2014 Operation Sock Drawer Roundup

Though I had knit a few pairs of socks before, I'd count 2014 as the year I became A Sock Knitter, thanks in large part to The Knitmore Girls' Operation Sock Drawer.

I began 2014 with exactly TWO pairs of handknit socks in my drawer:

Pattern:  Anne's Magic Stripes
Finished:  January 7, 2011

Pattern:  Vidia Socks
Finished:  July 11, 2013

In January of 2014, spurred on by Operation Sock Drawer, I set out to find a sock pattern that I loved, something easy enough not to need my undivided attention for every stitch, but with enough to it to maintain my interest from first stitch to last.  I figured that finding such a pattern (or two) would be the key to my becoming A Sock Knitter instead of just a knitter who has made socks.  I knew my "go-to" pattern would be for knitting two-at-a-time to prevent "Second Sock Syndrome", but I was open to both toe-up and top-down methods.

Behold my progress:

Pattern:  Summer Clog Socks
Finished:  January 11, 2014

Pattern:  Super Simple Short Sock
Finished:  January 18, 2014

Pattern:  Lifestyle Toe-Up Socks, No Swatch Needed
Finished:  February 28, 2014

Pattern:  Super Simple Short Sock
Finished:  March 10, 2014

Pattern:  Lifestyle Toe-Up Socks, No Swatch Needed
Finished:  March 24, 2014

Pattern:  Lifestyle Toe-Up Socks, No Swatch Needed
Finished:  April 12, 2014
(Birthday Gift for My Sister)

Pattern:  Lifestyle Toe-Up Socks, No Swatch Needed
Finished:  May 17, 2014

Pattern:  Lifestyle Toe-Up Socks, No Swatch Needed
Finished:  July 14, 2014

Pattern:  Skimmer Socks
Finished:  October 30, 2014
(Much-Belated Birthday Gift For my BFF, Bobbi)

Pattern:  Lifestyle Toe-Up Socks - No Swatch Needed
Finished:  January 9, 2015
I was SO upset with how I messed these up that I
didn't even bother to take a picture of the FO.

Not counting baby booties knit from sock yarn, I knit 10 pairs of socks in 2014 (OK, that last pair was finished in 2015, but I'm still counting them for 2014).

SO, my "go-to" default pattern has become Lifestyle Toe-Up Socks - No Swatch Needed, a free Ravelry download by Charisa Martin Cairn.  I've used a couple of different heel methods, but I'm not ready yet to declare a "go-to" toe technique.  I *DO* know that I prefer most often to knit them in a 3x1 (k3,p1) rib.  Sometimes, I get a little bored and throw in some eyelets or something funky, but they're pretty much just 3x1 rib from as soon as the toe increases are done to the bind-off.

When I want to knit shorter socks, I've taken to just knitting the Lifestyle socks but stopping sooner.   The Super Simple Short Sock was enjoyable to knit, fit well (if I knit a few more rounds than specified in the pattern), and I like the feel of the heel, but I hate kitchener stitch with the fire of a thousand suns.