I believe this was the last job interview...

As always with job interviews, I have another pair of socks to show (well, I started a pair of socks -- this was a shorter interview).



I love this Koigu thus far, though the true test will be in the wearing. The purl bumps on the inside of the sock seem to settle into the sock fabric better than when using Lorna's Laces. This might be because Koigu is a two-ply yarn, or because it's quite spongy. In any case, another victory for trying out every kind of sock yarn I can get my hands on. (Krista and I will be doing more of this, given all the random sock yarn we bought on our trips!)

The pattern is a standard toe-up sock pattern with a modified rectangular toe. A big advantage of this sort of toe is that you can use the toe itself as a gauge swatch; the start of the toe is largely independent of gauge, so it makes a good place to measure.

If anyone wants to try this rectanglar toe, here is my version:

1. Using a provisional cast-on (such as a crochet cast-on), co n stiches (I used 8 at 9 sts/in, though I'd use more next time)
   
2. Slipping all first stiches, knit a stockinette rectangle with 2m rows (ending on a knit row) such that there are m big stiches on each side of the rectangle. (I'd use m=n/2 as a good default value.)
   
3. Continuing counter-clockwise around the stockinette rectangle, pick up and knit m stiches from the side of the rectangle (placing a marker at m/2 stiches -- that is, halfway down the picked up side).
   
4. Undo and pick up the n stiches of the provisional cast-on. Continuing counter-clockwise around the stockinette rectangle, knit these stiches.
   
5. Continuing counter-clockwise around the stockinette rectangle, pick up and knit m stiches from the side of the rectangle (placing a marker at m/2 stiches -- that is, halfway down the picked up side).
   

From this point on, you will be essentially knitting this toe from the toe up. (Pick your favorite paired increases for the increases I use below. I actually just used a backwards-loop m1 for all increases, since this feels quite smooth against the toe and (performed tightly) doesn't show on a varigated sock.)

1. Knit one round even.
   
2. On this round, knit even, except for this pattern around each marker: m1 k1 marker here k1 m1.
   

Keep knitting this two-row pattern until you have enough stiches for your sock, then knit one row even. Continue with sock.

The lace pattern you see on the sock is from the New England sock from Knitting on the Road. I underestimated the stretch factor, so I fear that the sock will be slightly wider than what I prefer, but certainly nothing major.