Old Dogs & New Tricks

Well, I have to say I have challenged the popular notion that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" and have decided that phrase is not true.

Here is the evidence:




I have completed the pair of socks I was test knitting for a German designer and I learned several new things in the making of hand knitted socks that I had not learned prior to this experience.

1. Judy's Magic Cast-On. Fabulous! How I ever knit toe-up socks without this nifty trick before is beyond me. It's absolutely brilliant. If you don't know it, you must (yes, I said MUST) learn it. Today!

2. New ways to increase. I learned the L-linc and R-linc ways of increasing. (Also known as the "La-link" and "Are-link" increases ala Cat Bordhi.) Again, genius! So glad I struggled through the learning curve and resisted the temptation to go ahead and do the increases the way I already knew how to. It's always a good thing to add more techniques/tricks to your arsenal of knowledge!

3. New combination heel method. I have always liked the look of the short row heel, but it has never quite fit me as well as the heel flap/gusset method. With this sock I learned a new method of forming a heel which involved both a short row and a gusset! This gives just enough added space so that the stitches on the instep of the short row heel don't stretch and pull taught at the row or two where the short row heel is joined back to begin knitting in the round once more. Brilliant!

I will let you know when the pattern is put into final form and released. I think it's a pattern that you'll love because the way it is written offers the knitter some choices in how they want the final socks to look. There is the version I knit as well as a more feminine, lacey version. The charted design can be placed on either foot, making for a variety of possible outcomes.

Oh, and did I mention the anatomical toes? Yes, for those who really like a definitive right and left sock....this is exactly what you've been looking for!!