I have been into socks lately, have made pair toe-up and have another pair OTN. I like the idea of toe up so I can fit the foot as I go and knit the leg basically until I am going to run out of yarn.
What’s so great about top-down? Why do most of the designers write patterns that way? Is toe-up a new thing? It top-down better for most pattern stitches? Just veery curious. Any experienced sock knitters or anyone in the know that can enlighten me?
i actually haven’t tried toe up. i might someday, but i like silver’s original sock tutorial, so cuff down makes sense to me. :shrug:
I don’t have an anwer for you. I’m curious about it too.
I think that top down is a good way to learn how to make socks. It seems to be much easier.
I just started my first pair of toe-up (after doing a few pairs top-down), and I have to say that starting the toe was much harder. I can kitchener stitch all day long, but trying to do the provisional cast on for the easy toe just about did me in.
But I like your point about being able to knit the leg until you run out of yarn. That has been a huge concern for me, so I have lots of sock yarn left over after knitting a pair.
I think it comes down to the heel & toe types that are possible with each method. My LYS is going to offer a toe up class. I want to give it a shot. I do top down with Magic loop so I can try the sock on as I go, which is nice. Have to try DPNs sometime too…
I’ve gotten soooo addicted to socks :teehee:
Yes…me too. I still have two skeins waiting to be knitted up and two more on the way. Plus, I LOVE my striped socks…
I am trying to adapt the heel that Cookie A did on the KG episode to the sock I am doing now. It has a gusset and a short row heel, we’ll see how it goes!
I’ve been working on my first pair of toe up socks. I’ve made several cuff down socks and think I’ve gotten pretty proficient. So far my big problem with toeup is the short row heel and toe. I’ve ripped the first sock twice and although I’m getting better with the wrap and turn (after googling all over the internet for some good basic instructions with pictures), I still like the heel flap/gussett look better. Maybe it’s just a matter of practice. I’d like to be able to use as much yarn as possible, too, but for me, right now, the top down is my preferred method.
And just for the record, it seems like all the designers are writing patterns for toe-up. LOL! Whatever you’re doing, it seems you can only find the opposite.
I think it’s just a personal preference. :shrug: Aside from the knitting-until-you-run-out-of-yarn part, i like everything about top-down better. I like that I get to do the long boring part first, then the interesting stuff last. And I knit on two circs, so I can try a sock on while I’m knitting it no matter which direction I knit, toe-up or top-down. 
One of the many advantages of two-circ sock knitting… 
Good point! I guess I just have to pay more attention to how much yarn I have if I am going to do top down.
As for the poster who said they see more patterns for toe up, I have seen a few lately. But I just bought Inverweaves new fav. socks book and Nancy Bush’s knitting on the road, and everything is top down except one pattern in the interweave. I was surprised, I expected a few more toe ups in the Interweave book.