Lickety split

Lickety split is a toe sock designed to be worn with Japanese slippers. I don't have Japanese slippers, so I am resigned to wear them as a stand-alone piece (especially to be home) or with flip-flop. Regardless of the whole "socks with sandals", they are very comfy, and they allowed me to wear my flip-flops without pain while I was breaking them in. And I want to think that, because of the type of sock, they didn't look that bad. At any rate, nobody said anything, although I did wear them mostly in a country whose language I didn't speak, so they could have been talking behind my back and I wouldn't have notice. I was happy with my feet warm and dry, and that's all that matters.

These socks were the first complicated piece that I finished, and I was very proud of them. I send pictures of them to everybody! My mother could not believe that I had made them, and demanded to know who had taught me to knit. No matter how many times I say "the internet", she still doesn't believe me.

Here be pictures!:




The socks are made in cotton. I know cotton does not make great sock yarn, but I am allergic to wool, so that is all I can use. Besides, I did not know about elasticity and things like that, I just got some comfy cotton and dived in. It didn't turn out very bad, and the socks have enough sturdiness to hold up even without the stretch. I think I was very lucky here (they are modelled after cloth socks).

Techniques needed that I learn on the go:

• crochet and temporary cast on: I had to find a "How to crochet" guide for this, and then fight with the temporary cast-on. I think I started the for toe about 4 times before I managed to get it right, so I'm not entirely sure how I didn't give up.
• 3-needle bind-off: not terribly difficult, but I hadn't used until then.
• intarsia: the proper way, with the back neatly done. I had done what I will loosely describe as "intarsia" before, but this is when I learned to do it properly.

And so, these are my toe-socks. They are great. The squiggly on the side is the Japanese for rat, my Chinese horoscope. I like seeing my toes. One day, I should make socks with all toes, although I fear when I finish them I will just sit and wiggle my toes, and stare at them saying "toesis", and that would be the end of my day :)