Finished: “A Pair of Socks”

03Jan07

Pattern: A Pair of Socks (men’s version) by Ann Budd, Interweave Knits Subscriber-Only Online Pattern
Yarn: Dale of Norway Baby Ull. Can’t find the ball bands, so I’m not sure of the color. (2 balls)
Needles: US 2 and 2 1/2 Brittany birch DPNs

These socks were my dad’s Christmas present, and the pattern was one I fell back on after having difficulty (and a wee hissyfit) with the Father and Son Socks in the Fall ‘06 IK back around Thanksgiving. I managed to finish the second toe on Christmas Eve morning, and they fit perfectly.

The pattern wasn’t the most exciting, and ribbing in general isn’t really my favorite. However, the instructions were easy to follow, and I don’t have any complaints about the pattern. I may eventually make the women’s version of the pattern, which has a fancier rib stitch, but there are plenty of other sock patterns I want to do first.

I’m getting better at making neat short-rows on the heels, although I still haven’t mastered picking up heel stitches and reattaching the instep stitches without creating a small hole on one side of the foot. At least that’s easy to hide during finishing. I also really like the way the cuff is made by reversing the rib stitch a little way down the leg on these socks:

I’m not sure how well the Baby Ull will hold up, but it was the best choice at the yarn store when I was shopping. (I’m so glad a new shop has opened up in town since then; maybe together they will be a satisfactory yarn source.) At least it’s machine washable and the color matches my family’s golden retrievers, whose hair will surely cover these socks.

Filed under: 2006 Finished Projects   |  1 Comment
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