Let me begin by stating that I began this post prior to taking Neatnik to Vacation Bible School. When I pushed the Publish button, Blogger ate my whole very clever post. I have just now returned from taxi-duty and I attempting to replicate my extreme cleverness, but you all know how difficult it is to recreate perfection.
I like knitting socks for the Neatnik. I really do. I don't really like how she outgrows them, though.
It isn't like I have a younger child to whom I could hand them down when Neatnik no longer fits them.
And all of her friends' feet are bigger than hers are.
What is a knitting Mommy to do?
One technique a knitter can employ is knitting a single round of a contrasting yarn just before starting the toe decreases. The contrasting yarn serves as a landmark, if you will, making it very easy to see where to pick up the stitches so that you can knit additional length in the foot.
Before I started working the contrasting stripe technique, however, Neatnik simply outgrew her yarn socks and then the too-small socks sat on my dresser, looking at me somewhat reproachfully. It isn't that I wasn't unwilling to try to pick up the stitches, but if you work with Cascade Fixation, you know how those little suckers just shrivel up to nothing as soon as they come off the needle - nevermind after they've been worn and washed a few dozen times.
What can you do?
Reclaim that yarn! I felt rather connected to those knitters over the centuries who would first knit a man-sized jumper and, when it developed rips and holes, would then unravel it and recycle the yarn into progressively smaller garments until at last they were knitting a pair of baby booties.
Neatnik's request for this pile of reclaimed yarn is anklets. Her ankles are rather skinny and anklets have a tendency to sag and droop on her, though. My
We'll keep you posted on how that goes.
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9 yarns:
I am humbled by your cleverness.
Well... you could have another child, too. ;)
great idea!
The anklets should be very soft.
Do you want me to drive over and hit Chris?
I always say I am going to recycle yarn. I even look at thrift shop sweaters and think, "what lovely yarn...I should get that just for the wooly workings!" And yet I never do. :(
Good for you for salvaging perfectly lovely yarn and socks!
What a clever idea. My children are all grown so they wear out their socks (and their feet are bigger, too!)
Great idea, especially for kid's feet, and much quicker and easier than Chris' idea.
The "add-length" line is a marvelous idea. Making the cuff smaller than the foot is problematic. It has to go over the foot and, above all, the heel, before it gets to the ankle. If it's stretchy enough, it will go on, but test the cuff - put it on string or a cable needle and try it on her foot - before you knit any farther.
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