This pattern is intended to be a guide to this method of sock construction. It isn’t necessary to use exactly the cast-on specified, exactly the bind-off specified, exactly the toe decrease method specified, etc. If you have a different favourite way of doing things, by all means go for it. For instance…

Casting on

Any cast-on method for a closed tube will work. The pattern suggests a figure-8 cast-on, but here are some alternative methods that other knitters have used successfully:

• Fleegle’s Simple Ring Beginning for Circular Shawls
• Judy’s Magic Cast-on
• strickzicke’s invented-on-the-fly crochet hook/DPN combination cast-on, described in her project notes

Binding off

Any stretchy bind-off method will work. The pattern suggests a regular bind-off with a larger needle, but Jeny’s Surprisngly Stretchy Bind-off seems to be a much better alternative. If you’re finishing off the leg with a 1x1 rib, a tubular bind-off will work very nicely, too.

Ugh, I hate picking up stitches!

For those who shudder at the thought of picking stitches along the sides of the gussets, chriswass came up with a method of using short rows and YOs instead of decreases on the gussets as a way of having the stitches pre-picked up and all ready for knitting when it comes time to do the foot and leg. You can read the details of the process in her project notes. berlinbat also came up with a short-row method of picking-up-stitches-avoidance, and you can read the details of the process in her project notes.

Sorry, I just don’t like the look of those gussets

elvenknits managed to eliminate the gussets and instead just do a provisional cast-on over the instep. You can read the details of the process in her project notes. domi62 also eliminated the gussets with a provisional cast-on and discussed how it was done in her project notes.

Hm, interesting construction. What else can I do with it?

• Celtic Triad