Thoughts on the 1810 Socks

These are the Lichen Socks from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks, modified a bit because my gauge was apparently huge compared to the original wool -- I blithely cast on 60 sts as per the instructions, and could have fit both of my feet in it.  I ended up starting with 48!

The yarn is Trekking 6-fach in color 1810, mostly purples with hints of blue and grey.  I still can't seem to get the color right in the close-ups with my camera -- this is the photo from Skacel --

Luckily the rib was really simple, and went at a terrific clip at this gauge, as the Welsh heel is still, I find, very fiddly, and the Star Toe of Three Points also, although that was most likely because I had to adjust them to my drastically-smaller stitch count.

The toe is not particularly comfortable, I find, as it is quite easy to feel the purl bumps at the decreases, like a lump under one's toes -- although, I must say, the lumpiness of the Welsh heel all but disappeared with the first wash, so maybe the toe bumps will too.

I still didn't get the Welsh heel quite right, I think (I've used it once before, on my Conwy socks).  The first one went along nicely, but the second one for some reason gave me much grief, and after six or eight attempts I just said "the heck with it," and left it the way it was.  Can't tell now, though!

The socks are very warm.  They also softened up quite a lot in the first (machine) wash -- almost alarmingly so when they were damp, but they firmed up a bit as they dried.  And there was over 50g left, so I forsee a pair of fingerless mitts before next winter.

The model is, in fact, Laura, who at age eleven has feet the same size as mine!

Comments

[Mary Lou]

I must say I am lazy about the toes and heels. I've tried the star toe, and some other heel, but the regular old decrease and kitchener is so ingrained I just do it. Plus, it is comfortable for most people, I think.

[=Tamar]

One picture puzzles me; how did you get a decrease to make a hole and a lump? Did the pattern say to p2tog instead of k2tog?

[Jeanne]

Tamar, I'm guessing that you mean the close-up of the toe? It's more a *shadow* than a hole (!) -- yes, the pattern says P2tog, not K2tog, and closer to the point of the toe it is P3tog. It probably looks less accidental if you make the toe the full length as in Bush's pattern, but I had to shorten it for this gauge.