Socks on the road...

During the holidays, we took a road trip through West Texas. If you have ever been to West Texas, you know that it is vast. This means a lot of driving... My husband drove, my daughter listened to music or watched movies on her portable DVD player - except for those times when I pointed out scenaries to her, such as windmill farms, mountains, cacti (lots of cacti - in all kinds of colors: green, gray, purple, pink, with and without spines), dessert, nothing (lots of nothing - in all kinds of colors: brown, tan, beige, light brown, dark brown, with or without vegetation), small and not quite so small towns. We had fun, and saw lots of little gems in between, like the McDonald Observatory, Alpine (a quaint little town), different museums with all kinds of funky stuff, a meteor crater in Odessa, an old (but still active) movie setting, the Marfa lights, and much more (well, maybe not much more, but more).

So, while DH drove and DD watched movies, yours truly knitted, of course!! I finished a pair of really cool socks.


They are called "circle socks." I found the original design on Ravelry. It is by Anne Campbell. Her website has the pattern.


The yarn is by Patons, called Kroy Socks Stripes, color Bronzed Berry Stripes. Quite possibly my new favorite (inexpensive) sock yarn. I bought a whole bunch, in all kinds of different colors. Not sure how it wears yet, but it knits nicely.

The Kroy is a new sock yarn they carry at our local Michaels. I am so glad. They did not used to have any sock yarns. Now they also carry Patons Stretch Socks. I also knitted my first pair of socks with that yarn.


I liked the feel during knitting. Now I am curious to see how it wears and washes.

Here is my finished pair. Oh, yeah, I saw these "screwball socks" on Ravelry, which sort of inspired my own screwy version. My usual toe-up socks with the "screw" pattern for the instep and leg parts.

Instep:
Let's say, ndls 3 and 4 are your instep ndls.
After you are done with the toe increases and are getting ready for a pattern:
k ndls 1 and 2 throughout all this
ndls 3 and 4 are worked as follows:
p6, k the rest of ndl 3 and 4
k3, p6, k the rest of ndl 3 and 4
k6, p6, k the rest of ndl 3 and 4
k9, p6, k the rest of ndl 3 and 4
keep doing this, moving your 6p by 3 sts on needles 3 and 4
until you are at a point where the last 6 sts on ndl 4 are purls
next row:
k ndls 3 and 4 to the last 3 sts on ndl 4, p3
start ndl 3 on the next round with 3p, k the rest of ndl 3 and 4
and start the next tread of your screw socks.

Once you worked your heel and start the leg part you want your tread to go all the way around the socks, so:
work your 6 purls on opposite needles:
if you start ndl 3 with 6 purls, also start ndl 1 with 6 purls and work as before, winding your purls around your socks, if you will.

And here is the final product: