DH's Christmas Socks

I finally broke down and decided to make DH a pair of socks. Since they are for Christmas I had to do the best I could without having him try them on.  I used the stitch pattern from  Bobby Ziegler's Thuja pattern from Knitty, Winter 2005 but did not use the pattern. I ended up going toe up with 2 circs and made the sock fit shoe size 13 feet. I am saving the directions as go what I did in case he likes them and wants more. This way I can either replicate what I did or figure where I need to make modifications to fit his feet better.

Materials: KnitPicks Stroll - 2 skeins = 461yds/100 grams (I had 25 grams left)
Size 2 circs. I used 2 circs.

Toe:
Cast on 16 sts (8/needle)
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: K1, Kfb, K to 1st st before end, Kfb, K
End Row 2
Rep Rows 1 and 2 until there are a total of 68 sts (34/needle)

Foot:
Row 1: K
Row 2:
Needle 1 (top of foot): *K3, P1* to 2 sts at end of needle, K2
Needle 2 (sole) K all sts
Rep Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 7 1/2". (Note: This measurement changes depending on the size of the foot. It should be the total distance from the longest toe to where the leg meets the foot).
End Row 2

Heel
Row 1
Needle 1: Knit
Needle 2: K1, Kfb, K to 1st st before end Kfb, K
Row 2
Needle 1: *K3, P1* to 2 sts at end of needle, K2
Needle 2: K all sts
Continue until 2" shorter than total foot measurement. In the case of Size 13 foot knit until sock measures 10". The total length of a size 13 foot is 12".

Turn Heel:
Here the directions are more like a recipe.
Do not work stitches on Needle 1 (top of foot)
Needle 2 (Heel Flap): K across until you get to 2 sts past the center, K2tog, K1, turn
Sl 1, P until 2 sts past the center; SSP, P1, turn
Sl 1, K until one st before the gap, K2tog, K1; turn
S1, P until one st before the gap, SSP, P1, turn
Repeat purl and knit rows until there are 1/2 the total number of stitches for the sock. In this case 34.


Leg:
Row 1: K
Row 2:
Needle 1:  *K3, P1* to 2 sts at end of needle, K2
Needle 2:  K1, P1, *K3, P1* ending with P1 (the first time through you can also put the first 2 sts from Needle 2 onto needle 1 to allow needle 1 to hold the whole stitch pattern without being interrupted.
Rep Rows 1 and 2 until the leg is the desired length,

Finish:
K1, P1 rib for 2"

Bindoff
I used slipslipkit.com miraculous elastic bind off.

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Boiled milk with vinegar just added




Curds formed



From the pot into the cheesecloth to drain







Weighted and ready to go into the refrigerator















Finished draining and ready to use



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