around n round she goes

A blog for my knitting, spinning, quilting, violin-playing, or whatever else floats my boat

My Photo
Name:
Location: Texas

Monday, March 19, 2007

Toe transplants

After all the comments last week, I thought I'd try re-knitting my holey toes rather than darning them. You'll notice this isn't the pair I was showing off - thought I'd start with some that were in even worse shape. (Also a pair that I wouldn't cry about too much if I really screwed it up.)

Step 1: Find a row and thread a set of smaller dps through each stitch. Having a striped yarn made that a lot easier. These were originally knit with a 2.75mm needle - I'm using 2.25mms for the repair.


Step 2: Cut into the top of the sock and attempt to find an end.
Step 2a: Cut some more.
Step 2b: Cut some more. Realize that the yarn is fulled so badly that it'll never unravel from it's present state.
Step 2c: Keep cutting 'til I'm one row away from the needles. Slowly pick away at what's left until I've got a set of live stitches on the needles.


Step 3: Knit a few plain rows until I've got a good base. (I did a fold splice with the old and new yarns so I wouldn't have to worry about working in ends.)
Step four: Do my standard decreases until I've got it back where it belongs. Compare with old toe to make sure I've got the right length.
Step 5: Graft the toe.

Repeat steps 1 through 5 (omitting steps 2, 2a, and 2b) on the other sock.

Step 6: Give the leftover toe to Emy - it has provided endless amusement.

I hesitate to try this on my cable and rib socks. These socks were slightly fulled and miserable to disassemble. The cable and rib socks are heavily fulled (even though they were supposedly 'superwash') and I'm not certain I'll even be able to accomplish Step 1. We'll see what I feel up to doing later....

I suspect I will be performing toe replacement surgery on several other pair. I'm apparently really hard on my toes.

Thanks for all the good suggestions!

5 Comments:

Blogger Marina said...

The fix looks good and you've increased the use a whole lot longer though that's not good if you didn't care for them in the first place ;-)

5:39 AM  
Blogger Brigitte said...

Wow, that's a great job! I have to say, I don't know if I'd have gone to that extent to save a pair of my socks - but, I may have to change my mind. Looks perfect, you can't tell at all.

5:48 AM  
Blogger Lorraine said...

Cynthia- That's a great idea- and alot easier than knitting a whole new pair.

I do get oddly attached to my handknit socks.

And Emy benefits too.

8:12 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excellent work on the toe transplants. It looks like the surgery was a success. Hope it goes well w/ the future attempts.

10:28 AM  
Blogger Holly Jo said...

Great work! Thanks for all the photos - I just might have to try this.

Cracks me up about Emy.

12:39 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home