After finishing one pair of socks, I was confident I could figure out another pair for Sock Week
While I originally set a goal to learn how to knit just so I could have my own pair of handknit socks, I enjoyed it so much that I knew I couldn’t stop there. There are so many sock knitting techniques out there to try and I wanted to learn them all! I don’t just want a pair of socks; I want the perfect pair of socks. I generally enjoy learning new skills and knitting has been a great medium for creative education. While you can follow along at the Great Sock Knitting Journey tab here on my blog, you can stay more up to date on my knitting journey in real time on Instagram @crowchetcreations or through the hashtag #GreatSockKnittingJourney. I shared my original goal here as well as my experience with some previous beginner knitting projects like a headband and a yarn cozy. You can even read about my entire experience knitting my first pair of socks here! I plan to continue sharing about each step in this process, including what patterns I follow and yarn I use as well as any new things I learn along the way.
Since my very first pair of socks were constructed toe up, I decided I wanted my next pair of socks to be cuff down. I made sure to cast them on June 1 so that they would count for Summer Sock Camp as hosted by @thecrazysocklady. I had not yet finished my first pair of socks when I cast them on (hence why they took a while), but I finished both socks during Sock Week hosted by @knittynatty, which was in the middle of July this year. Keep reading to learn more about this pair of socks!
Plan of Attack
I knew even before I started my first pair of socks that I wanted to use the I’m So Basic Socks pattern by @summer.lee.knits for my first cuff down socks. It was one of the original patterns I found as I prepared to learn how to knit, and it is completely free!
I cast my first sock on while in the car on our road trip move from Texas to California. I chose to use some yarn I purchased in Texas from Ewe 2 Yarn since it seemed fitting for the occasion. I bought both the main color and the mini skein on sale for being the last one of its color, though I found them separately and was so happy to match them together (I’m a very matchy-matchy person). I knit the large size on size 1 Chiaogoo 9″ circular needles. Since the pattern starts at the cuff, I worked the 2 x 1 rib (as called for in the pattern) in my contrast color and then switched to the main color for my leg.
Hung Up on the Heel
While I made some good progress in the car, one we arrived at our final destination I was busy getting our family settled. I also had my second toe-up sock to finish first! This sock pattern includes a heel flap and gusset, and although I tackled it for my first pair of socks, I was still intimidated by working those components backwards from what I had already done. And while I was familiar with the technique, I was by no means confident at it. I stalled out halfway through the heel flap since working the heel made me nervous I would make a drastic mistake!
One thing I did learn while working the first heel was that K2tog is not the same thing as BLO K2tog! While it seems obvious, I didn’t realize until I was working my first sock’s gusset that my decreases looked different and out of place on one side. As soon as I realized my mistake, I made a mental note to knit that part correctly on my second sock heel. Just because one pattern used BLO K2tog doesn’t mean every pattern will! I definitely think it is worth trying a lot of different styles of sock knitting so you can figure out what you like best.
But when Sock Week rolled around, I knew it would feel so great to finish the entire pair by the end of the week. I made it my goal to work on both socks every day to be able to have a finished pair.
Sock Week Schedule
Natalie of @knittynatty set up a recommended schedule for Sock Week to help participants stay on track. For my cuff down sock:
Day 1: cast on, cuff
Days 2-3: leg
Day 4: heel
Days 5-6: foot
Day 7: toe, bind off
Day 8: *buffer*
Some days were easier than others to stay on track, and once I caught up for the day on my second sock I would turn to my first sock and try to make some progress. It was so funny seeing both socks in progress but not at the same point in the project! I am not a fast knitter, but I worked diligently and pretty much only worked on this pair of socks during Sock Week. I needed the buffer day to finish my socks in time, but I kept to the schedule well enough that it wasn’t stressful. I was just so proud of myself for working hard to finish this pair of socks!
Finishing Off
I finished both socks on the last day of Sock Week. I tried a new skill, the kitchener stitch, to graft the top and bottom of the toe together and close my socks. I really enjoyed the repetition of the kitchener stitch, but I found that my edges looked a bit sloppy. The middle of my grafting looked seamless though! I think it is a technique I will have to practice.
Final Fit
I adore how my yarn worked up. It was a joy to watch the colors come to life in the stitches of my socks! And the contrast color I found was ideal for making the red tones of my main color yarn pop. I feel like my socks look sophisticated and coordinated.
I am a little less thrilled by the fit of my socks, however. I think I can ultimately blame my weird foot shape for that though. When compared with the length of my foot (which is pretty average), the balls of my feet are very wide. The rest of my foot isn’t nearly that wide, so when I made my socks according to the ball of my foot they ended up a little bit loose on the rest of the foot. My toes are also shorter than normal. So when I followed the pattern instructions for when to start the toes of my socks, My socks turned out a little longer than I would like.
So my beautiful socks are a little long and loose for my personal preference, but I still get lots of use out of them. And now I understand a little better the shaping that my foot needs so I can make the next pair of socks more ideal.
Overall, I am happy with these socks and learned a lot in the process. There are so many sock techniques and styles to try out, so I will be sure to keep experimenting until I find the perfect fit for me. I will continue to share here on my blog as well as more of the process in real time through my Instagram @crowchetcreations and through the hashtags #CrowchetCreations and #GreatSockKnittingJourney. Make sure to follow along and share with me where you are on the journey to make your perfect pair of socks!
Happy making!
XO, Emily
