FO: Rainy Day Socks

proof that yes, my calves really are *that* big

A scant 14 months from the cast on date and these are done!

   

Pattern Rainy Day Socks from The Sock Calendar by Catherine Wingate and Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer (from HeartStrings)
Yarn Trekking XXL in color 78
Modifications The pattern is top-down with an afterthought heel (they call it a peasant heel). I did mine toe-up with a wrapped short row heel and EZ's sewn cast off.

Pattern and Yarn Thoughts

I picked this pattern because I wanted to find something other than a basic stockinette sock for the Trekking. I didn't want something so patterned though that it would interfere with the pretty, subtle colors of the yarn itself.

The slip stitch pattern did the trick. After knitting a repeat it was easily memorized, and it gives the sock just enough texture to keep it interesting to knit as well as look it (now that they're done!).

The book has some great patterns in it. Amazon's view includes the back page which shows closeups of all 12 socks. At 14 bucks this book is a deal.

There's also a follow up book--The Sock Journal--that includes 12 more socks. I don't have this one yet but you can check out the back page for closeups of the patterns as well.

I did find the yarn to be somewhat splitty while knitting them, and although I could knit them without looking, I'd have to do a quick survey each row and note if any stitches had become split.

I've already washed and blocked them and I noticed no substantial change in texture or gauge; the water remained clear even on the first wash. This yarn isn't the softest sock yarn out there, but it's not scratchy or uncomfortable either, and I expect the nylon content to make a good long-wearing sock.

In case you're counting, I'm now down to 5 socks-in-progress. Not a bad way to usher in my first FO of 2006.