I've created a monster!
It seems people like free things, and they like knitting socks, because my toe-up hose have now been downloaded 1766 times. I am now on the main ravelry pattern page in the number 1 spot of "Designs that Ravelers are looking at today." I never expected this pattern to do any better than my others did. None of my other free or purchase patterns have been made more than a few dozen times. I've also sold about five of my for-pay patterns since offering the temporary freebie, so I guess that's a bit of spillover interest. Time will tell if this giveaway helps my pattern sales in the long run (i.e. if it gets enough buzz while it's free to make people want it after it's not). For now, here's another gratuitous screen shot with yours truly in that coveted spot...