This last week I’ve deliberately worn every woollen 4ply sock I’ve knitted in order to rate the fit and comfort. This is what I’ve found:

Glitter Socks
My first self-patterning sock knit late 2004/early 2005. The yarn is Opal and it contains a thread of silver. Typical of me to try 4ply socks because the wool was glittery. I used Wendy’s Toe-up Sock Pattern for the first time. I’m pretty sure I knit them on my bamboo needles, which are around 2.5 mm. This, and being unused to knitting in the round in 4ply, meant that while they fit nicely when first knit, after a few washes they’ve become a bit loose. They’re easy to get on, however.

Grey cabled socks
The yarn came from Australian Country Spinners shop in Wangaratta, so I know I knit them after April 2005. They were knit on 2mm metal dpns and are a tight fit when first put on, but then they ‘relax’ and are a snug fit. The heels are a bit small.

Stripey Socks
I knit these on the 2mm metal dpns out of Regia sock yarn while I was travelling around the UK last August/September. They’re tight. I think I began to knit tighter as I grew more confident. They’re really hard to get on, and the ‘foot’ is a little short.

Opal Socks #2
The first sock was knit on the plane to and from the UK and the second sock was finished after I got home. I increased the number of short rows for the heels and toe from 8 to 10 and the extra room does make it easier to get them on, but they still stretch around the heel and foot a bit alarmingly.

Ribble socks
Knit early 2006 from Koigu. Concerned about the tightness issues, I changed to the bamboos again. I’d also read that some knitters thought the heel flap method of knitting heels made for better fitting socks if you have high arches. I didn’t want to knit top down, so I made my own toe-up heel flap pattern. The rib pattern and heel flap both contribute to making these socks easy to get on and comfortable. They’re a smidge loose, however, and I’m yet to see if washing makes this worse.

So there you go. I can’t believe I’ve only knit five pairs in a year and a half. (Actually six – there are the lacy cotton ones too). Though I always have a pair of socks on the go, they’re my transportable project and I work on them mostly when in queues, doctor’s waiting rooms and on the train. But because I work from home I don’t get that much ‘transit knitting time’.

Conclusion:
I really like the look of the short row heel, but I’m coming to accept that it isn’t suitable for my big-arched skinny foot. It would also help if the top of the sock was ribbed. Then I could add a few stitches to help the socks stretch over my heels and they would still cling nicely around my skinny ankles.