The Group's First Sock

Back in March I mentioned that my neighbors had asked me to help them learn how to knit socks. Everyone knew the basics of how to knit, but no one had tried knitting socks. The first call came from D who wanted to do a pair for her oldest daughter who had recently had a foot injury. D had knit up a "toe cozy" for the daughter because her exposed toes were constantly cold. Since the daughter loved the feel of the yarn on her toes D naturally thought she'd love handknit socks....who wouldn't love them! So plans were set to get together and start a pair of socks as a birthday present for her daughter. Afterall she said we "had until June to get the socks done"...funny how that worked out. The other neighbors, B & E decided they would like to take part in the knitting party too.

I made up a basic sock pattern based on the Yarn Harlot's book, Knitting Rules and a ball band of Colinette Jitterbug. The first lesson came...everyone got their socks cast on and 2 x 2 ribbing started. We got together a few more Sundays to knit...progress was very very slow for everyone. The last time I checked in on their progress D had ripped back and restarted a few more times...still working on the ribbing & the June birthday is now past. E had made it down to the heel flap, but had not picked up her needles in a while.

Of the three who started knitting back in March only B was close to finishing her first sock. On July 8th she was done with the toe decreases and ready to learn how to finish...the very next evening she learned how to do just that. The Kitchener Stitch can be a confusing mess of stitches when you first do it. I remember sitting at my desk and saying out loud..."knit off, purl on...purl off, knit on"...over & over again until I got to those last 2 stitches. B did have some problems remembering the mantra, but she got through it with a completed first sock.

Her sock has had some memorable moments...about 1/2" of the knit stitch followed by a row of purl before realizing that by knitting in the round stockinette is created without the need of purling, the poor sock & it's attached needles getting sucked up in her vacuumn not once but two times & the heel flap getting ripped back multiple times for 'dropped' slip stitches...still a mystery as to how those stitches ended up unravelling. I've told her that she needs to cast on for the second sock...before "second sock syndrome" rears it's ugly head. Mine is cast on and ribbing is done. The question is do I work to the heel and wait for E & D to get there or do I finish my second sock?