I was so impressed by how this yarn didn’t bleed at all in my Inara Wrap, and after my fiasco with his other red socks, I decided to use this to try again for red socks for Carl.

Going top-down this time.

Magic Loop
32” Chiaogoo Twist Minis
2 Concurrently (rather than at-a-time)

Used Tillybuddy’s Very Stretchy Cast-On for Double & Single Ribbing (not the slip knot one). She also has a shorter video for the same technique.

Knit the first row straight & thru the front loops before joining in the round on row 2.

Cuff: 20 rounds twisted rib
Leg: 72 rounds (12 reps stitch pattern)
Gusset: 4 reps (24 rounds, incl first pick-up round and last knit even round)
Foot: 72 rounds (12 reps)
Total foot length before the toe: Approx 9” (he wanted me to fit to the longer 11” foot length, plus I was afraid that my row gauge might be a bit tight, so that the toes might end up shorter than 2”)

About 25 gr (half) remaining each side after the gusset

Carl’s Measurements:
Shoe Size: 10.5
Circumference: 10.5”
Length: 10.5” (R) – 11” (L)

I like that you don’t have to guess as much about where to start the gusset when you’re working top-down, but I would have liked to be able to make adjustments to the leg & cuff, once I could see how they were actually fitting him, and was sure that I’d have enough yarn, which you can do when you’re working toe-up. So both methods have their advantages & disadvantages.

I kind of wish that the stitch pattern was a little squishier, and I’d prefer an even rounder toe, but they seem to fit him fine. So now we’ll just have to see how they wear…