Toe-Up?

A few weeks back, maybe longer, I bought Socks From the Toe Up so I could, you know, look at the pictures. I haven't knit a sock toe up yet. I actually tried to do two at a time, Magic Loop, toe up but the dog attacked it and I haven't gone back. :(

I am really enjoying the pictures in this book! I decided to tackle my nemesis, a toe up sock. While I was tackling, I tackled Judy's Magic Cast On. I must admit, dealing with the magic cast on is much nicer than dealing with waste yarn and unzipping. It wasn't overly difficult to figure out, I think once I got the hang of it I thought it was ingenious. It's also alot easier than casting on two socks at once, 70 sts each, all those strings hanging, one circular. This was cake compared to starting a top down sock.

So, first, I picked a "wild" handpaint, STR Minestone.

The colors are pretty. I don't really like the name for this colorway. It reminds me of snow covered evergreens with pine cones not a mine. Winter Pines or something like that would be nicer than MINESTONE. But alas, I don't get to name yarn.

ANYWAY...

Then, I attempted the cast on. This took awhile. I practiced it a few times so I would feel confident.

Here's the top view.

And here's the back or the bottom view.

It looked like it was right and like it would work. After you do this, you just flip it over and start magic looping.

Here's the tip of the toe after a few rows of increases. I do have a small hole where the tail is. Hmmn... Nothing that I can't snug up when I weave in the yarn. I also have small ones where the M1's are but I didn't know if twisting them would be uncomfortable or ugly so I did them the normal way.

See, you can't see any holes from the side.

Then, I stuck it on my foot to see how it would look....

Of course, this is as far as I'll get. I don't know how to knit toe up socks! I'll just make one long foot - clown feet!

Stay tuned to see what transpires...pattern details and progress coming soon to a blog near you.....

Later, that Same Day..........

This morning, I told you about working on socks toe up. I was very excited about these socks, actually. I chose the pattern Laburnum from Sensational Knitted Socks. I got them on the needle the right way and was merrily on my way to the heel.....see!

So happy was I that I even took them outside....

ah...so lovely my little toes.

In the afternoon, it was warm and I needed to take a lunch break from work. The kids were back from karate camp and hubby was on his way home to watch them while I finished working. I took the sock outside for some sun and to watch the kids in the pool.

They spent the afternoon there, in a basket.

I spent the afternoon working and then cooking dinner.

The dog spent the afternoon.....

Eating my socks, making a hole in the yarn and breaking it AND eating the needle. (Note the broken end!!). UGH! GOOD GRIEF!! WTF?

(calming down to my usual motherly, non-cursing self...)

Boys and girls, can you say, LIVID??

So, back to the drawing board for a third time with Ruby Slippers. I hope I can still reuse this yarn after frogging and refrogging and winding twice....better take out Butter Peeps instead tonight. Nice light color...probably top down it this time. I will work on them after treadmill, kids get bath and husband is sleeping.

Ok, in case I don't post tomorrow, I leave you with three pictures..
Dragon in a tree.

Life Among the Dahlias... Baby Fern progress here! More on this in a future post!



Dog doing time.....
No explanation necessary.

Bad, bad, Zoey....