So Many Choices

Knitting socks is fun. I don't know why I like to knit socks, and I don't want to figure it out.

You can knit socks:

• Cuff-down - starting at the top and working to the toe
• Toe-up - starting at the toe and working to the cuff
• Vertically - side to side

You can knit socks using:

• 4 Double Pointed Needles (DPNs)
  
• 5 Double Pointed Needles
  
• One Long Circular - 36'-40' long circular (also known as Magic Loop)
  
• Two Circulars - usually 2 24" circulars or a 24" and a 16" circulars
• One Long Circular to knit 2 socks at once
• Two Circulars to knit a pair at the same time
  

Which way is the best? Ask a practitioner of the various needles categories and you guessed it you will get 7 different answers. Oh, you noticed that I listed 6 needle choices? The 7th person is the one who has never cast-on a sock, nor ever wanted to but as an accomplished sweater knitter feels free to voice an opinion. Feel free to go to a knitting group as a newbie and ask innocently which way should a beginner choose to knit socks. Be forewarned; it's like asking if you should block your knitting before making it up.

I've read about Magic Loop, Two Circulars and two socks at the same time, toe-up, cuff-down (which is the way most of my favorite sock patterns are made). I learned on DPNs.

Hmmm...I have decided to try:

• 2 socks on 2 circulars - a cuff down pattern
• a pair that is knit on my fav DPNs - cuff-down -( have the 1st set of bamboo, size 3 DPNs that I love to knit socks with. Used to have 5 in the set...sadly hubby stepped on one and it cracked)
• Magic loop one sock - toe-up - having a problem on the two socks with this method (a how-to in front of me would certainly help)

I'm going to go knit one of these socks now. Planning on knitting the three ways I've listed each day. I'm curious to find out which way will be my favorite - If I have a favorite at all.

Here socky, socky.