Arrow Socks Completed

I finished the Arrow socks for my friend Meredith on Monday. I just got around to taking pics of them.

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Cast On:

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Completed:

Monday, August 25 2008

Pattern:

Arrow Socks (ravelry link)

From Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch

Made for:

My friend Meredith

Size:

10 3/4" ankles, but 9" at ball of foot

Needles:

Knitpicks Options & Harmony US 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm needles

Done 2 socks on 2 circs

Yarn:

Base yarn -

Cosmic Fibers Bamboo Sock

1 skeins = 385.0 yards (352.0m)

Purchased at Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers - http://cosmicfibersyarn.etsy.com

Colorway -

Chocolates - dyed by me, not Dharmahey

The challenging part of these socks was that my friend's ball of the foot is 1 3/4" narrower than her ankle. Luckily she pointed out she has wide ankles. Otherwise I wouldn't have measured them and the socks wouldn't have had a prayer of fitting. I am still hoping they will fit her well. I see her tonight and will give her to her.

Cast on 80 sts. I am hopeful they will stretch enough for her ankles and calves. *crosses fingers*

I decreased after the gusset to get the foot more narrow. But I didn't want to lose the pattern on the top of the foot. So the bottom is less stitches than the top. I think it worked out alright. It wasn't such a huge difference. So she won't be stepping on the pattern. I think it will be okay.

It is definitely harder making socks for someone else. When I make them for myself, I can try them on and make sure they fit properly. But with someone else, you just have to hope the measurements are good and that it all works out.

The yarn is a bamboo/superwash wool/nylon blend that I dyed myself. Meredith wanted browns & black so that is what I did for her. I actually really like the way the yarn looks. It isn't my colors but I like it.

The pattern isn't too complex, just long (16 rows). Rows 1, 3 & 5 are just knitting. 2, 4, 6 are different. Then 7-16 alternate rows. It became easier to remember most lines of the pattern which helped. But I still needed to have it by my side while knitting it. I know a lot of people memorize far more complex repeats. I am just not one of them it seems.

I feel like these socks took longer than they should have. I suspect part of that was I started them while in the midst of the Tour de Fleece. That took a lot of my knitting time. I did finish them before the end of August. So they are done for the July Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL (you have two months for any KAL).

Of course now I am wondering what to cast on next. Hmmm. I was really learning towards doing something with the Scout's Swag Soctoberfest colorway I got from Silvercat. It has some orange in it which would be nice to wear around Halloween.

Though this morning I was working on plying the superwash wool I spun. So I am debating knitting socks with that instead. I am doing my first 3-ply. So I suspect they are house socks, not outside socks. The yarn is pretty thick for socks. They should be a quick knit.

I also have the other batch of bamboo/superwash wool/nylon blend yarn that I dyed . I really like the colors. Dark and moody. I am leaning towards doing those in the Zombie sock pattern. Unfortunately for non-Ravelry, it only seems to be available as a Ravelry download.

The September KAL is either orange socks or a Cookie A. pattern. I could do another Cookie pattern, but I just don't think that is what I want to do with the yarns I want to use next.

Of course I am also thinking I really should cast on a sweater already! I keep saying I will and avoiding it. Part of it is that I lost the alpaca sweater I started. But part is because I fear I will never actually finish an adult sized sweater! *chuckle*

Decisions decisions... Whee!