Socktoberfest!

Photos will follow in a day or two, but for now I must hop on the bandwagon and complete the Socktoberfest 2006 questionnaire.

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

I did my first pair around 2001, when my mom bought me some self-striping Regia sock yarn.  To that point, I had never worked with a yarn any finer than DK, so it was a huge adjustment.  I taught myself using a generic freebie pattern.

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

They are red/gray/black and white jacquard.  I believe I worked that initial pair on metal dpns, using a generic pattern that came with the purchase of the yarn.  I still have them and wear them occasionally.

What would you have done differently?

Nothing.  They are far from perfect and a great knitting memory for me.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

I have quite an Opal problem, striped, solid or otherwise.  I also great enjoy Plymouth Sockotta and have had terrific luck with the Knitpicks yarns.  I still return to Regia when I want inexpensive and sturdy socks.  I have some Cherry Tree Hill I have yet to make socks with, but I love the look and feel of it.

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

While I have at times been a very avid crocheter, I think crocheting is for household things (throws, afghans) and prefer my garment to be knit.  For my first three years of sock knitting, you couldn't have wrestled my Pony Pearl dpns out of my hands.  Now, I typically work my socks either on 2 circulars or using the magic loop.

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

While I like the mechanics of doing a short row heel, I prefer the result of a flap.  I do toe-up with gussets, a shaped bottom flap and a turned heel flap.  I think my socks look like top-down ones.

How many pairs have you made?

Yikes.  Definitely more than 50.  Probably closer to 80.  I couldn't begin to account for all of the pairs I have mailed to friends all over the planet.