17 August, 2009

Desk Drawer Socks

A lot has happened since I've been away, so expect several posts in the next few days.

I'm a fan of the stockinette sock. I belong to the group on Ravelry, and I've come to appreciate that having one of these on the needles at all times is essential. It's very portable and mindless, with the exception of the heel. And I'm sure it's made me a much more patient person. Stopped at a train? Knit. Waiting for food in a café? Knit. At a seemingly endless and mind-numbing staff meeting? Knit. Sitting in the doctor's office? Knit. Just think... what would the world be like if all our presidents, prime ministers, dictators-for-life, and other leaders sat at the summit table, knitting a pair of plain stockinette socks? Much more peaceful, I'm thinking. It might even take some of The Crazy out of Dear Leader.

That said, I think everyone needs to have a recipe for a plain stockinette sock that fits their feet perfectly. After knitting a few pairs, I've come up with my recipe for Desk Drawer Socks (so called because they are great for keeping in a desk drawer at work for those times when you have to read an e-mail that really ticks you off).

Yarn
Fingering weight sock yarn, preferably self-striping or variegated

Needles
Size 1 32" circulars for magic looping, preferably Addi Turbo

Process
Cast-on 60 stitches.
Cuff = 15 rows K2P2 ribbing
Leg = 60 rows stockinette stitch
Work this short-row heel until 12 stitches remain on the needles and reverse short-row shaping.
Knit until foot measures 7 1/4".
Decrease for toe as follows for wider, less pointy toe:
Decrease one round, then knit two rounds. Repeat.
Decrease one round, then knit one round. Repeat twice.
Decrease four more rounds until 24 stitches remain on the needles, 12 on each.
Knit one more row even.
Graft toe.

And with that, I leave you this advertisement for Addi Turbo needles, which I found to be pretty amusing:

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