5 down, 4 to go

Toes, that is.

My first silk toe sock is finished!


Ever seen a toe sock in progress before? I feel compelled to share, since the whole process isn't as scary as it sounds. All of the tricky bits come at the end, and they go pretty quickly - I did all the toes of one of my previous pair of toe socks on a single flight home - it helped that there were two good movies on that flight.

I learned everything I know about toe socks from The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook. Their directions are for a 60-stitch sock, which is what I have here, but the process could be easily adapted to other sizes.

So here I am, ready to start the toes. It's a perfectly normal sock up to this point. I've stopped knitting a little earlier - just at the bottom of my little toe - than I would if I were doing normal socks. This is the sock for my left foot. It matters with toe socks - for everyone, unless someone's feet are really funky.


The little toe goes first. I've knitted the last few stitches on the top and bottom needle of the left side, and I'm casting on a few extra stitches to go between my 5th and 4th toes. The book says it's just like making gloves for your feet. I've never made gloves, but if they're as straightforward as toe socks, I should start.


It's a one-toe-at-a-time process. So I'm knitting my way up the little toe. Once it's just about long enough, I'll decrease by k2tog all around, and then draw the last stitches together.


With Little Piggie Who Cried Wee-Wee-Wee done, it's time for Little Piggie with No Roast Beef. First, I knit around all the needles again, picking up stitches where I cast on the extras before, until the sock reaches the point that toes 4 and 3 split.


Then I turn my attention to the stitches that are now on the far left, cast on a few where I need to, and knit until the next toe is long enough. And I keep going, through Had Roast Beef and Stayed Home.


The big toe is easiest. Since the Little Piggie who Went to Market is last, there's no need to cast on any more stitches. I hate the way the backward-loop cast on turns out, so this makes the big toe my favorite.


The big toe gets a couple rounds of decreases for better shape, and then it's done! After that it's just a matter of weaving in a whole bunch of ends. This is why I love self-patterning yarn for toe socks. I've already cast on the second sock, so it will be my mindless, carry-around knitting for a couple weeks, until it's time for the second set of toes.

I also have to share that Max is in a very bad mood today.


Not "bad mood" in a grumpy sense - in a mood to be bad. The only reason he was able to get this pillow is that I took it off my chair to make room for him to sit in my lap. Was he scheming, or had he just seen his opportunities and took 'em?