Socks!

If you read only this blog of mine, I'd like to invite you over to my other 'non-knitting' blog (link in the sidebar) to read a couple posts I've written lately. Scroll down to the one from June 10 first, then read June 11. I promise, it's not about natural birth or breastfeeding!

Lately (like, since last October), I've been wanting a pair of blank handknit socks. Just plain black. I emptied out my sock yarn drawer and found ONE ball of black sock yarn; I think I bought it to make Fake Fair Isle socks, and it's not enough for a pair.
Here's my sock yarn drawer: Sadly, most of it is pretty ho-hum, commercial sock yarns. I have a LOT of Kroy 3 ply from when they discontinued it, and a few balls of other commercial sock yarns, but not much in the category of STR, or LL or other 'indie' yarns. I have a lot of OLD pattern books that use Kroy sock yarn (from before there was a 3 and 4 ply versions), and keep planning to make some, but when it comes time to pick one pattern, none of them speak to me. I decided on the grey Kroy 3 ply as it was close to black. For a pattern, I chose ribbed lace from "Sensational Knitted Socks" by Charlene Schurch. In the picture on page 50 they are sort of lacey, in the unblocked picture on page 54, they are not lacey at all. But on the feet:

Exactly what I wanted!! A simple lace that didn't look like I had taken a vertical lace pattern from a stitch book. They remind me of Potonomus (sp?! Knitty is really slow right now cause the summer issue has just been launched). They're lacey, but not fussy. They are taller than my socks are usually---partly because the ribbed cuff was too big for them to be lower socks, LOL. I used 64sts with 2.75mm needles, and I can see on the sole that I could have used slightly smaller needles. They do slouch a little, but I haven't minded. I wore them hiking in the rain, in sandals, and they were awesome! Yes, Kroy is not as soft as a 100% merino, but they will last forever, LOL.

I did make them top down as I had lots of this colour (I had bought lots to teach a sock knitting class that involved making tiny baby 'work' socks!), and I really prefer the classic heel flap. The great thing was, as the pattern was pretty logical, I could work on these at various times/places, and I got alot done while Megan slept in the truck after her speech therapy/library story time afternoons. They worked up SO quickly compared to other socks that languish in the basket for months, LOL. Sure, I'm still not as fast as Wendy but really, that's okay and why won't the link highlighter stop? I've got other Kroy socks in the works now, but still no basic black!!