aka the common pillbug. I’m sure you’re familiar. Recently I found that I resemble the behavior of this fascinating little creature in as much as when I feel threatened I curl up onto myself, presenting an armor-plated exterior to the world, and wait for the threat to pass, hoping I don’t end up in some curious 4 year old’s ear, like the fate of the one my baby brother found oh so many years ago. (Hi Thomas!)
Now, normally being rather extroverted, when in this state of mind, I tend to turn to creative outlets for the energy I’m trying hard (with moderate success) not to put into what-ifs and coulda-woulda-shouldas.
And it was under this exact circumstance that my newest design was conceived. I’m in the final stages of drafting the pattern, but a sneak preview can’t hurt!
TENDERFOOT
I found that when I would wear hand-knit socks all day, the bottoms of my feet would feel like they were on fire from walking on the nubs of the purl stitches all day. So this design features the sole of the foot knit in such a way that the smoother, knit side is against the skin, thus making it more bearable for this tenderfoot to wear hand-knit socks.
Knitted toe-up in Dizzy Blonde Superwash Sock’s Betty/My Blue Heaven, the top of the foot is ribbed, while the sole is knit in reverse stockinette.
(Photo Lightened to better show cable pattern)
And look at this leg! What a gorgeous intertwining series of 4×4 cables!
I had started this design at the beginning of the year to submit for publication in some print magazine, whose name I’ve forgotten, and whose deadline I SO did not meet, so it stagnated.
I picked it back up in May, determined that I would work on it and finish them, so help me wool!! Then, much to my chagrin, I found that I wasn’t the only one with this idea, in fact, I was beaten to the punch! Stupid procrastination.
When Knitty released their 2009 Summer issue, my mouth dropped. Looks like Janice Kang had a similar idea with her gorgeous Outside In socks. What can I say? Great minds think alike. Well, our basic concept may be similar, but our engineering is not, making both designs unique in their own right.
The pattern should be available shortly. Stay tuned (hopefully I won’t go back into pillbug mode and take a month to post again) for release dates and locations!
9 Responses
Ida
I love them! Of course, there is the Knitting Purls/Knit-a-While Cuff-Down Smack-Down.
jen
i think it looks great! and i love the deep color!
Kristen
Great minds think like mine. I was going to make a pair of (rather plain, just 2×2 ribbing) socks for my dad, who’s diabetic, and put the purls on the outside. I’m not a tenderfoot, but I notice the nubs, too. And neither is he (diabetic feet and all), so if we can protect his feet better, yay! I certainly think this is a terrific idea.
I’ve been kind of in pill-bug mode, too. Gross that your brother had one in his ear.
Julie
OMG, I haven’t thought about pillbugs (or potato bugs I as called them) in years! We don’t have them here, but I lived in San Diego as a child and they were everywhere. I love the 10 Cool Facts at that link, especially #6 A pillbug can drink with its anus & #8 Pillbugs eat their own poop. Ewwww!
Pretty, pretty socks!
Stacey
Very nice. Definitely nicer than the ones with holes in that mag. 😀
I love that the bug can drink with it’s ass. Of course, I’m weird.
Carrie K
In his ear? Yuck. Purl side down! Yes!
reddogknits
I love the idea of purl side down!
KSee
looks like a lot of us are pill bugs. Like your sock
Blogslacking… « Fibercrack’d
[…] Tenderfoot is just about to be published. I found a major engineering error in the pattern, and it’s taken me a while to work it out. Prototype has been reknit, the pattern is completed, along with charts and photos with my new official Dizzy Blonde Studios model, all that’s required is about a 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted, non-dumb-question-of-the-day-answering, silence in which I can concentrate on uploading the pattern, writing copy and then creating the button and all the links necessary to get this pattern self-published and done…so probably next year. (I kid…I kid). Actually, probably next week. […]