I really like how they've turned out, the pattern is the Jesse Socks by Rachel Coopey which can be found in A Knitted Sock Soiciety, if you love to knit socks, you will love this book. The photography is gorgeous, the focus is on the socks and shows very clear pictures of the sock and stitch pattern. The book has ten sock patterns using Rowan Fine Art which is one of my favorite sock yarns, it is so soft and washes really well. It's a hand-painted sock yarn with a mix of merino, kid mohair (no fuzzy halo, though), mulberry silk and polyamide for strength, to say it has such luxurious yarn content, it's a really hard wearing yarn. I knit my Lacy Rib Socks in the Fine Art, back in June, last year and they are still going strong with no wear and tear at all!
These were my first cuff down socks using DPNs and also my first stranded colourwork socks, I was worried about the tightness of my colourwork so I used a 2.5mm for the top of the sock and changed to my regular 2.25mm needle for the foot. This worked really well and fit perfectly, I really like the way the heel fits on me too, I think I might be converted to cuff down socks now, just for the heel flap.
I used the same colours that she used in the pattern, I usually like to chose something different to the pattern but I loved the Waxwing and Serin together. Serin, the orange one, is also my favourite colour in the range. Fine Art comes in 100g skeins so I have enough yarn left over to knit another pair of these in the opposite colourway or I might knit the Magnus Socks from the book which also uses two different colours.
The book is worth every penny as I would knit all the patterns in there, they work out at £1 per pattern, bargain!!!!! Don't be put off that they are cuff down, I've only ever knit toe up socks and found the cuff down just as easy, maybe a little bit easier and quicker. The hardest part, which isn't really that hard, is the Kitchener stitch to join the toes but there are some great tutorials on the web. This is one of my favourites from Purl Bee. I would practice first an a couple of swatches, once you've done it a few times, it's easy to remember. If you really don't want to try cuff down, I'm sure you could convert them to toe up, I've done that with other patterns before.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by, I appreciate it and to those who leave me such lovely comments. Have a great weekend.
xxxxDebxxxx
