A Toe-Up Attempt

You are looking at the toe of a future sock, in case you couldn't tell. A toe made not with a figure-8 cast-on or with a Turkish cast-on but with short-row shaping and no wrapping. Yes, this toe was made by casting on half the final number of stitches onto waste yarn (a provisional cast-on: knit a few rows with waste yarn then connect the real yarn and you are done). The toe shaping comes from Pegg Thomas of Twin Willows Farm; it's in her 2-needle sock pattern, which is how I learned to knit socks in December of 2006 (seems like I've knitting socks forever!). When I switched to magic loop on 1 circ, I realized that the toe could be adapted to this method. Here's proof! I casted on the circ and knitted back and forth to create the toe as I did here. then put all stitches on my long size 3 circ (yarn is Filatura di Crosa 501 in Lilac with Cebelia cotton for reinforcing) and continued the pattern as written. The pattern may be found here. As these are for DD#2, I had her try them on. She is very picky but these meet with her approval (whew).
As for Twisted Flower, they will be made of that lovely eau de Nil green FdC 501 for DD#1 (also picky, but in a different way). She wears not clogs, so I shall do a normal heel in heel stitch for her, makes the pattern easier to adjust to my gauge.
And the waving lace socks? I'm wearing them today; here they are:


The denim blues hat is done; I really like the way the variegations made thick stripes. Do you agree?

Next hat will be of Baruffa Maratona (why did they discontinue it? WHY???) and I'm using a neat pattern I found in my Barbara Walker Treasury #1, the little shell ribbing. DH thinks it's cute but soemthing masculine enough for him to wear on a vest (he's not a knitted hat kind of guy, more of a Scottish tweed cap guy). The color is a light royal blue, I'd call it.

Almost done with the back to EFA, then block and assemble. I'm excited, so excited I'm going to end this post and go knit it!