I am working on a pair of socks right now. I just finished turning the heel. I love this part of the work. Once the heel is done, it's smooth sailing. I can just zip through stockinette stitch for the next fifty rows. It's relaxing, easy, and rewarding. The toe feels like the home stretch. I finish with kitchener stitch, which I always find very satisfying. Every time I do it, though, I have to watch the video again. I'm just not quite sure of the beginning. I think I should take some notes, and write them on my sock pattern. That way I will remember it. I hate to be so dependent on technology when I'm knitting.I want to really know it.
One of the questions I get a lot from people, (especially knitters,) is "Is it hard to make socks?" Yes and no. I find the beginning is easy. I knit my socks from the top down, beginning with the cuff. I use a long tail cast on, and I do a knit one pearl one rib for the leg portion. I find this fits me better, because it's elasticized. If I just do stockinette, the top tends to bag. I have thin ankles. Your build has a lot to do with sizing in knitting.
The yarn you choose makes a huge difference in your knitting experience. The first pair of socks I made were with dark blue merino wool sock yarn. I was very thin, more like thread. I hadn't been knitting for very long, maybe for six months. I struggled. I could barely see the yarn, because it was so dark. I kept dropping stitches. My knitting teacher told me that it was very difficult yarn, especially for a beginner. The lady who sold me the yarn wasn't a sock knitter. I spent a lot of time crying over my mistakes, and my dog kept looking at me like she felt guilty. (She thinks that everything is her fault.) I finished that pair, and bought some more sock yarn. This time I chose a brand that was slightly thicker, and had a variety of colors. It made such a difference! I picked pastels, which were easy to see and to count. I had such a better experience with that yarn. It was so much more pleasant and enjoyable to knit with it.
I learned to make socks on tiny circular needles. I also use double pointed needles, for the toes. I find with the circulars, I can go faster. The double pointed needles are fun, and people are so impressed by them. They make knitting look much more complex and difficult than it actually is. They're a great conversation piece. My father refers to them as "sticks".
I find it's very important to use yarn with nylon in it for sock knitting. That way the socks will last and be durable. You also don't want to walk around on nylon carpeting when wearing hand knit socks. That will wear holes in them. I like to wear mine with slippers.
Tomorrow I'll write about knitting the heel of the sock, which is considered the "hard part". Once you get the hang of it, it becomes easy. Most things in life are that way. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. I would love to read some comments. I feel like I'm talking to myself out here. Well, I do that anyway...
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