KnitMe

mm...mm...Mahogany!

I wanted to knit a pair of classy, comfortable and cushy dress socks for my special guy.
I think we have a winner.

The class.

For the yarn, I chose Lisa Souza's Sock!Merino in her handpainted Mahogany colorway. It is a perfect balance of elegance and liveliness. Lisa truly is a master at mining the rich warm depths at the heart of the rainbow. I knitted the socks on 2.75 mm (US2) dpns, in simple stockinette with a1x1 ribbed cuff, to let color take center stage.

The comfort.

Over the many pairs of socks that I've knitted for him, I've tweaked the classic top-down sock recipe (here) to accomodate Bill's wide foot.

I shortened and widened the top half of the toe curve by using the decrease formula here (p. 67). The wider curve fits smoothly around toes that are longest at the middle, with no seam to rub on the top of the foot, a feature that scores big points in Bill's sock drawer. Then I lengthened the foot to make up for the length that had been taken out of the toe. I used a Dutch heel (here, p. 63 ), which makes a broad, straight platform to stand on. There are no seams or bumps underfoot, and the heel flap cradles the sides and back of the heel snugly. Blisterless bliss.

And finally, my favorite tweak. If you look closely, you can see Pat Kirtland's innovative single purled seam stitch down each side of both leg and foot. As a car knitter, Pat likes it because it eliminates the need for markers. As a wearer, Bill likes it because it makes an expansion joint that keeps the top of the sock on the top of his foot and the bottom on the bottom, no matter how active he is. I like it for all those things, and because it adds a subtle touch of distinction to the stockinette leg.

The Cush.

Mm...mm...merino.
Mm...mm...Mahogany!
What more can I say?

Happy feet. Happy knitter.
I guess that's why we do it.

Posted by Jan at March 21, 2007 09:11 PM