Toes-ty

There's been a rash of new babies at work this month born to frighteningly competent coworkers. Both of these women worked right up to a few hours before giving birth. It got so I hated to say good morning to them, and ask how they were doing for fear of the answers: "Well, I'm four centimeters dilated!" And - "Just as soon as I find a cure for world hunger, I'll call my midwife to see if I should wait until these labor pains are less than five minutes apart or come to the hospital now!"

So a little knitting was in order. These little sweeties are half sock, half booty and made of a very luxurious bulky alpaca. I am calling them Toes-ty because, well, they are really warm and soft and as easy to make as toast and butter.



TOES-TY

Materials: 1 set size 8 dpn; 50 yards bulky/lofty yarn (I used Misti Alpaca Bulky).

CO 24 stitches, divided between 3 needles. Join, and for goodness sake don't twist it up.

Cuff: K1, P1 ribbing for about 2 inches.

Heel: this is the cute part. This heel looks like a sock heel, but since babies don't need a great fitting heel in their socks, you can make this quite simply with some short row shaping, as follows:

Row 1: K 8 stitches on needle 1, K 6 stitches on needle, wrap the next stitch and turn.
Row 2: Purl 6 from needle 1, purl 6 from needle 2, wrap the stitch and turn.

Repeat these rows two more times ending with a purl row. After the final wrap, just continue knitting in the round until the foot is the desired length, about 3 inches.

Shape top: divide stitches on two needles, each with 12 stitches. Decrease at the end of each needle for the first round, and knit the second round. Repeat these two rows 2 additional times.

Bind off with kitchener stitch and do not complain that you always have to look that up in a book to get it right.