worsted yarn using the Ruth's Socks pattern (http://www.knitlist.com/98gift/ruthssocks.htm) except that I used a different cast-on. I had holes in the heels again.
If I knew what you didn't get about Wendy's pattern I might be able to point to tutorials for those particular parts.
The cast on is specifically what makes no sense to me. I tried it about a million times before giving up.
If I ever make it back to my stitch n' bitch group, I'll have to have annaoj demo the cast on for me -- I'm pretty sure she did for me once long ago, but my silly brain retained very little. :(
I know about three cast-ons for toe-up socks: The magic cast-on (there are two variants that I know of - the Two-At-Once pattern I mentioned uses it, and there are tutorials at Knitty), the provisional cast-on (which Wendy's pattern and the Knitty Toe-Up pattern use), and the cast-on where you start with a little square (which the Ruth's Socks pattern uses).
I haven't used the "little square" cast-on but it seems like it would be easiest.
I found the magic cast-on tricky but that was because I was working with this really slippery stretchy sock yarn. If I had practiced first with worsted I don't think it would have been as much of a problem.
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