Socks! Socks! Socks! The bane of my knitting existence! How can such a small project be so challenging to a long time knitter? I swear they ARE worse than a poke in the eye with a sharp size 1 knitting needle!
I’ve made a commitment to give this a go for lots of reasons and frankly they ARE an extremely portal project. When you commute (hands free) a long distance to and from work, this is a Must Have feature. And even though they were hard for me, so far I have managed to complete two pairs—one for me and one for my husband. Just 4 little socks in all.
Oddly the first pair went okayish—a top down reasonable simple pattern from KnitPicks Sockacular! I found a bug in the afterthought heel pattern, but quickly sorted that out.
Then I knit a toe up pair from the same book ones for me I had *crazy* problems. Like a strand crossover on the heel—just for one single stitch. How the heck?!? You might ask. I don’t know! So after finishing—literally casting off—I had to tear it back to the instep. I was so frustrated I knit the other sock to completion (in only 3 tries) before tearing it out the first one just to make sure I wanted to complete the project at all.
And toe up? I cannot cast on a single sock without tearing it out at least five times. top count? 10 tries. I’ve watched different methods on YouTube, read up on it, nothing helps except try, try, try, try some more, try, try again. Each toe is a painful reminder that there has to be an easier way.
On my present pair I’m on the 12th cast on, third heel and the 6th instep of a Basket Rib patterned pair. By now, I’ve surely knit enough fabric to create thigh-high stockings for Boban Marjanović of the Detroit Pistons or hip wader liners for Ryan Pickett of the Green Bay Packers.
I’m going forward—there is no turning back with the myriad of sock yarns I’ve purchased to quench my husband’s new found hankering for ones made by yours truly. So if you know of the truly EASIEST sock pattern for sock (fingering) yarns. I’m all ears!
Orcas Island Knitting 
I admire you for not giving up! 👏 Your finished socks look great!
I am constantly ripping things back. I keep reminding myself that I am ripping for joy. Though, it is frustrating.
I love the Basic Sock pattern from Church Churchmouse Yarns. It was the pattern for my first socks that was recommended by my LYS. I like how it breaks down the anatomy of a sock. It is top-down and uses dpns.
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I’ll have to try it! 🙂
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Noting the date of your original blog, I’m sure you are an amazing sock knitter by now. I started knitted socks soon after I learned to knit (seemed the thing to do). I bought the Big Book of Socks, and it’s my go to, even though I’m enchanted by all the beautiful sock patterns out there. It takes you from the simplest to very intricate socks, so you learn something new with each pair. Lots of cuffs, and different types of heels. I have learned to LOVE knitting socks, and they are the thing my family and friends ask for the most. I No longer knit socks for my husband unless they are super wash, or synthetic, because he either leaves them next to the bed for the German Sheep-herd puppy (duh) to re-purpose, or throws them into a basket of white clothes which I bleach and wash and dry on hot. Then they make great house socks for my 2 yr old granddaughter.
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I have gotten much better at it. These days I always have a pair on the needles. It’s such a great travel project!
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