Baudelaire socks: one down

I'm pleased with my sock. My plan was to immediately cast on for the second sock before losing momentum, but alas, Satan intervened and instead I cast on for a cardigan. Who knows when - or, I shudder to think, if - the second sock will materialize.

This is my first toe-up sock. I like to learn something new with most projects, and though I hate to admit it, it seems like this is how all the cool kids knit their socks. Thus, my toe-up sock.

I have discovered that I do not like knitting socks from the toe up. The figure eight cast-on is messy and imprecise, unlike the lovely neatness of the kitchener cast-off for cuff down socks. There are other ways to cast on for toe-ups of course, and perhaps I will try them, but this method has still another strike against it.

When beginning from the toe, you start with the toe shaping, then move on to the foot increases, then the always-interesting heel, after which - just when you are getting a little burned out with this tiny-needled project - you are faced with the straight, boring neverending leg of darkness and misery. I think I prefer the boring part at the beginning and more complicated parts later on to hold my interest.

I'm not sure how to reconcile this with my newfound love of the top-down sweater, however. Those also start with the more interesting parts, end with the long body and then the sleeves which are boring and unpleasant no matter when you make them. Why do I enjoy this method so much more than the traditional bottom up sweater? I just don't know. As the scientists are fond of saying, additional studies are needed.