These socks are a calf-length version of the "Barnim-Style Stocking" by Anne DesMoines in the Spring 2014 issue of "Knitting Traditions", in Sensations Truly sock yarn from Jo-Ann's. This is a so-so yarn, good for the price, I suppose, which was about three dollars a giant ball I think, but not what I would call sensational. I do like the tweedy charcoal-grey, though. I actually could have made my socks a lot longer, as I didn't realize -- despite the enormity of the ball, in hindsight -- how much yardage there is. Oh well -- it's been discontinued for some time, apparently.
This is an interesting pattern, and makes a very comfortable foot, which seems to hug one's arch a little more than the usual side-gussetted foot. It did take a considerable amount of attention, though, and I had to rip back the second foot a couple of times for not paying attention and missing an alarming number of the paired decreases. I wouldn't mind having a stocking-length pair, though, so I'm sure I'll be having another go. The pattern didn't seem to mind much being adjusted rather considerably for a different gauge, either.
I also finally finished this pair of the justly-celebrated Charades by Sandra Park -- I really like this herringbone pattern, it's easy to work and to memorize, and it looks great in solids and variegated colors, simple yet effective. Can't believe it took me literally years to finish them! The yarn is Shepherd Sock in "Baltic Sea". As I've said before, I worked this pair toe-up, just because, and since I didn't want the "Baltic Sea" to pool at all, I alternated the two balls of yarn on every round, except on the toe, the heel, and the ribbing at the top. There is still a sort of shadow of flashing, but since the colors are similar in value it doesn't bother me.
I don't have a photo of what the "Baltic Sea" looked like to start with -- it was so long ago that I bought it, you still had to get two skeins for a pair of socks. Sigh.
What a difference the background color makes! This color is less true-to-life than the photos on the blue carpet, as the gold of the floor has brought out more of the brown. The ridge is where I twisted the strands on the inside, which has since flattened out when I washed them. The sock on the left has my Old-Norwegian cast-on ribbing grafted to the leg, and the sock on the right uses Mary Lou's "K2TBL Stretchier Bind-off", which is --
K2, *insert left needle into the front of the two stitches on the right needle and knit them together. Leave that one stitch on the right needle. K1, repeat from * to end, fasten off.
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