OMG: Knitting!

After a long spell of not really making any progress in knitting, I have finally (!!!) finished Andrea’s socks!

They’re knit toe-up using the Queen Kahuna method, and have Fibonacci stripes of bright jewel-tone colors throughout the socks.
The Fibonacci sequence is a mathematical sequence found in nature and all over the place. It’s basically what you get when you take the last 2 numbers and add them together:
0+1=1
1+1=2
1+2=3
2+3=5
3+5=8
5+8=13

So the Fibonacci sequence is 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21…
A number of natural elements use the Fibonacci sequence, and in general, if you want something to look balanced yet naturally random, using a number that falls in the Fibonacci sequence. The spiral shell of a conch contains this sequence, for example.
Andrea’s feet are very short– she has tiny feet, but they’re not child-sized. As a result, I’ve always thought she must have trouble finding socks that fit well and are comfortable. I personally believe in the magic of hand-knit socks, and I believe that handknit socks are essential for anyone with special foot-fitting needs, like short feet, or my mom’s diabetes (which results in dangerous circulation problems if her cuffs bind), or my step-mom’s inability to fully point her toes, and so on. I’m one of those people who can never find perfect-fitting shoes, and so I value all custom-fitted footwear.

In addition to challenging me with math, these socks challenged me with learning jogless stripes, and with Second Sock Syndrome. For the first time ever, I set aside a project after finishing the first of a pair, and didn’t pick it back up immediately. It took me 4 or 5 months to finish these socks. Which is ridiculous, because the socks themselves only took about 5 days to knit, when I was actually working on them.

The socks look a little funny, in terms of shape, when they’re off your feet. Most Americans are not familiar with toe-up sock construction, and we don’t expect the socks to have pointy heels. But when you put the sock on, it stretches out and flattens against your heel.
Anyway, these socks and a couple of extra gifts are going into the mail next week. Andrea: if they don’t fit right, let me know and send them back so I can fix them. You won’t hurt my feelings or reject my present if you do so. Consider them “first draft of socks” if necessary. As I mentioned above: knitting them didn’t take that long, once I put the project in my hands.