Boo's Sparkly Socks

Pattern: Boo's Sparkly Socks.
Yarn: 1 100g/425m skein South West Trading Company Tofutsies (50% superwash wool/25% Soysilk fibers/22.5% cotton/2.5% chitin) in #730 (Light Foot). 1 87yd skein Lana Gatto Crystal (63% viscose/20% Nylon/17% Polyester) in #4112 (Pinks)
Needles: 2.5mm (US 1)
Gauge: 9 sts = 1"
Notes: Flush with the success of the Fixation socks, I decided to make Boo a pair of pink socks. I showed her the pink yarn I'd bought, and she asked if it was "sparkly." I said I'd see what I could do. The next day, I went back to where I'd bought the Tofutsies, and found a matching pink eyelash yarn that certainly qualified as "sparkly." (And it was on sale.) So, I cast on more stitches than I needed, added the sparkly yarn, and ribbed the cuff in sparklies. After the cuff ribbing, I reduced the stitches to a more normal circumference and just knitted a basic sock. If I had it all to do again I might not double the yarn, and I almost certainly won't rib the eyelash parts, but the effect of the cuff was exactly as I'd hoped: big and floppy and foldable down to a nice anklet, but also capable of staying up.



Boo modeling her socks.



Close up of the sparklies, and the folded-down cuff feature.

Some more details about the pattern:

I cast on 64 stitches, because I wanted a big fluffy cuff that I could ruffle and fold down. I cast on with the main yarn (Tofutsies), then added the eyelash and knitted 6 rows of 2x2 ribbing with both yarns held together. 6 rows was enough to a) give a nice fluffy, sparkly cuff and b) drive me insane.

After dropping the eyelash, I knitted 5 more rows of 2x2 ribbing, then switched to stockinette and K2, K2tog around to reduce the 64 stitches to 48. After that, I just made a regular old sock. Well, with about two extra inches in the toe because Boo has long feet. I actually clipped the toe out, ripped back, and added an extra inch after finishing the first sock, because I realized it was just too short.

I really liked knitting with the Tofutsies. I'd heard it was splitty, and it was for a bit until I adjusted my stitch style. I was using Addi Turbos, which aren't particularly pointy (well, I don't think so, anyway :)), and I didn't have much trouble. The yarn knitted up into a beautifully soft and stretchy fabric, even at 9 sts to the inch. We'll see how it wears, but I liked the first impression.