Socks done, I think.

My Lacey Legs are finished or almost finished except for the ends and maybe one more go at the cuff but so close to being done that I'm celebrating a little.

On these Toe-Up socks there will be a choice of Leg Laciness. One could work the lace panel up the front and keep the back of the leg in stockinette stitch (gold sock in Fleece Artist wool) or for those who cannot control their lace passion there will be the all-over lace leg (orange sock in Shelridge Farm Ultra Soft - pattern slightly obscured by the bright colour but I do love them). I know you might think that designers have it all figured out ahead of time but for me that is not the case. There are two choices because I couldn't decide so I am passing the buck and letting you decide for yourself. I of course now have a pair of each and I remain undecided which pair I like best.

Each design comes with it's own problems. The laciness being only one of the decisions (which I didn't decide) but the other was where the beginning of the round is. I know this is usually not a problem and for most socks it is the centre of the back of the leg or centre bottom of the foot. But...it seemed to me when I was knitting the socks that the beginning was definitely the lace panel on the foot. I divided the sock onto 3 needles with the lace panel on one needle (19 sts) and the other 2 needles (also with 19 sts each) in stockinette stitch. I would tell myself that I was beginning at the centre bottom of the foot (toe-up remember) and knit across the bottom of the foot to the edge of the lace panel. Then I could hear myself saying "OK here we go", check the chart and work across the 19 sts of lace pattern reaching the end of the needle, yes!, and knit across the back 2 needles as quick as I could. This to me means the lace pattern starts it all. I didn't just do this on one sock, no, I checked this out thoroughly on 6 socks and it never varied.

This is not a problem until you come to the top of the leg and - cast off. The yellow sock has the cast off on the front of the sock. Not good. I explained this to a knitting friend yesterday and she advised me to just leave it. But I cannot. The cast off should begin and end at the back where if you make a bit of a hash of sewing the end in it won't mar the perfection of your sock. So where to put the extra 2/3 of a round? Should you begin the round at the back of the leg just above the heel and work the whole leg that way? But that changes the flow of the knitting and was not satisfactory. How about before working the lace on all 3 needles (last 1" of yellow sock has lace on all around the sock) but then you are starting the lace in a different spot and it still felt awkward. So I am going to put the partial knit round above the lace and before you start the purled cuff. The tail isn't sewn in because I have to take out the purled cuff and put the partial round in there and then my cast off will be at the back where it should be!

Is this picky or what? I would tell you that I am not a detail person but I think I would be lying. I think I have been deluding myself thinking that I am a free and easy knitter. I spent way too much time thinking this over and now writing about it. Agonize that's me.

-Deb