Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Toddle A Few Feet In My Socks

I finished knitting my first pair of socks just in time for my 13-month-old niece, Josie, to break them in by taking her first steps. I decided to knit my first pair of socks for Josie because she’s got the smallest feet I know—about 4 inches long.
I’ve always wanted to knit a pair of socks, but was intimidated by the process of making a tube of fabric bend at a right angle. I wouldn’t have figured out how to do that without the I Can’t Believe I’m Knitting Socks book I got at Michaels craft store. This book takes you step by step in the process, with plenty of photos to illustrate the instructions.
So how do you bend a tube of fabric? The answer is short rows, which are formed by only working across some of the stitches on the left needle before turning the piece. This process creates darts in the knitted fabric, which “turns the heel” of the sock.
The socks aren’t perfect. While knitting the second sock, I lost track of how many rows I had knitted and inadvertently made it a little bigger than the first one. But both socks still fit on Josie’s feet. And, unlike her Robeez shoes, she didn’t try to rip them off.

It felt good to see my socks cushion her footfalls as she toddled around the dreaded Tropical Discovery building of the Denver Zoo.



13 comments:

betty said...

so cute! the socks and little Josie! she is a very nice model for them. you did a good job on them! I had no idea how to knit that tube; it sounds "easy" when you read it, but I'm sure it was challenging

very nicely done!

betty

TALON said...

You did a fantastic job. And I love the yellow! How sweet that she wore them for her first steps. She's a doll!

Destiny's child... said...

A really cute gift, i must say! :)

Lynn said...

Good job on the socks - and adorable Josie has room for her feet to grow into them!

hokgardner said...

Congratulations! I always feel like a genius when I turn a heel, even after knitting at least a dozen pairs. Have you cast on your second pair yet?

Unknown said...

My Mom just did some socks for some of the girls in our extended family. she had never tried socks before - but she found some guidance at a site on the Internet and there she sat, laptop in her lap and knitting needles flying, and Viola!! Socks.

And she said - that's the first time I have ever turned a heel. Mom is 83 and been knitting ever since she was a little girl.

Kathleen said...

Very cool, they look so cute.

Cookie said...

Those are so cute! I always wanted to learn how to knit. how do you find the time?!

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

Congrats on the socks! They are so cute. I have no patience for that stuff, so it always impresses me when people are able to craft such cute items!

Maggie`s Mind said...

I`m totally impressed. Very cool. And yay for baby toes, too!

Maude Lynn said...

How cute! I wish I could do something like that!

Kathleen W. said...

Great work! I've knitted only a few pairs of socks, and I just hate the double pointed needles and tiny yarn. It just seems to slip off constantly. The pattern itself is ok though.

Now time to work on ones for the boys!

Crafty Green Poet said...

they look very nice socks, well done! I can't knit at all!