I knitted these socks (clarification: am actually still knitting these socks) at the DK Sock Knitting class at Fancy Tiger Crafts Co-Op in Denver. It was a great class--the 5th class I have taken there and the 3rd about socks.

My goals in taking the class were:

1) To make socks with a bit heavier yarn (DK rather than sock or fingering weight) so I could move faster. Making socks with the DK weight is good way to make them faster and perfect technique.

2) To use a simple technique for knitting socks two at a time: use two needles, knit the cuff of one then the cuff of the other, the leg of one then the leg of the other, etc., so that you knit them in unison but don’t have to use a fiddly two-at-a-time technique. This avoids single-sock syndrome (of which I have several).

3) Figure out once and for all how to eliminate the dreaded hole at the top of the gusset (I have tried two ways and not yet an expert--see below).

4) To have a template for my foot measurements and making socks that fit. I have some very lovely floppy house-elf socks that are nice and warm for wearing at home and one the big side.

The pattern was generally excellent, but it should not tell you to pick up the last stitch of the heel flap in the ladder between the heel flap and inste. That will make a hole for sure. I tried two techniques: 1) picking up one leg of each stitch on either side of the ladder between the instep and gusset (our Fancy Tiger teacher taught us this) and 2) picking up an extra stitch from the columns of stitches that extends into the leg of the socks, i.e., Kate Atherley’s method. I’m not sure I have found the idea method.

I used Suzanne Bryan’s method for closing the toe with Kitchener Stitch without having bumps (“dog ears”) at the sides. It worked really well!

My socks DO fit, so I think I have my measurement and gauge down, at least for the DK socks. Because they go fast I will try another pair and try to perfect the technique of picking up stitches to avoid the whole.