Monday, January 23, 2006

my first pair of socks


This is the first pair of socks I've knitted. People at knittyboard.com were talking about how nice hand-knitted socks are, and so I decided to give it a go. I used Magic Stripes yarn and 2size 3 circular needles and a generic sock pattern. Here's what I did -- more for my benefit -- than anyone else's:

CO 52 sts onto one circular needle (what I'll be calling the second needle). Pull a loop (a la magic loop method) between the 26th and 27th sts. Taking another circular (what I'll be calling the first needle), join and work (k2,p2) on this needle, ending w k2 for a total of 26 sts on this needle. Using the"second" needle, work the rest of the round, starting and ending w p2 for a total of 26 sts on the needle. Work (k2p2) pattern for 26 rounds -- knitting the first half of the round with the"first" needle and the second on the other. At the end ofthis round, wrap and turn. The next part (heel) is worked using the "second" needle only.
slip 1, p25, wrap and turn
*slip 1, k25, turn, slip 1, p25, turn* -- repeat for a total of 27 rows, then still using the same needle
slip 1, k13, k2tog tbl, k1, turn -- slip 1, p2, p2tog p1, turn -- slip1, k3, k2tog tbl, k1, turn -- slip 1, p4, p2tog, p1, turn -- etc ending w slip 1, p12, p2tog, (no p1), turn
(Then to shape the gusset): slip 1, k13, (place marker), pick up and knit front loops produced by the slipped stitches (about 14 sts), pick up and knit one stitch from the corner. Using needle 1, work k2p2 pattern across,place marker, pick up and knit one stitch from the corner, pick p and knit front loops produced by the slipped stitches (about 14 sts). -- first round of gusset shaping
next round: needle 2 -- k to 3 sts from end, k2tog tbl, k1. needle 1 -- k2p2 pattern to marker, k1, k2tog, k to end
alternate this round with a round worked according to pattern until there are 20 sts on needle 2 and 32 sts on needle 1. Transfer last 6 sts from needle 1 to needle 2. (Needle 1 has 26 sts ink2p2 pattern. Needle has 26 k sts.)
Work patt until sock is 2" shy of finished length. On odd rounds, k around. On even rounds, end work on needle w k2tog tbl, k1 and start w k1, k2tog (for 4 dec's per round). Continue to 6 sts on each needle. Turn work inside out and bind off sts together.

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