Knit & Chat: Cuff Down vs Toe Up

Knit & Chat: Cuff Down vs Toe Up - which method wins?

Рет қаралды 3,860

Күн бұрын

In this episode of Knit & Chat, we're discussing the pros and cons of knitting socks cuff down versus toe up. Which method is your favorite?
Vote in the poll!
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📌 CHAPTER LINKS:
00:00 Cuff Down vs Toe Up
4:03 Pros and Cons of Cuff Down
19:57 Pros and Cons of Toe Up
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Пікірлер: 38

@tmkoson Жыл бұрын

Team Toe Up, you get the business done first and two at a time as I will NEVER do the second sock other wise! 😂

@wookori Жыл бұрын

I have heard someone say that an advantage to cuff down is that you do decreases rather than increases, which is often preferred. Another advantage to toe up is that you get the hard parts out of the way first and then the rest is smooth sailing.

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

Great insights! I hadn't thought about the dec vs inc advantage before.

@ccam504 Жыл бұрын

Knitted toe up for 15 years and really like toe up. I did find a more rounded toe pattern that's been my go to toe for a long time. I do use cuff down patterns but just reverse the process.

@MissHoyden 10 ай бұрын

I learned toe up first, but it’s not my favorite method for making socks for myself. For myself, I prefer cuff down - I like grafting. Toe up, is, however, the easy way to make some some patterns I like. And of course toe up works well if I’m nervous about running out of yarn. I don’t much like the way flap and gusset heels look, but they are fun to make. For me, I add a gusset to short row heels. For other people? I follow a pattern and their measurements.

@leahkane5774 Жыл бұрын

For years I tried to knit socks cuff down and I just couldn't get it. Being left handed didn't help. A lady at a knitting get together finally taught me. She suggested doing them toe up with a fleegle heel and I haven't looked back! The next pair I made was two at a time magic look & that's how I always knit my socks now. I convert top down patterns to toe up. I have taught myself to to do a reinforced fleegle heel. If I want a contrasting heel, I do the fish lips kiss or shadow wrap heel. I also taught myself to do these heels reinforced too. I have since again tried to do cuff down, but I just can't be fussed with the heel flap and gusset and I loath kitchener stitch. I think you are correct in the method you are taught is the way you will continue, but believe me when I tell you how many failed cuff down socks I failed.

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

I'm glad you found the method that works best for you instead of giving up on sock knitting!

@mykelbrinkerhoff7550 53 минут бұрын

Interestingly, all of the oldest socks preserved from the 11th to 13th centuries in Egypt are toe-up colorwork socks instead of cuff-down socks. There are some really cool resources about them from the Victoria and Albert Museum, where some socks are preserved and displayed.

@suzdowa Жыл бұрын

I'm a cuff down girl hands down. I can never ger the heel position right on toe up. That said, I'm too old to play yarn chicken so I do a provisional cast on and knit cuff down, then after I finish with the foot, I pick up the stitches and do the legs.

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

What a great idea! I've never done socks that way but it sounds like a great way to use up all your yarn (and still avoid yarn chicken).

@elisebachert6654 Жыл бұрын

Personally I prefer cuff down due to the look and feel of the decreases. Looks better and doesn’t leave weird holes in my work.

@christenagervais7303 Жыл бұрын

I'm a long time cuff down knitter. My daughter has converted me to toe up. The only difficulty for me, is the Judy's Magic Cast On, as I use dpns. It's a bit of a struggle at first, but once I get a few increases, I can get all my needles working. I do love using up all my yarn!

@neverstoplearning2 24 күн бұрын

My first time knitting an after-thought heel was on a fair isle Christmas stocking. I love knitting heels that way, but I like the way heel flap and gusset fits me better, so I use that. Still Christmas stockings are a great way to try different heels. :). I'm team Cuff Down! I've tried both, I prefer cuff down. Mostly because my BO wasn't as stretchy as my COs are.

@christenagervais7303 Жыл бұрын

The socks found in Egypt were made by Nålbinding using Coptic stitch which looks like knitting and were done toe up. I do Nålbinding and when I make socks in this manner, I do toe up. When I knit, I go cuff down!

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

I didn't realize that Nålbinding was something that people still did - how cool!

@FaerieDust Жыл бұрын

I like knitting cuff down purely because there seems to be more patterns written that way. Toe up really appeals to me though - you can knit the whole foot as needed, and then just knit the leg until you've used up half of your yarn (especially easy to tell if you weigh your yarn ball). That way you can knit two identical socks and not have any yarn left over.

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

That's one of my favorite reasons for knitting toe up - no leftovers!

@jimthomas8694 10 ай бұрын

I learned toe-up and using a custom fit your socks chart with my measurements and found these go much faster for me to knit and I try them on as I go . They for perfectly. I also like theJenny’s magic cast on much easier than doing the Kitchener tie. I always seemed to have knots with the Kitchener st.

