A Few Rounds Here and a Few Rounds There

 I always try to have a mindless project or two on the go--something I can pick up and work on for a while when the mood strikes, whether I have a few minutes or want something to work on while listening to a podcast or audiobook. Often at least one of these projects is socks. It can take me months to actually complete a pair if I am working in this way, but that's OK. If I need a pair fast, I can make them my main project and have them in a few days, otherwise a round here and a round there eventually leads to toasty toes.

For sockists or other interested readers, here are a few of my sock-making quirks. i knit my socks on double points. I've tried two circulars and magic loop and don't like them, so I stick with my double points for socks. I often use regular superwash fingering weight wool for the cuffs (excellent use for leftovers) and sock yarn (usually in a 75% wool/25% nylon ratio) for the rest where the strength of the nylon is needed for longer wear. I cast on 68 stitches using US size 1 or 2 needles 2.25mm and 2.75mm respectively), depending on the yarn and I knit the cuff using whatever stitch pattern comes into my head. In this case, I alternated 5 rounds of 2x2 rib with 3 rounds of plain knitting.

When the cuff is as long as I want it to be, I switch to the sock yarn and knit a few rounds before setting up for the heel, when I switch to size 0 (2mm) needles. This means a tighter knit for better wear. I make a standard heel flap alternating slip stitches with knit stitches on the right side, then pick up the gusset stitches and knit on, decreasing until I have 72 stitches altogether. I may or may not decide to do some sort of stitch pattern on the top of the foot. In this case, I continued the cuff pattern until a few rounds before the toe decreases.

I always use a star toe, because that fits better and is more comfortable for me to wear than others.

Socks are good for my mindless project pile, because there is a lot of knitting around and around, punctuated by heels and toes that require slightly more attention. It's fun to see how the stitch patterns will develop and how the stripes and patterns in the sock yarn will appear. I like to be doing something with my hands while I am listening to stuff. And we get to have warm feet at the end of it all 😁 Bill and I both have quite a sock wardrobe and every pair has come off my needles. I have the yarn for the next pair pulled and ready to go. 

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