Painted Toes (Or the Case of the Mock Monkeys)

Much as I like painting my toenails, there's not much point in the winter. So how much nicer, then, to have "painted toes" on your socks!?

I started these last summer as a time filler and to take along when larger projects wouldn't do. And they have played their part nicely. I left them in the car most of the time in case I had a spare minute or an unexpected wait. But it didn't happened too often so they kind of languished.

Until early this year. I didn't keep track, but apparently a few things fell off my plate and these socks got more attention. The first one took from August to January to do, and the second one was finished over little more than a month. That's how it goes sometimes.

As I said before, I knew as soon as I saw this yarn what type of socks they needed to become. And they turned out just as I wanted! Not quite the working socks that become stuffed monkey toys, but close enough that everyone thinks of them.

Start with red toes,

and then knit a plain foot. I increased as for a normal gusset, and then did a short row heel over the larger number of stitches.

The larger heel helps the fit and I felt it would make the red sections more balanced.

Knit and knit and knit on the leg.

I switched to a 2x2 ribbing and just knit and knit and knit forever. At first I was going to knit until the black and white wool was gone, but that didn't happen. Finally I realized they would be long enough to be true knee socks, and I said that is enough.

Add a 1x1 cuff to help keep them up:

and finish (as always) with an invisible cast off (Kitchener style).

Project Stats
Started: 28 Aug '12
Finished: 10 Mar '13
Pattern: pattern? what pattern?
Materials: Regia 4-ply (1.7 skeins black/white; 0.7 skeins red) ($3)
Then wear and enjoy!

I finished these up during our trip to Alberta and wasted no time in trying them out! I found them quite warm, and that they stayed up adequately. (I don't expect perfection in that department.) I would not want to walk long in them, however. I think it's the nylon content, but I find the yarn rather unyielding under my foot. I can feel all the stitches and they don't give enough. (I'm finding it hard to explain.) But for most of my "regular" days, they will work just great.

Oh look! A mountain!