can you get an accurate gauge from knitting a smallish tube, maybe 3 inches across when flattened, i want to make sure that my gauge is good before i start knitting up some socks, but the way most places have you do a circular gauge doesn’t really work for me because the back strands just pull the fabric together.
Knitting a gauge in the round
The back strands have to be VERY loose and droopy. It does work, but it looks a little weird.
I don’t know if a tube that size will work or not. Honestly though if you’re going to knit a tube I’d just go for it with the socks. Are they just basic socks? If your ankles and feet are average size and you’re using fingering weight a cast on of 64 is usually just fine. That’s what I did and I’ve never had a problem.
the problem i have with the back strands is that i knit tightly so as soon as i knit the second stitch in a row, all the slack is pulled tight… and i really think i do need a gauge, i wear size 9 us men’s (I’m a man, btw) and i want the socks to fit me.
The small tube will only frustrate you,sorry:grphug:
Instead, I would do a flat piece 4"x4" for gauge. I would use the circular needles and just go back and forth instead of around. Give yourself some time and relax when you are knitting…listen to music:mrgreen:
Keep on going…Stitch tension is tricky to master:thumbsup:
The tightness of the stitches on the needles shouldn’t make any difference. When you strand the yarn across the back really droop it. It’s really too long to have any slack pulled up. If the sides curl under a bit that’s okay. As long as you have about 4 -5 inches of surface to measure.
the yarn across the back needs to be realllly long compared to how wide the front is. say your front is going to be 3-4" across, then the length of yarn across the back should be 5-6" long before you start knitting the next row.
But I am also of the ‘sock is a swatch’ school - I’d just start a sock and then try it on.
BTW… your foot isn’t that large. It’s pretty average for a man isn’t it? Most men’s socks I’ve come across start with a cast on of 72.
I don’t use mens sock patterns.
Then i guess you take a woman’s sock pattern and adjust it? You’ll have to increase the number of stitches any way. From what i understand, you mean to knit colorwork socks. Just let the floats be longer than you think they need to be and it’ll work out. By the way, i’m also with the “sock is the swatch” school. If it won’t fit, then i’ll frog 
I’m in class with the others in the sock is a swatch school! By the time you knit a 3" tube, you could have knitted half the leg…and if it works, you’re that much further along…if it doesn’t you’re no worse off than if you’d knit the swatch.