Hats Off to Socktoberfest

I promise a post with photos tomorrow of the FO hat that came off the needles late last night/early this morning. It's worth its own post.

It is strange that for Socktoberfest so far, I have been knitting hats instead of socks. I lurve socks, but I think the pressure of Sock Wars got to me a little bit. So I've been on an almost two-week hiatus.

So I thought I would answer Lolly's sock history questions to get back in the mood for sock-knitting. Here goes:

1. When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

Originally, I wanted to tackle my fear of the DPNs, so I jumped in to this pattern online. I made it through the foot, turned the heel and when I got back to the ankle, the sock was barely wide enough for Slim's 1-year-old foot, much less the Cap'n's (the intended giftee). Not sure where I read the pattern wrong. So I took my second class at Stitch DC, taught by the mucho knowledgeable Karida. She used Judy Gibson's toe-up sock pattern to get us started.

2. What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?

The first pair was made from Patons Classic Merino in Deep Olive for the Cap'n. I love me some Patons. Who can argue with cheap 100% wool in a wide range of colors? I used the Purled Ladder pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks for the legs, and made them as long as his other favorite camping socks. They are his favorite hiking socks right now.

3. What would you have done differently?

I'm pretty sure Patons is hand wash, and I would have made the Cap'n's socks machine washable. I think they've accidently gone through the machine, so they have felted a small bit. I also didn't really know how to bind off well, so both socks are a little funky at the top.

3. What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

Claudia's Handpainted is really nice to work with, as is Lorna's Laces. I still want some Cherry Tree Hill and Koigu KPPM to try.

4. Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

I adore DPNs, particularly Brittanys and bamboo. I really hated Bryspun plastics (too bend-y) and got frustrated with havnig only 4 needles instead of 5 Boyes. My first Magic! Loop! sock project is still on the needles. Honestly I started getting ladders with Magic! Loop!, which I NEVER do with dpns. Hello. Tight Knitter here. Also, I'm trying two socks at once. So it's slow going.

5. Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

My next sock challenge will be a short row heel. I prefer toe-up socks with what I guess you could call a backward heel flap. I did a pair of forethought heels on the Welt Fantastic socks, which came out nipply. I think there might be a solution to that, however, with the next ones.

6. How many pairs have you made?

I think six. That's pretty impressive for not quite a year of knitting, I think. I'm trying to keep up with my Sock-a-Month commitment, so hopefully there will be 3 more before year's end. I still want to finish a pair for myself. Until my Socks of Doom arrived, I still hadn't had a pair for myself. And WOW, do I want more now.

Well, that actually has inspired me to get back on my main pair of socks OTN. They are my chevron, striped Law School Socks (formerly aka Job Search Socks).

Knitting on...