Spring Socks

I just finished these yesterday. The timing is kinda perfect given it is the first day of spring. The colors are definitely on target for that. And I am wearing them today.

Cast On:
March 3 2008

Finished:
March 19 2008

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Pattern:
Combo of
Basic Sock Pattern from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns
http://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Handy-Book-Patterns-Interweave/dp/1931499047/
&
The stitch pattern of Ladder of Life socks
http://www.interweave.com/knit/files/ladder.pdf
both by Ann Budd

Made for:
Me - 9 1/4" circumference & length

Needles:
US 3 / 3.25 mm Knitpick Options & Harmony
2 socks on 2 circs method

Yarn:
Sarah's Yarns 100% Bamboo
http://www.sarahsyarns.com
Handdyed by me
1.2 skeins = 120 grams / 342 yards

I combined two of the Anne Budd patterns. I took the # of stitches and design from her basic sock pattern in the "The Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns". The stitch pattern is from her Ladder of Life.

The Ladder of Life requires 5 sts = 1”. Too large for most of my socks. But I figured the pattern would flatter the self-striping yarn I dyed. It is enough to keep me interested, yet simple enough to be a good knit right now.

Things are kinda crazed so I really wanted some comfort knitting. Something familiar yet also bright. I think this definitely fit the bill.

I cast on 64 stitches. However, I found it was too big. So I decreased the stitches to 56 so I could keep the pattern going. It also gave me a larger area over the calf which I tend to need.

I think I liked the hand dyeing I did more before I knit it. I think I didn't lay it out well. The stripping didn't come out even because of the yarn. I tried to match them but quickly gave up on that as they weren't lining up right. I need to figure out how to do it better next time. I think I understand what I did wrong. I think the piece I was using pulled in the more yarn I laid out. So that the length of the stripes was not consistent. I know how to fix that for next time and have the pieces to do it. So I hope my next self-striping attempt will be better.

The socks feel great on. They are very soft. And there is a nice sheen to the yarn. I am still concern about the memory of the socks. But I am hopeful that they will work well. I am finding they fall down a bit. But I suspect I didn't make the top tight enough. I still like them and suspect they will be ideal summer socks.