Sock it to me!

One of my first FOs of 2011 is a pair of socks I started in October 2010. These were done as part of a one clue released each week knit-a-long, and I was going gangbusters for the first three weeks, until test knitting and holiday knitting intervened.  I was kind of relieved to set them aside, though; I'm not sure why.  They weren't particularly difficult.

 Details:

Pattern: TTL Mystery Sock 2010, by Kristen Kapur

Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock

Needles: US 1/2.25mm

Started: October 9, 2010

Finished: January 3, 2011

I modified the pattern a bit.  The "tiny trowels" pattern on the ankle was getting to be a bit much for me, and so I decided to work in rib stitch along the foot instead, which was both faster and easier.  It also made them less fussy, and as I've said before, I'm not a fan of fussy knits.

This yarn I love.  I bought it when I was visiting my dad in Portland last fall.  I didn't spend time with any knitters while I was there, but I do have a very indulgent friend who very kindly took me to a couple of yarn stores I'd investigated. I picked up this skein at Twisted, which had a sizable collection or yarns dyed by small, independent dyers.  I'd never seen anything by Hazel Knits before and I loved this color, so it seemed like a good choice.  It was.

I hadn't been back to Portland for years, and it's changed a lot.  In addition to drinking delicious coffee and eating delicious pie, I saw a tiny museum

saw some crazy yard statuary

saw some hippies (natch)

hung out with a super cute niblette

and walked the city with my dad.

It was a great trip.