I had half a post written from last night about how we spent all weekend cleaning out the garage and how I was sad to put my son’s toddler toys and ride on cars out on the street for a charity pick up today.. until I started reading blogs and got totally sidetracked.
I saw a photo on someone’s blog (useful, aren’t I?) of a pair of toe up socks done with Wendy’s pattern/formula and it got me thinking about my lousy one pair of hand knit socks (besides a pair that were gifted to me..)and all of the sock yarn that I have. My issue with top down socks is that if I cast on a proper amount for my leg and ankle- that I end up with a sock that doesn’t fit when I get to the instep. The last 3 socks that I’ve started knitting have ended up not fitting at the instep and I get frustrated that I knit all the leg and heel to find out that it doesn’t fit. Determined to like sock knitting - both because I love wearing hand knit socks and that buying sock yarn is.. well.. y’all know about buying sock yarn or you wouldn’t be here. Its so pretty, comes in small skeins, is cheaper than buying yarn for a whole sweater, and just basically takes the edge off of a yarn diet… I had to try to get some sock knitting mojo.
After doing a little more searching I found the Knitty article on toe up cast ons from Wendy and sat myself down with a skein of gifted Koigu KPPPM for a sock lesson. A few hours later ( I was on the computer and doing housework at the same time..) I had this lovely merino hat for my Bast statue that sits on my desk. I’m using the “figure 8″ cast on from the article and I found it very easy. Unfortunately I had a serious brain-fart somewhere along the lines and never realized that I wasn’t supposed to knit an actual fingering weight sock on size 1 needles with only a 16 stitch (8 on each needle) cast on! Um.. yeah.. I’m sort of slow like that. I realized this AFTER I had been to Wendy’s site and taken a good look at her current sock project- no pointy toes there! Instead of ripping out the sock I’ve decided that it will be a design feature (shut up.. I can too call it that) and I will knit the other sock (look.. positive thinking!) to match.
I will then pray that they don’t look so stupid and noticeable that I don’t have to locate an individual with pointy toes to give these socks to. This is all assuming that I don’t get either a) bored or b) completely frustrated by this whole “short row heel” thing that seems to be as heated a debate as “dpns vs. magic loop/ 2 circulars”- right now I’m enjoying myself as I start the even rounds of the foot. If nothing else.. Cheshire Cat has a lovely new pointy hat.