This isn’t some avant-garde theater production or a “sock” for an appendage of a mythical creature. Its me using some new to me techniques in addition the old stand-by sock construction I frequently use. The yarn is from AT Haynes House Yarns, the Barefoot Base in “Pumpkin vs. Sweet Potato” and “You Say Yes?”. Can you guess which is which??
New to me techniques:
Toe: Aggie’s Simple Cast-on Honestly, its crazy simple. I think its my new favorite.
Heel: Afterthought Heel Ok, technically the “Peasant Heel”, but regardless I’m going to try it for the first time and its going to be glorious.
Bind-off: Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off. How have I never done this? I usually use a different stretchy bind-off, which I like perfectly fine. I just figured I would live dangerously. Life is exciting when we try new things, yes?
Stitch: Seersucker Stitch. Guess what? Knitting flat and in the round have a couple small differences that I didn’t consider until finishing up the first 8 rows. Going rogue; I’m not fixing it. The subsequent rows and the next sock will be right. Its going in my shoe. No one will notice or care. And if the they do, I’ll eat them.
Reinventing the wheel
I measured and did the math for my total required circumference. 8″ total, 9 stitches/inch, 72 stitches. Oh and a pattern repeat of in multiples of 4. All pretty standard and requiring NO exciting number juggling. I like a snugger fitting sock than this one, however I’m not entirely sure of the location of my size 1.5 needles, and dropping down to 64 stitches may make them difficult to stretch across my heel and onto my ankle. I have a sturdy frame to account for. I’m working the socks up on a size 2, which is my usual needle size for socks. For whatever reason, I haven’t liked the stiffness of the fabric on size 1 needles (and below) in the past. Oh yeah, and I’m doing a contrast toe, heel, and cuff.
This is the first sock I’ve put any design effort into since 2009. I’m really excited to to keep moving through the pair, one-at-a-time. I don’t mind 2 at-a-time, I’m just enjoying the joy of making it up as I go along. I don’t need them to be perfect, just good at covering my feet.
Miscellaneous Design Studio 
One response to “Experimental Sock”
[…] When I initially wrote about these socks a couple weeks ago, I mentioned that I was going to be doing a bunch of new techniques. Well, today I tried Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off in pattern (2×2 rib). I think it should be called Jeny’s Surprisingly Tedious Bind-off; it felt like it was never going to end. I USUALLY do a knit-two-together bind-off. I’m fast at it and I don’t need to think. Jeny’s technique is slightly stretchier than my “usual” stretchy bind-off. Looks about the same. […]
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