A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

sydOsyd — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:10:32 GMT

cool thanks for the toe chimney tutorial! your zombie sock story was funny. good job at finishing them!

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

AvisK — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:23:57 GMT

I haven't figured out the K-stitch either and have to have the book to do it and it never looks pretty. But the grafting on the needles you showed how to do ages ago, that I have no problems with and the toe looks wonderful ever time. I've used it to finish off mittens.

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

clocke — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:14:49 GMT

That method is brilliant!

I enjoy grafting by way of K, lol, but I also enjoy having many options to choose from, so thanks for showing this one. :)

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

betty in Texas — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:59:44 GMT

Sandi, you rock! Go creative and burn that bridge behind you! I am also loving the comments to this post...How did y'all know about those socks in my closet, waiting for toes??

Betty in Texas

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

Suz@18 — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:45:15 GMT

This is an innovative idea, but seems almost as involved as the Kitchener stitch (which, by the way, I dread also & I'm on my 11th pair of sox so far)! I have ended some sock toes by decreasing gradually down to about 4-6 sts on each needle, then just closing the toe the same way I would a knitted hat - drawing the yarn thru all loops on the needle & cinching tightly. A couple of well-placed sts across the tiny gap & wah-la!! The toes are done!! Yes - I know it's not a TRUE sock unless the toes are woven, but if that's all that's keeping your sox from being done and worn, why not?? Thanks for all your great articles tho - I look forward to them every day!

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

JillW — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:56:23 GMT

Sandi - As always, I love your blog. I too have to look at the K stitch instructions every single time. And every time, as I'm doing it, I'm thinking, OK, I get the hang of this! It's not so hard, and it looks pretty good! Then, next time around, I'm hunting up the instructions again (or printing them off on the computer since I'm pretty unorganized as well as impatient) because I just can't quite remember what I did last time! Thanks for the toe chimney tutorial - I just happen to have an unfinished sock at home (or maybe 2) that I can try it on!

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

DebbieR — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:27:35 GMT

Hi Sandy,

I also have issues with K....I HAVE to use printed directions all the time but always lost my place on either the knitting or the directions! :(

So I came up with the "buddy system"--my 16 year old daughter (who's

a ribbon-winning knitter!) reads the directions to me so I never need to take my eyes off of the knitting. I hope to be able to remember how to K by rote one of these days, but for now, I get her to help me.

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

Francesca — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:46:22 GMT

Zombie socks is a great phrase. Thanks for the grafting on the needles trick -- I've never come across that before and it looks like a good trick for when one's brain is feeling sludgy.

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

NancyN@4 — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:01:03 GMT

Sandi,

When I learned the K stitch, I was 14 years old and thought I knew everything. I was also learning from a book; no knitters in sight to ask for help. I looked at those confusing printed directions and then looked at the illustration. The illustration looked just like a duplicate stitch on two unconnected pieces - so, I never did try to figure out the directions, just did the duplicate stitch and it worked fine. I don't even take the needles out of the stitches until the seam is finished. It's worked for me for 55 years now, so I guess that 14 year old really did know a little.

I hope you find something that works just as well for you!

Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with us.

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

Sharon V — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:00:36 GMT

Sandi,

You are so funny with the 'K stitch'. You must have learned at least 4 or 5 new techniques to avoid one little one!

Of course, we are all benefitting from your fear (which seems wrong somehow). However, since we are learning for enrichment what you have learned from avoidance, then I'm all for it - so thank you.

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

Dawn in NL — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:42:46 GMT

Hi Sandy,

My answer is knit Toe Up. It is the only way I have ever knitted socks and the method suits me just fine. The short row toe makes me happy!

Isn't it great that there are almost as many ways of knitting socks as there are knitter.

re: A Tale of Toe Woe: The Zombie Socks

MicheleB — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:23:49 GMT

Here's methods three and four:

Turn them inside out and do a three needle bind off. The yarn is so fine that it won't rub, I promise.

or...decrease down to 8 sts, cut the yarn, run it through the stitches, and cinch it tight. This is my go to method. It works just fine. My socks make me happy!

Sure, I can do kitchener stitch if I really want to. I've done it before. But I guess I don't really want to, most of the time.

Knit on!