*NEW* Toxic sock design first.....then Casting ON

Ta daaa... my new socks! Flames... skull & crossbones... test knitting is complete and the pattern is released! It's top-down, in-the-round flaming stranded fun to do - and it's simpler than you think!

I named them TOXIC firstly since hubby came up with the idea and I liked it and also because if you did the flames green instead of red or flame colour, the flames could be smoke! After all, anyone's feet with green smoke coming off them and a skull & crossbones clearly displayed... obviously has toxic feet.

These socks come in 3 sizes (small, medium & large) and you can choose from 3 different toe patterns. The toe is 'semi-round', as is the heel.

Toe notes:

• The sample has flaming toes and a striped sole all the way to the end. The pattern has a fun 'cut'n tape toe chart that you can place anywhere on the instep chart to get any length sock you need.
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• But the pattern has a chart to do a striped toe as well. One of my testers did the striped toe and it goes well visually with the heel and gusset.
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• You could also do a plain toe. If you do, I suggest doing the plain toe in the contrast colour (flame colour) and maybe the heel flap too. These choices are all available on the pattern.

I just casted on another pair, this time for my son. Here's a pic of him at work. I thought since he's a firefighter he'd appreciate some flaming socks.

I worry about him when he goes out on calls in all weather and road conditions. I want him to have some squishy soft and warm socks made by mommy, so I ordered some merino superwash to make him some.

OK, onto PART 2!

Casting on Socks

I love starting new projects! I'm MOTIVATED! I'm SURE the project is going to turn out GREAT! I can't wait to FINISH! ...and I DON'T like being discouraged by uncooperative cast-ons! Read on for my

comedy of errors casting on...

Don't you hate it when:

...you do a stretchy knotted cast on (which takes soooo long)

[because you want to just start knitting and you don't want to have to worry

about not having a long enough 'tail' to finish a long tail cast on]

...then you get out the rest of your dpns and get ready to join in the round...

...and the needles are flopping around making yarn-overs over the ends of the needles and

it's hard to make sure the work isn't twisted which is really fun with black yarn in dim light ...

...then when you start knitting, the first round is so paaaainfully slooooow...

and you're trying to **JAM** the needles into a tight knotted stitch

and the other stitches are spreading further and further apart

so long droopy loops are forming between the casted on stitches...

(arghhhhhh!... expletive... )

Anyway, that's what happens to me.

So I want to tell you about my fave cast on method! ♥

I know a lot of people really like the knotted cast on but (for me) I find the German Twisted knit & purl cast on works the best for me. Why?

• I find it much faster to cast on since it's a variation of a long tail cast on.
• I like the finished look better, because even the cast on stitches are either knit or purl so it streamlines the look of the cuff.
• It's just as stretchy.
• It has a more substantial edge, so I don't have to fight floppy needles when I'm trying to join and do the first round.
• The stitches seem more 'stable' to me because the first round is easier for me to work and isn't as slow so I can proceed with my project with that 'new project' smile still on my face.

Remember, that's just my personal opinion and everyone has their own tastes and methods that work for them. Maybe I prefer this cast on because I'm a 'picker' rather than a 'thrower'? I don't know?

So if you want to make some socks

and try the German Twisted knit & purl cast on,

you can watch a VIDEO on how to do it HERE

If you want to cast on Toxic and knit along with the video,

here's an estimation for how long your tail should be when you start.

For fingering weight and 2mm/US0 needles, multiply the total number of cast on stitches by .63 to find out how many inches your tail should be to start with.

(If you're using larger needles like 2.5mm/US1, you'll have to go up a bit eg: to .65 - .7 )

For small (70sts) 45" / 115cm

medium (80sts) 50" / 128cm

large (90sts) 57" / 145cm

Following this formula, you shouldn't run out of tail before your cast on is done - and you should still be smiling =D

Let's cast on!