Rubbish Day, Talk to Me About Socks!

[glinda]

I've had a rubbish day at work and I'm trying to distract myself in a positive fashion.

So...knitters of dreamwidth, if you would, please tell me about your favourite sock patterns. I have a bunch of sock wool and I kinda hate the pattern that came with the wool. I'm therefore looking for recommendations for better sock patterns. What are your favourites? Why do you love them? Do you prefer starting at the cuff or toe-up socks? Magic loop or four pins? And what on earth is an 'after-thought heel'?

Comments

[beradan]

I've knit socks toe up and top down, magic loop and on five needles, and once two at a time on a magic loop, with heel flaps or short-row heels. I've also admired a lot of pretty, complicated patterns and (not for the complicated patterns) variegated and self-striping yarn.

...and what I've learned from all this is that what I really want in a sock is top down, five needles, just enough of a texture (not lace) to keep me from getting bored but not so much that I can't watch tv and knit, and a solid or tonal yarn in colors that match the rest of my wardrobe. I also have fairly large feet and am finding that it's better for me to go with a pattern that includes a large size than to try to fiddle with the pattern and hope for the best.

I've made Hermione's Everyday Socks (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hermiones-everyday-socks) and Nemesis (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/nemesis) and love them both, although Nemesis tends to fall down a bit, and I'm currently making Basket Weave Rib Socks (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/basket-weave-rib-socks).

I've also had Hwaet! (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hwaet) in my queue for literally seven years and may never be good enough at stranded colorwork to make it, but it's BEOWULF ON SOCKS so it's going to be in my queue forever even if it totally doesn't fit the rest of my sock preferences.

[glinda]

Beowulf socks! Those are amazing, though as much as I love colourwork, I feel combining colourwork and socks has the potential to go horribly wrong...