FO Report:  Blue Twinkletoes Socks
Designer: Me!
Pattern Source: adapted from a basic sock pattern
Yarn: Twinkletoes
Yarn Source: eBay seller Over the Rainbow Yarns
 Needle Size: US 3
Gauge:  7 sts = 1"
Date Completed: March 2005
Recipient:  Me

These are obviously the socks that I copied off my cool sockapalooza pal, Parikha .  I loved her socks so much, and it looked like such a doable pattern, that I made these from some Twinkletoes that I had leftover in my stash.  The twinkletoes is, for the price, a great yarn ... although it's not Koigu.  Why, you ask?  I'd say that it must be the difference between the 100% merino wool of Koigu and the 100% wool of Twinkletoes ... it just isn't as soft, in my opinion. It has that scratchy wool feel.  Plus, after having watched yards and yards of Koigu pass through my fingers on my Charlotte's Web shawl, the colors here don't have the same saturation, or surprise, or that  je ne sais quoi of Koigu.  But, again, for the price -- you can't go wrong.

Look -- I'm even sharing the pattern here (mainly because I see myself making these again!):

Sockapalooza copy socks

Materials:  about 350 yds of Twinkletoes sock yarn, or similar substitute
Gauge: 7 sts = 1" on US 3
Fits a women's medium (I wear a size 9).

CO 52 sts, and distribute evenly. 

Work picot hem:
Work 4 rows (or for a smaller picot hem, work 2 rows) in st st.
Next row: *K2tog, yo* to end.
Work 4 rows (or equal to number to the first rows you worked) in st st.
Next row: K each cast on stitch with a live stitch on the needle as K2 tog.  You will have the same number of stitches on your needles as your cast on, and your cast on edge will be sewn into this row.

Begin ribbing:
Work K3 P1 ribbing for 4".

Divide sts for heel:
You will have 26 sts on needle #1; and 13 sts on needles #2 and #3. 
Working back and forth on the #1 needle only:
Row 1 (RS) : *Sl 1, K1* rep between * across.
Row 2:  *Sl 1, P* rem sts across. Work 26 rows (You will have 13 rows showing if you count).  End after the last Sl 1, K 1 row.

Turn heel:
Row 1: P to 2 sts beyond center (15 sts). P2tog, P1, turn work.
Row 2: Sl first st, K5, k2tog, k1.
Row 3: Turn, sl 1, work to within 1 st of last turn, p2tog, p1.
Row 4: Turn, sl 1, work to within 1 st of turn, k2 tog, k1.
Rep rows 3 and 4 until all sts are k ending with a k row.
There will be 15 sts rem.

Gusset:
With loose needle, PU and K 13 sts along side of heel, using the sl sts on the edge.
Combine the instep sts from the next 2 needles onto one needle. 
K across, keeping the K3 P1 pattern intact if you want to continue ribbing down the foot (otherwise change to st st here).
PU and K 13 sts down the other side of heel.
K to the middle of the sts on the last needle and slide the other half on the first needle.
This is now the center of the back of the heel.
There will be 20 sts on needles #1 and #2 and 26 sts on #3.
Knitting in the rnd again, begin dec:
Rnd 1: k.
Rnd 2: at the end of needle #1, K2tog, K1.  K across needle #2, and at the beg of needle #3, K1, ssk, and k to end of rnd.
Rep Rnds 1 and 2 until there are 52 sts.
Con knitting in the rnd until sock measures 7.5" from tip of heel (or 2" less than desired length). 

Toe shaping:
Rnd 1:  Needle #1:  K to last 3 sts, K2tog, k1.   Needle #2:  K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.   Needle #3:  K1, ssk, k.
Rnd 2:  K.
Rep Rnds 1 and 2 until there are 16-18 sts rem. 

Weave toe together with kitchener stitch.


And don't forget the last, most important, step:
Put on foot, admire it while drinking hot chocolate or yummy beverage of choice.