Mini Mini-- Meah

is just about done. I am bored with it.

What I want to do, what I am itching to do, is to start my Kate and Alice socks.

And I am going to! I plan to bind off the Mini Mini today—And I will skein up the silk for a second larger Mini Mania—that is a more planned/organized scarf. But that can wait a bit.

I might yet knit another Mini Mania—but not a totally random one—another planned one. I'll organize some of my sock yarn left overs, and when I have a pleasing mix, I'll go to work. I have at least 1 skein of a beautiful blue yarn that will be the basis of a planned mini mania—a single skein in a beautiful blue--(from where? I haven't a clue!) But, this scarf can wait too.

But if January's socks can extend into February(as they did) then there is no reason why April's socks have to wait another week and half and the beginning of April (proper) to be started.

I fell asleep last night planning the details of the sock—first the cast on—which will be Judy's magic cast on, that works into a double knit cuff. I like the look of a cuff—but I hate doing a provisional cast on, and then making a knit in place hem for cuff on a sock--it's way to fussy.

So my solution is to cast on 128 (64 stitches per needle), join into a round, and double knit for a few rounds--I am thinking 6 rounds. Then I can do a round of K2tog's to create a knit in place hem.

The major disadvantage to this process: keeping tension even on the purl stitches. The solution? I'll turn the work inside out as finish the hem. Then the inside hem will be made of the previously knit (at a slightly tighter tension) knit stitches, and the public side of the work will be the previously purled stitches (which, if history is any indication) will be ever so slightly looser tension. This will be the perfect solution! I'll continue to work “inside out” (knitting every stitch, but working with the sock inside out) –as this is a good process for doing color work.

After the hem, an inch or so in plain stocking knit before the color work begins. Then, about an 2 inches of brown and white patterning where white is main color, then a reversal and another 2 inches of work with brown is the main color. This sounds about right: Hem (half inch) plain, (1 inch) first half of pattern work, (2 inches) second half of pattern work, (2 inches), plain, (1 inch) works out to 6.5 inches of the leg. An extra round or two in each part—making them just a scant bit over an inch or two will add another inch and bring the work to 7.5 inches before I start the heel—and that is just about the length I like for sock!

It should be obvious by now—I am, slight more usual, obsessed with the idea of knitting these socks!