Another pair done

Pair 2 of 2012 done.

Typical on the desk photo but I guess better than nothing. This Leyburn sock pattern really ate up the yarn. Pair weighed in at 82-83g yet the leg is only a bit over 2". I had 85g to work with, so that was as long as I could get. Pretty socks.

I cast off and immediately cast on for the next sock. Plan is to cast on 2 socks....one in worsted weight(on the needles now) and one in fingering weight.

The worsted weight will be knit top down, out of my comfort food zone. I dislike a lot of things about top down socks. Some people love them, some people don't. I'm one of the don't group. I have top down socks, that won't convert to toe up well, on my wish list so it's time to start pushing the skill again. It will be my first time with a heel flap and gusset. In the past, the top down socks were made with afterthought heels or short row heels.

Not very surprising, I still don't like top down socks. The cast on is a hassle, connecting so it isn't twisted is a hassle (I even know all the tricks), hoping the cast on was loose enough, fighting the first few rows still irritating, and I haven't even finished the ribbing! Frustrations to follow....not knowing how long I can make the leg and still have enough to complete two socks, having purl stitches under my heel*, potentially discovering my cast on was too tight and having to rip back the entire heel and leg, ladder on the starting side **, having to kitchener the toe***.

All of which is why I am making them out of worsted weight so it will be over quickly. I want to make sure they don't infuriate me before casting on a top down, fingering weight, pair.

The second cast-on of fingering weight will be my comfort socks. Toe-up!

*I have somewhat princess soles. I don't mind the purl bumps that result in knitting all stitches of the sole but I can feel every bump and row if there is any change in gauge. Which means I can feel the row changes from knit to purl.

**For what every reason, I have no ladder problems when making toe-up socks. With toe down though, I fight a ladder, the first few inches, on the starting side no matter how much I tug and tighten. I have high hopes that it will one day clear up due to more practice.

***Kitchener. I can do it successfully every time. It usually looks perfect. I don't like doing it (go figure, I do a sewn cast off for toe-up socks and love that). I can feel the difference when I wear them.