Inside Out

The long anticipated Socks That Rock- Rockin' Sock Club package finally arrived on my doorstep late Saturday afternoon. When it didn't come with our normal mail, I was so sad I had to go to The Naked Sheep and seek the solace of yarn and fellow knitters. Unfortunately it was very quiet. I took my dogs to the park defeated to come home later and find it on my mailbox. Hooray, at last!
I cast on right away after reading most of the pattern directions. I used the recommended needle size reasoning that I had used this needle size with this yarn previously. The pattern is toe up which is new to me and also has a crochet cast on which I have to say I really do not like. Picking up the stitches from the unzipped crochet chain stressed me out. I am a tight knitter so the dropped stitches all wanted to run away. I also generally sweat picking up stitches.
The colors are great if a bit masculine and also my yarn really doesn't look much like the photo on the pattern, more camo than PNW rainforest.
After knitting the toe and starting the ribbing I read the dyers notes, which implored the knitter to do a gauge swatch and described how and why it was especially crucial for this pattern. I examined my toe, which was looking slightly bulbous and loose to me and decided to size down my needles.
As you can see from the photo, my toe has a wierd, bulbous shape to it. It fits fine but it looks really goofy. The pattern says to start with the larger needles but never mentions when to switch to the smaller. Maybe they are for the heel only. Anyway, I will probably start the second sock after I pass the heel on this one as I think the yarn will be very short with my big feet and slightly off-gauge first toe.