Friday, April 21, 2006

Maximum Sock for the Mother In Law

Well, technically she's not my mother in law yet. Technically, there isn't even an engagement. Or talk of one in the immediate future. But there is talk of "if/when we ever have kids/get a house/move to Europe" and whatnot, so... yeah. I still have to impress her like a MIL.

So, here's my idea for her socks (that have been on hold since christmas, and therefore must be spectacular):

-Knit ribbin, inch of St, do heel, gusset, fitted arch, (get a fitting in!), close toe. Have leftover yarn? That cost $8 a ball? Don't let it go to waste.

- In that inch of St st above the heel, get a bunch of size 0 needles (like, 8) and pick up two seperate rows, far enough apart that you can see what you're doing. In one of the rows between them, take a stitch, and CUT IT.

- The yarn will unravel (hopefully) only to the point where you've picked up the stitches on either end. You should now have what looks like the beginning of a cuff-down sock, and the end of a toe-up sock. This is where you want to be.

- Splice the end of the ball to one of these bits. It doesn't really matter which. The cuff end is probably easier to carry around. Knit until you think you've got maybe two rounds left of yarn.

- Graft the bits together with the remaining yarn. Weave in ends. You now have the (for me) ease of knitting cuff-down, with the awesomeness of using all your yarn.

The next sock, of course, can be made to the same size as the finished first one, without the splicing.

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