Lolly posted some questions for the Socktoberfest participants. I would have answered them days ago, except that life keeps getting in the way! So, without further ado:
When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?
I taught myself how to make socks with the book Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles. I admit I saw the same yarn on someone else’s blog and was overcome by an urge to make myself the same fabulous green stripey socks!
What was your first pair? How have they “held up” over time?
I made these socks in February, 2003. They were a tad bit loose, so they’re not the first handknit socks I reach for in the drawer, and they tend to get a little less wear than the other socks I’ve knit. That being said, they’ve been worn and washed many, many times and they still look great. (And I *gasp* dry them in the dryer…)
What would you have done differently?
Measured better? I’m really picky about socks being too long and bunching up in my shoes. I didn’t know that until after I knit my first pair of socks, though!
What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
I haven’t really found a sock yarn I haven’t enjoyed. My favorites are probably Austerman Step, with aloe right in the yarn, and (of course) Koigu. I also really like the wool/cotton blends I’ve used, though I haven’t actually made myself a pair of those so I don’t know how they hold up.
Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
I knit socks with the Magic Loop method. I used 2 circulars for the first few pairs but found the extra needles hanging off the sock to be annoying. I also didn’t like having to sort out which end I needed to pick up next. (And forget DPNs. I consider them a necessary evil for a very few things, but you won’t catch me using them by choice!)
Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
Um, I have no preference. Short-row is faster, but flaps are more easily customized. I’ve done both types on both toe-up and cuff-down socks, and I think they each have their uses. I tend to use short-row when making socks for other people because I think they fit a wider range of heel shapes.
How many pairs have you made?
Counting the “secret” pairs I haven’t published on my blog yet? How about the tiny baby socks I made for Carrie that she only wore once before she outgrew them? Including all of those, 19 pairs. I think – well, somewhere in the 18-20 range, anyway. Many of those can be seen on my sock page. Note that I’m not counting the (at least) four pair of socks in various states on needles in my craft room…
Tune in tomorrow when I should have a picture of my latest sock-in-progress, which I will then be ripping out mercilessly. It’s a very important lesson in choosing the right yarn for the right pattern, which I did not do. It’s also a very important lesson in trusting your instincts and not continuing to knit when you know it’s not working out!
