#2 Sock darning story

#2 for 2011 that is.  In fact, I haven't darned socks in ...a year or so.
My lovely Spring Twist socks going to wash (a month ago)

and there they were:  Not one sock, but BOTH.  One on the heel

and one on the ball of the foot!  Devastation!!

They have been hidden away in a drawer, waiting for this moment.  No matching yarn to be found, which is a sign that I wouldn't be able to handle matching yarn. It's difficult enough without "disguising" my stitches, however, I may rethink that as I see the finished product. I looked in my stash for this yarn (Sock by Shibui Knits Fingering / 4 ply 100% Merino, which doesn't seem to wear well as socks) and even though I have tons of scraps I had to make due with TOFUtsies

(by South West Trading Company Light Fingering / 3 ply 50% Wool, 25% Soy, 22% Cotton, 3% Other).

The process went mostly like this:

#1 - Today, no deadlines, I should have a look at those socks.  Hmm. Here they are.  What was the problem?  Oh, the heel with the funny every onther stitch worn through.

#2 - Pick up those dangling stitches, be done in no time! Only 4 are loose.

#3 - Start stitching below the culprits, but wait!  What's with this fancy slip stitch reinforcement technique that I use on almost every top down heel?  Duplicate stitching just took a nasty turn. Where are those missing stitches? And with much teeth-gnashing I ended up with quite a mess.

#4 - Say good-by to lovely even rows... Oh well, it's the heel, I'll never tell.  Then I had the brilliant idea of trying to disguise my messiness by false duplicate stitching over the duplicate stitches!  Brilliant I say, until I compare the finished result, which doesn't look much better. Repeat #4 to "never tell."

#5 - OK, finished!  Put them on to model... but what's this?  The second sock:  How did I miss the gaping hole?  Darn, again... This time with a closer look at both socks, in both problem areas. Yep, they both need re-constructive AND preventative care.

Beautiful heel but doomed

Added reinforcement

Hole is isolated

Weak spot on the other sock

Repaired pair

#6 - I learned, and everyone should learn from this lesson:  Keep track of your leftover sock yarns! It will look prettier! (My excuse: I used it for embroidery on another project...silly me.)

#7 - Wear'em with pride!