My mother in law (ML) is a very crafty person. If it's arts and crafts, she's done it. She owned a craft store at one time and taught classes from basketweaving to screen printing. So when it comes to knit and crochet she is my expert advisor.
I have been knitting since the 6th grade. I love the way that knitting feels, it speaks to my soul and calms me. I've made many items that I have given to family and friends but when it comes to making something for myself, I usually either: 1) don't finish it, or 2) rip the dang thing out.
Mardi Gras season was upon me and I decided that I wanted to make Mardi Gras socks! I had never worked with double pointed needles before and was very excited to learn something new.
ML and I went to our LYS for needles and yarn. I found some interesting stretchy yarn from Patons that looked fun and I could hardly wait for my first lesson. We picked a date four days in the future to get together to start our socks.
While I was waiting for lesson day to arrive, I thought it would be prudent to check the internet for sock instructions so I wouldn't be caught unaware of what was to come. What did surprise me was the many different ways there are to make socks. Cuff down, toe up, knit on two circs, knit two at a time and on it goes!
I decided to Google "How to knit socks for beginners" and picked a fantastic site called Silver's Sock Class. Beautifully illustrated step by step directions for making a basic sock was at my disposal. I was stoked! Grabbing my DPNs, I cast on and was off. Imagine my pleasure as I made the cuff, turned the heel, picked up the gussett and headed for the toe! Granted, the sock would have fit a giant with bound feet, but I prided myself on the accomplishment of making a sock that really looked like a sock! I felt ready for my lesson with ML and the Paton yarn and pattern.
Sock lesson day arrived and we cast on our stitches. Starting off with a 4x4 rib cuff we knitted and talked for a few hours. According to the directions, I was to continue the pattern until I reached 17 inches so I packed up my needles and headed home to work on my sock for the next few days. When I reached the length indicated I started my decreases for the toe. An hour later I had a completed sock but not without some duress because the instructions didn't tell you how to finish the toe. I once again went back to the Silver's Sock Class to learn the kitchner stitch.
This sock had no heel or gusset, it was a tube, a twisted rib tube with a toe. Raising my eyebrow at it with a suspicious look, I groaned thinking that I still had another sock to make in this pattern. Fast forward to the completion of the second sock, I was now ready for Mardi Gras. The sock was knee high length but puddled around my ankle like a deflated bundt cake. I wore the socks on Fat Tuesday which were completely covered up by my blue jeans since it was cold that day which suited me just fine.
I will make socks again, but not that pattern. I think I'll try making two socks at once and get a pattern from the internet. After all, the internet has much to offer in that regard.
