A Pair of Socks

While procrastinating the cast on for Squishy’s Lego Man, I decided to cast on for a pair of baby socks.  I’ve been watching The Expectant Knitter Podcast and currently, she has a KAL (knit-a-long) happening in her group.  The KAL encompasses 4 baby sock or bootie patterns.  They include the Super Quick Baby Socks (you saw mine HERE), the Spring Daffodil Baby Socks, Converse Booties, and Seamless Saartje Booties.

For every pair of baby socks or booties that you finish, you post a picture in the appropriate thread and you get an entry into a drawing for some lovely prize (it could be yarn, stitch markers, project bag – things like that).  This was great timing because it’s prompted me to knit some booties that I might not have otherwise knit for the baby.  And while I’m trying to make one or two things (at least) for Squishy before the baby comes, this gives me an excuse to knit some small projects that are more instant gratification than the large toy.

The second pair of socks I finished are these.  The Spring Daffodil Baby Socks by Steph Mychaid.  (I do believe that is Steph from the Expectant Knitter Podcast.) 

These were toe-up construction, which I’ve not done before.  It meant I had to learn a new cast on.  So off I went to the Knit Girllls video on Judy’s Magic Cast On and after a few tries, I finally got it right.  In this video, the demonstrator is using a circular needle – but I was using dpns at the time because I don’t have any circs smaller than US 4.    The cast on is neat because it gives a seamless cast on that is good for the tops of hats and toes of socks and that sort of thing.  It’s definitely one I’ll keep in my tool box.

I don’t know if you notice or not, it’s somewhat hidden by the variegated yarn, but there is a diagonal pattern created on the top of the foot, whereas the bottom of the foot, heel and back of the cuff are plain stockinette rows. 

I thought this would be better suited for a girl’s design, but in a pair of socks like what I’ve made, I think they easily work for boys.  And my first inclination was to save these socks for a little boy, but I decided to keep them for myself.

I’m not completely happy with the heel construction.  I’ve only made a few pairs of baby/toddler/small child socks and they’ve all been top/cuff down.  This pattern included a short row heel where the stitches for the heel are wrapped until there are 4 remaining unwrapped stitches in the middle, after which point, you go back through and pick up and knit the wraps on the stitches to decrease and increase short rows accordingly. 

Personally, I feel that makes the heel just a little too deep for baby feet.  I think if I were to make them again, I’d go until there were 6 unwrapped stitches in the middle (7 wrapped stitches on each side) and then increase again. 

I tried the socks on a baby doll I have.  Dream Baby’s got pretty stubby fat feet that are nothing like a baby’s, but they gave me a small idea of how they might fit.  I think these will be okay, but the heel might have a funny dimple – kind of like when you put a sweater on a hanger and you get hanger nipples.

Overall, I think this is a really cute pattern.  I don’t know if I’d knit it again.  There are so many options for baby socks and booties, it sort of feels like a waste to only use one pattern.  And I certainly have a few more in my queue that I want to try. 

But now Lovebug has 2 pairs of hand-knit socks to keep her bitty toes nice and toasty.