This is my current knitting love. Socks are quickish to make and don't require much yarn to make them. I generally knit them in the round on a set of four, or sometimes five, double-pointed needles (I use bamboo ones, because they're light and not as slippy as metal).

I taught myself how to knit socks in the round just before Christmas, and at first the needles were all over the place. I just couldn't get the hang of how to hold them without the stitches dropping off the needles. Anyway, I've got better with practice, but I'm still fairly slow.

My first socks was a plain stocking stitch pair, using Regia (http://www.webofwool.co.uk/regia/dk.html) six-ply wool and 3.5 mm needles (quite large for sock knitting). I ordered the wool from McA Direct (http://www.mcadirect.com/shop/index.php), who sent me the pattern free with the order.

Knitty (http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/index.html)and Magknits (http://magknits.com/)have some lovely sock patterns:

- Jaywalker (http://magknits.com/Sept05/patterns/jaywalker.htm) socks from Magknits
- Pomatomus (http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTpomatomus.html) socks from Knitty
- Falling Leaves (http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall05/PATTfallingleaves.html) socks from Knitty
- Thuja (http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTthuja.html) socks from Knitty.

I'll post up some links to sites I found really useful when starting to get used to knitting socks in the round in a little while.