Sock It to Me

 I finished the first sock!  

Seen here about to get its toe grafted.  I've cast on for the second and am just past the ribbing.  I did the unthinkable (for me) and actually discarded part of a yarn repeat so that I could start the second sock in the same place as the first.  Just because they are gift socks.  I, personally, love the idea of mismatched socks.  Even when I wear purchased socks I get the socks in packs with multiple colors and wear whatever two I happen to pick out of my drawer.  (It's always a disappointment to me if they do actually match). 

Here's the proof I actually discarded the rest of the stripe pattern.  No worries, I think I'm going to make a Scrap Blanket with the leftovers. 

No pattern*, just started with 64 sts, did 2x2 rib for 15 rows, then straight to the heel.  A traditional slip stitch heel flap on half the stitches, turned it then picked up stitches for the gusset and decreased them away.  I had a bit of an existential crisis for the toe.  I'd been liking a star toe shape, but wanted more of a wedge for this.  So I decreased every other row 6 times, then every row until there were 12 stitches left, and then kitchenered those together.  I like it; roundish, but not too pointy either.

*Sadly, the Percent Sock pattern I wrote and posted in the old r.c.t.y. Usenet group that Barbara Breitner (I can't believe I remembered her name) put up on the net (with my permission) is no longer out there -- or at least I couldn't find it by Googling.  I know alot of knitters used it in the "0s" because I came across it in several lists of "my favorite sock patterns online".  Ah well.  Anyway, I think this pair is a bit too big around (the length is dead on for the shoe size, though).  Next pair I'll do with 60 stitches.