@Biologatejedora Жыл бұрын

Me gusta mucho tejer las medias desde la pierna pero no me gusta recoger los puntos del talón. Casi siempre siento que me voy a equivocar. Las medias tejidas desde la punta son fáciles, pero calcular cuándo empezar el talón es lo más difícil. Los talones de vueltas cortas no me acomodan bien, así que escoger cómo empezar depende de cuánto quiera el reto. Me encanta tu canal, felicitaciones!

@HMMarks Жыл бұрын

Cuff down with a shadow wrap short row heel. SOOOOOO easy!!! I'm not really good at picking up stitches and I get distracted and forget where to decrease, so I'm going to come back to heel flap/gusset when I get a little more experience. I usually knit my socks with fingering weight on us 1.5, but when I cast on I hold a size 00 DPN parallel to the working needle and cast the stitches onto both needles and I remove the 00 before I join in the round. A lot of folks don't like the look of the looser stitches at the top of the cuff, however I am a super tight knitter, so It turns out fine for me.

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

Great way to add a bit more stretch to your sock!

@rmonogue 3 ай бұрын

My hardest to fit area is the diagonal around my instep and heel. I have a high instep and a deep enough heel that the measurement around that area is 12”. I can’t wear short row or afterthought heels. I’ve tried Fleegle, but haven’t found the perfect fitting version of that yet. I usually do heel flap and gusset, toe up and 2 at a time.

@lmaowat6358 9 ай бұрын

Toe-up, because I love doing Judy’s Magic Cast-on, and Fleegle heel is easy and the best heel for high instep imo. (Though fleegle is a Strong heel when worked cuff down iirc) I tried cuff down for a test knit, and I despised it. It seemed to take so long, and Kitchener is so fiddly compared to the cast-on. I will say, my fool-proof place to start my heel increases is just where my foot meets my leg when my ankle is bent to how it is when standing.

@LuvLife1971 Жыл бұрын

I am a beginner with socks and have learned toe-up and find it easy enough. Gusset and heel a bit confusing but thankfully I have help lol

@gingermolinero8386 Жыл бұрын

This was a very good vlog. I mostly do toe up but do like the cuff on tip down better.

@sally-annmannering Жыл бұрын

I can do both but feel overall more comfortable doing cuff down, I’m more sure it’s all going to work out. Also if you decide to do afterthought heels you can knit as long as you like on cuff down too to make the most of your yarn, then stick a contrast heel in afterwards

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

I love afterthought heels! They are definitely a great way to use up all your yarn for cuff down socks.

@lovemesomeslippers Жыл бұрын

I think I avoid toe up because I’m not confident that I know when to start the heel.

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

Very common issue - and certainly one I had when I knit my first pair of toe up socks.

@veniestagourdine3881 Жыл бұрын

I’m new to knitting socks , I find it easier for me to do cuff down .

@kj3d812 8 ай бұрын

My main goal in learning to knit socks is to avoid the SEAMS that come with commercial socks. I have Sensory Processing Disorder (part of my autism), so *no seams* is crucial. As a knitting beginner, I'm concerned with how cuff-down socks all seem to have large, ugly seams at the front when finishing off. Or, those horrid-looking *wedge* toes -- ugh! I did find one video today that has "anatomical toes" and is, I believe, cuff-down, but haven't had a chance to try it yet. I also need to be able to adjust for (1) wide calves and (2) wide feet. Both my husband and I have wide feet (mine are 2E and I'm female), and most socks are too constrictive. So nervous as I am about starting cuff-down, I may have to try it. Oh, and to complicate matters, I only do Portuguese style knitting. 🙃

@NerdyKnitting 8 ай бұрын

You'll want to look for a toe that uses a Kitchener graft when you are finishing the toe - a graft isn't a seam, instead, it's just using a tapestry needle to create another row of knitting making the toe of the sock seamless.

@tallcedars2310 10 ай бұрын

I learned and like cuff down. Although will try toe up to see if it's advantages suit me better. I do have a fear of trying it😄

@NerdyKnitting 10 ай бұрын

You can do it!

@nefraial Жыл бұрын

What if you make a sock from the middle? Crochet a loop and knit heel, foot and toe down from there then undo the crochet and knit the leg up and cuff to finish.

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

You can start a sock by beginning with the heel and working out in both directions - definitely a different method!

@teresayoung4145 Жыл бұрын

Hi. I find since I have candles. My claf/ankles are the same size I use a bigger needle for the leg/cuff doing either cuff down or toe up.y heel is narrow and I have a flat wide foot so lots if customization. I like patterned socks but for me ribbed is best. Andrea Mowry's DRK Everyday socks fit me great. It's toe up.

@NerdyKnitting Жыл бұрын

Using a larger needle for the leg and cuff is a great idea!