A Test

** Warning, I'm posting via email, as a test, so I apologize if this comes out wonky on the other end, I'll go right over and try to fix it if it does though** So, not much Army news. Not because there isn't stuff going on, but because there's nothing that makes me remotely comfortable to talk about. Instead, I've really felt the need to communicate the wonderfulness that are top-down socks. I recently purchased Cookie A's Book, Sock Innovation, and it is AMAZING. I am truly, truly loving the book. I'm currently working on the first pattern (which is not at the beginning of the book- the beginning has a ton of fantastic sock knitting, technique and design information), called glynis (Rav link). I've also got a Monkey sock on the needles (but that needs to be frogged and re-knit with smaller needles, my sock-lace gauge has been out of control lately!). The other top down sock on the needles here at the Ranger Man/Webster house is a pair of Jaywalkers. All top down. I've knitted a few toe up socks before, and I think it is pretty exciting to watch the toe form and I appreciate the benefits of being easier to try it on as you go, and knowing exactly how much yarn you're using- I would still much rather knit cuff down. Firstly, it seems harmonic. The cuff is sort of the ancher (as it's that which holds the entire sock up), and therefore the strong part foundation must be completed before the 'frills' or whatever pattern can be added. The toe, for me, feels like the icing on the cake- while it's a very important feature of the sock, I just dont feel it's that important to set off the mood of the entire sock. Practically, for me the ribbing on the cuff of a sock is the most tedious and most time consuming, while the extensive decreases in the toe make it the quickest part of the project. I would rather knit the slow part first and the quick part last. Similarly, on the leg of the sock, after you've completed the anchoring tedium of ribbing or picot edging or whathaveyou, the leg pattern is knit on both sides, typically, of the sock. All the way around. This is much more time consuming that what happens on the foot- which may have the same pattern, but it is spread out overy half the stitches and the rest of the stitches are stockinette. In sum, top down socks to me, have a more harmonic, organic feel as they go from heavy anchoring and tedious cuffs to light, "icing on the cake" toes. I feel more of a sense of completion after I've kitchenered than when I've done a sewn bind off. Waxing poetic about socks. Why, what's that you ask? Is an important due date for an important paper looming? Why yes.... yes there is such a due date. Enter Completely Stressed Out Mode Now! Edited to say: wow, that email posting thing is pretty awesome.