Not Quite a Fail

But not as I envisioned. The double knit hem with double count of stitches is loose. Very loose.

But amazingly, when I pull it onto my leg, it's not bad at all. I just need to pull it up a half inch or so higher than my average sock.

So, I have 2 inches of plain white already, (already a half inch more than planned) plus  I am going to add an extra round or two of pattern work to make the leg of the sock longer. 

 I have also re-positioned the stitches on the needle—because I didn't first join into a round and then work the half dozen rounds of double knitting. I left the hem straight and worked a half dozen rows of double knitting and I have gap. The original plan was to sew the gap—but I like it. I might thread a bit of I-cord through the hem, and have a small drawstring (or maybe not an I-Cord, maybe just a twisted cord ) with a small tassel.

And since I want the cord and tassel at the center back--(or do I want it center front? A moments thought--NO, back it is) I've repositioned the stitches to be set up with the Beginning of the Round centered on Needle 1. Needle 1 is my default back/sole (heel) side of a sock.

Normally when I knit a pair of socks the BoR is on a side edge. And normally it doesn't really matter. But in this case, with this pair of socks, it does. Repositioning stitches with 2 socks on 2 circs is a bit of pain. But it's done.

Mini Mini Mania isn't—done, that is. But as plnc pointed out in her comment, on Thursday post, yes, a random stripe of left over sock yarns could be used as a cuff to a plain solid socks--and make a pair of plain blue or plain grey sock more interesting. The same could be used as a cuff to a pair of spiral knit socks-- first incorporating some of the planned or available colors.  For that matter, a PLANNED set of stripes could be used.

I almost always have some left over sock yarn—depending on the skein and yardage, from a few yards to almost a full 10g's! (per skein!) So knowing that 40g's makes A sock, (and 80g's makes a pair) I save my left overs and combined them to make “free” socks. When there isn't enough left over yarn for a pair of free socks, there is still often, enough for a bit of fancy work at the cuff or top of the sock.

Some  scraps become contrasting heels Flapped, Turned, Gussets style heels—the help minimize the disruption this style heel causes in a self striping pattern. My sock collections is filled with socks that have custom (real vs printed) stripes, or contrasting heels, or color work embellishment.

The scraps feed my creative urges.

This year, I'll add to my scrap collection in a big way. These socks--Kate & Alice socks-- are starting out with 2 full 100g skeins—each divided. (4 small cakes of yarn) and even if I make the legs slightly taller, when finished, I will have over 100g's of yarn—More white than brown, but still almost half a skein of the brown.

And latter this year, will be Black Eyed Susy socks—with my hand painted black eyed susy color way, and a semi solid green—again 2 100g balls to start, so very likely, 100 g's (or more!) of “left overs”. The 3^rd pair of color work socks won't start out with 2 100g balls.  They have 2 50g balls as a base, a single 50g ball for the fractal dragon color work. But there still will be left overs!

Add to this, my collection of single--(50g balls)--well you see the problem—It's like the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Every time I USE sock yarn to knit up a pair of socks, I ADD sock yarn to my left over collection—and find my self challenged to think of new ways to use the scrap yarn up!

There is the possibility of mitered square blanket sometime in the future--I like the idea and I have the yarn.