And the Winner is ......

The contest for what to do with the failed sock is over. I decided that the cleverest idea is Yvonne's for making coffee-cup sleeves out of the leg. Plus my daughters are big coffee-out-of-the-house fans (they'll just have to fight over it, heh). So Yvonne, would you please e-mail me (click on the link at the left) with your mailing info? I'll send the beaded markers and the 3 cable needles out to you right away. I'll post a pic when I've made the coffee cup sleeve. Yvonne, if you haven't done it, you ought to write up a patent for it, or at least copyright a pattern for one. In a double-knit stitch, it would insulate so well. Thanks to everyone for the ideas.

Contest Prizes

Due to a terrible stomach ache, I didn't get to take the photo yesterday. Here they are, a set of 3 crackle-bead hand-made rings from a fellow Knitswap member. I'm also adding a set of 3 Clover cable needles; these hold onto your stitches well and your can knit back off them.

A More Comfy Sock and a Contest

Learn from one's mistakes. Or as a scientist would have it, change the experimental conditions and redo the experiment. I changed the Pretty Comfy sock in 2 important ways from the first attempt: I made a French heel with a higher gusset:


And finished it with a non-grafted toe:



I still had to take the end of the toe out once and add a little length to it, but now, it fits. Length, check. Heel in correct place, check. Did forget the reinforcing cotton on the heel, but if I wear these with clogs, maybe it won't matter too much in the end. Halfway done on the leg of the second sock now. This is a very nice sock pattern by the way, with an 8-stitch repeat to the pattern. The lace is stretchy too.
Now for the contest: What should I do with the failed sock? Just unravel it and recycle the wool? Make a sock puppet? If so, what character or creature should it be? The cleverest, most original idea will win you a set of beaded stitch markers; they have pretty pink beads dangling down. I'll take a photo of them later and post it here. The contest will end at 11:59 pm on Tuesday March 27.