Knitting...One pair of socks down...

I began knitting socks a couple of weeks ago, and now I am on a knitting spree.
It has been so nice to just be able to stay in and read and knit.
Aidan is the recipient of pair of socks #1: colorful rainbow colored socks.
I'm working on pair #2 now, for Kellen...matching socks...
Here is the pattern that I am using. It looks hard but is easy.
My friend, Susan is making a beautiful scarf, and so we are inspiring each other to knit.
Knitting is great because it keeps one in the present moment...and changes energy around in good ways.
I'm working on wooden needles and knitting in the round...
Kellen likes it, but he wants to grab hold of the yarn all the time, worse than the cats!
Here is the pattern.
I'll post a picture of the newly done socks soon.
May your days be filled with January energy: that of knitting, reading, writing and quiet being (even if the weather is like early May!)

Sock Pattern for toddlers from http://www.thekingspottery.com/booger_toddlersocks.htm

Yarn Regia self striping or comparable yarn
Needle size US 1-2
Standard toe, short row heel, knitted top to toe

My gauge with size 1 needles is 8sts to the inch

abbreviations:
k=knit, p=purl, p2tog=purl 2 sts together, k2tog=knit 2 sts together, skp=slip stitch from lhn to rhn knit the next stitch then pass the slipped stitch over and off the rhn

Kids sock
Inspired by Soxie’s opal kids socks

CO 50 sts
Placed on 3 needles (working with 4)
Needle1: 15 sts
Needle2: 20 sts
Needle3: 15 sts
Connect being careful not to twist and knit in the round for 4 rows.
At the beginning of next row start a ribbing of *k3, p2* repeat around.
Work this until your piece measures 3 inches.
At the beginning of next row work the ribbing of *k3, p2* for 30 sts knit all the next 20 sts. Work 2 rows in this way, you are getting ready for your heel.

Start heel
Set 30 sts on a stitch holder or divide them onto a couple of needles and you will work with 20 sts to make a short row heel. I chose not to wrap the stitches of this heel but I will write it both ways so you can make your choice.
From here on I use 3 needles to form the heel. I divided the stitches to 10 on needle 1 and 10 on needle 2.
Wrong side row should be facing and you should be ready to purl it.
Now you slip the first stitch onto needle 3 and purl across the rest of the stitches
This slipped stitch is the one that you may wrap or just keep it tight.

:::::Wrapped stitch: Put yarn over as for a purl, lift off this wrap and the first stitch (do not purl it) to the right needle.
PULL this stitch to the back, the "purl" wrap of the previous row will somewhat slip over your needle or sit on top of it, depending on how tightly you are knitting. It is important to do this pull to the back step so that no holes will show at the end.
Now you have a somewhat double stitch there, hopefully tight. :::::

Turn work over (right side facing).
Work a wrapped stitch again.
Again, put your yarn over AS IF to work a PURL stitch and lift the first stitch of needle 4 off together with the wrap, pull them to the back again! Keep this tight and continue knitting across the stitches of needle 4.
Knit all stitches of needle 1 EXCEPT the last one that is double and wrapped.
Turn work over (wrong side facing).
Work a wrapped stitch as before and purl all the way over needles 1 and 4 UP TO the previously wrapped stitch at the end of needle 4.
Turn work over (right side facing).
Start this knitting row again with a slipped or wrapped stitch, pull it and continue on always until the end of the row where you encounter a wrapped or slipped stitch, this is where you turn over.

:::::Reminder: always pull the wrapped or slipped stitches to the back, always yarn over as if for purling, always turn over at the end of the "row" where the last/first wrapped or slipped stitch occurs, a wrapped or slipped stitch is done always only at the beginning of the row.:::::

Continue in this manner until there are 8 unwrapped, not worked (slipped) stitches in the middle of the heel (4 on each of the 2 needles)

Increases for the heel:
Knit across the half of the unwrapped/not slipped stitches of needle (8) and also knit the first of the wrapped/slipped stitches on needle 1
Turn work, wrong side facing.
Slip/wrap the first stitch
Purl across the next 8 sts to the first of the wrapped/slipped stitches and purl the first of the wrapped/slipped stitches.
Turn work, right side facing.
Continue in this manner knitting or purling across all the stitches and then picking up and knitting or purling one more stitch. As in the decreasing the first st of each row is to be slipped or wrapped. Continue until all your heel sts are worked back in.

:::::Note: If you wrapped your stitches then make sure to knit the wrapped part and the original stitch as one stitch. This is what will help eliminate and holes:::::

I then redistribute the sts back to 3 needles. Starting at the middle of the heel.
Needle#1: 17 sts
Needle#2: 16 sts
Needle#3: 17sts

Starting at the middle of the heel knit 15 sts then k2tog knit all sts on needle 2 and then on needle 3, k2tog and continue to knit to the middle of the heel. This can be skipped if you want. I do this because I think it helps hold together the heel to the instep.

Continue to knit in the round until you get the base of the big toe. For my girl I knitted 2 more inches.

Toe decreases.
Divide stitches (from middle of heel)
Needle#1: 12 sts
Needle#2: 24 sts
Needle#3: 12 sts
Starting at the middle of the heel:
Row 1.
Needle 1: knit until 3 sts from the end then K2tog, k1
Needle 2: K1, SKP then knit to within 3 sts from the end of needle 2, k2tog, k1.
Needle 3: K1, SKP then knit the rest of the sts.
Row 2.
Knit all stitches

Continue repeating rows 1 and 2 until you have 12stitches left.

Use the kitchner stitch to close the toe.

Make one more sock and you are done.