I’m knitting a pair of socks right now. Pattern? Heh. I don’t really use one.
What I do (for you knitters out there), is a figure-8 cast-on toe-up sock knit in a stockingette with short row heels and a 2X2 rib for the cuff. It’s the way I made the first pair of socks I ever made, and I like the basic idea.
I don’t even know if I do the short-rows “right”, mind. But since the shape works, I don’t really care.
Hand-knit socks are funny. If you’ve never worn them, the idea of getting socks as a gift seems a bit lame. I get that. But I’ll tell you what, the look on a person’s face when they first try on a well-knit pair of hand-knit wool socks is funny as can be. They look apprehensive at first, trying them on. They don’t want to offend, but really, it’s a sock. How exciting can a sock be? Besides, a hand-knits sock made to the specs of a specific person’s foot can look weirdly-shaped — not at all like commercial socks.
So here the person in, trying on… socks. How silly. They poke in the toe, and slide it over the foot gingerly. After all, this is something hand-knit, and the maker is right there. What if they <gasp> tear the sock that the knitter is clearly so proud of? How are they supposed to react? Then, as the sock slides over the foot and nestles over the heel, the wearer gets this goofy look of bliss on their face, holds out the foot and wiggles the toes. There is this dawning look of delight, rotating the foot and grinning.
You knitters know what I’m talking about. I just wish I’d the sense to get pictures of people trying on hand-knit socks for the first time.