Not my first socks (this is my second pair), but they are socks of many firsts!

• First moccasin toe
• First afterthought heel
• First patterned foot (seaweed pattern)
• First time on 9” circular
• First time knitting 2 socks at a time (magic loop)

I’m learning via Donna Druchunas’s “Knit Original Toe-Up Socks” class on Craftsy.com.

Swatching: Hmmmm. OK, I swatched using the 9” circular needle I bought (2.75 mm, the smallest size the store had), but I don’t think the fabric is knit tight enough for socks. Also, I notice that my hands ache in places they don’t usually ache when I knit: clearly these 9” needles require different muscles to hold the needle and move the work along. I’m sure I would get used to it, but I can’t say I’m heartbroken that I won’t be using this short circular needle for these socks. Moving on to a smaller diameter for magic loop (which I’m very familiar with), but first time knitting 2 socks at a time.

For the record:
Gauge using 2.75 mm (worked flat, not in the round, even though I should have swatched in the round, I know), St st: 22 sts/3” (7.33 sts/inch) and 11 rows/inch

Gauge using 2.25 mm, seaweed pattern (as provided in the online Craftsy class): 30 sts is 3.25”, so 9.23 sts/inch. 24 rows/2”, so 12 rows/inch.

M (main number of sts for foot, as calculated on sock-planning worksheet in course materials): 78.

Cuff will be 2×1 ribbing, and 78 divides into 3, so, sweet.

Toe: Moccasin. Tricky and not particularly enjoyable, but that might be because I’m learning new techniques/construction. (Re: 2-at-a-time construction, I’m following Donna’s advice and completing both toes before moving forward with magic loop 2-at-a-time. Given how this toe journey went, I’d say that’s solid advice.)

FROGGING BACK: after the first pattern repeat on the foot, I could tell that the sock width fit but could be more snug, so I frogged back to 72 sts in the toe (78 - 6 b/c 6-stitch pattern repeat). I think I will enjoy wearing the socks more this way. So when Donna says to round down if the fabric is stretchy, she means it!

Afterthought heel: put (or knit) sts onto scrap yarn when sock is up to the anklebone (when stretched onto the foot), or about 2” less than the length of the sock.

Picking up afterthought heel stitches: This part is terrifying! I’ve done it before for mittens but not with yarn so fine. I went slowly and watched the Craftsy video lesson as well as the Knit Picks afterthought thumb for mittens tutorial.

After picking up the live stitches (36 on each needle + 1 exta wonky “side stitch” on each needle), I worked 2 plain rounds before starting the heel decreases. I decreased down to 13 sts on each needle, then grafted the heel closed. (Nope. I ended up wishing it was a bit tighter, so I frogged back and at 17 sts on each needle, I stopped doing rest rounds and decreased every round down to 11.)