Toe up socks!

I've finished my first toe up sock with the Artyarns Supermerino from my Secret Pal. It looks ace. This is how far I'd got yesterday afternoon:

It started with a Square Garter Stitch Toe, then you have to pick up stitches round the edge of this so you end up knitting in the round up the foot. Then do some increases for the foot. I had to frog and start again here as my feet are v. narrow and shallow so had to make the square smaller and hardly do any increases! Above you should just be able to see a line of waste yarn (navy blue and thinner), this is knitted on 2/3rds of the stitches of the round and will be where the heel goes. Then you carry on knitting as far up the ankle as you feel like/have yarn for and cast off.

Below is the finished sock:

I went back and inserted the heel (Lucy Neatby calls is a "Turkish Heel" but I've also heard it called an "Afterthought Heel"). This construction made for a very satisfying quick knit (especially as the yarn is quite thick so I used 3mm needles). The good thing about the heel is that, as it wears, you can replace just the heel with fresh yarn! (not sure I'd have the nerve for that, but it's a nice idea). To avoid Second Sock Syndrome I've already started the next one. ;-)
Don't the colours look great knitted up?!

Hazel has very kindly sent me some yarn from Texere to try out. She's been using it for her capelet, but I had it in mind for the skirt in last month's Simply Knitting. I like the yarn (and it's recycled, which makes it even better!) but I shouldn't really start another WIP for me at the moment. Will post a piccy of the swatch once I've finished it. Also not sure if I want a knitted skirt, but I liked the style of it - it's taken from Di Gilpin's book "Shorelines". Cost of yarn from Texere to make it: approx £20. Cost of using "real" yarn (Rowan Scottish Tweed): approx £70. Hmm. Wonder which I should go for?!

The charity baby jumper still hasn't been looked at. And I'm also very tempted to make some little hats for bottles for Innocent Drinks. Clapotis is steaming along. Here she is at the end of Section 3, so we're nearly there now! Notice Sooty's total lack of interest in knitting! Also the vacuum cleaner hovering in the background. My flat doesn't have any cupboards so I've yet to find somewhere to stuff it, at the moment it's a "feature" in my living room. At least that reminds me to use it occasionally.


I seem to have tonsillitis, which isn't much fun. Sooty is proving to be **** at providing TLC, this morning I got sworn at for being late with his breakfast. However, I haven't felt like going out, which means LOADS of knitting time! :-) Almost worth having a v. sore throat...