My first toe-up socks. Originally I started toe-up Jaywalkers but I ran into problems so I decided to just do those another day top-down. I like toe-up socks because you can try them on. This is a very easy pattern to knit as well. A good candidate for a first sock pattern. It’s also one of those patterns that goes well with all sock yarn. As for toe-up vs. top-down, I wouldn’t say I love one technique over the other yet, but I do love sock knitting in general. Same goes with the heels, I like the short row heel I used.

Anastasia Socks, started June 16th 2008, finished July 1st, 2008
Pattern: Anastasia Socks by MintyFresh
Yarn: DGB Confetti 100 Cotton (100g/418 yards – 35% cotton 49% wool 16% nylon – #15.04) 1 skein
Needles: US#1/2.25mm 100cm metal Hiya-Hiya circs – Magic Looping

Magic Cast Oned 28 sts so I could avoid using a short row toe. I hate provisional cast ons where I must pick up from scrap yarn. As a result, I love the Magic CO and will use it for all my toe-up socks unless another good non-provisional CO comes along. A tip for increasing from 28 to the 60 is using a YO and then knitting it through the back loop in the second knit row. I find this achieves a better increase than M1A or KFB.

Modifications: Magic Cast On and miscocrafty’s short-row heel (which involves picking up two wraps and passing them over k st)
Lessons Learned: Magic Cast On, short row heel, and EZ’ sewn BO (which I think I learned before, but don’t know for what)
Cost of Project: $12 approx.
Would I knit it again? Maybe, but not for awhile. The pattern says to knit foot until 1.5″, I think one can start it at 2″ before heel. There is some room in the foot. I could have probably knit another 0.5-1″ of leg too, but I’m always scared of running out of yarn.
Helpful Links:

• Magic Cast On on Knitty
• Cart Bordhi’s youtube video of Magic CO
• misocrafty’s short row heel