Happy sock knitting year @shanibeer!
You too, @akipponn - socks rule the world!
I think socks in the washing machine are fine, that's no problem. The ones that I have put in the washing machine have been okay, they haven't shrunk or felted, and one pair must be seven or eight yers old now. I just like hand washing them 😍. I use ordinary sock yarn, and 2.5mm needles, but maybe a denser gauge than you? I think for patterns - cables and lace - the looser gauge is probably better.
The vintage socks are so interesting!
Vintage socks can be a filed to study for PhD, sockspology (socks + antholopology) 😁 Implementing cables and other motives to socks are also on my sock TODO list for 2023.
😍