Thursday, January 28, 2010

FO Report: Wildflowers

Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot in "Wildflowers," 60% superwash wool, 25% mohair, 15% nylon
Pattern:
"Badcaul" by Anna Bell

Needles:
US2
Size:
9" long, 8" around
Started:
8/1/07
Finished:
1/28/10

Yes, you read that right. I started these socks in August of 2007 and finished them tonight, January of 2010. It took me 2 1/2 years to knit a simple pair of socks that the designer whipped out in one week. I have no good explanation, except that 2007 was a weird knitting year for me (some of you may recall my total aversion to knitting during the first trimester of my pregnancy with Amelia). Whether that was the case with these socks or something else, I don't know. For some reason, I knit 75% of these socks, put the live stitches on scrap yarn and put the whole project back into my yarn bin, one completed sock and all.

Equally strange was how strongly I felt that I had to finish them this past Sunday afternoon. I have no idea what made them pop into my head and certainly am not wanting for handknit socks, but a knitting urge is a knitting urge, so I went with it.
(This photo was taken in '07. It is NOT sandal weather around here now.)

I made a bunch of mistakes in '07 and a few more in '10 but at this point, just getting the socks done was way more important than being a perfectionist. It was really difficult for me to notice an error on sock #2 that would have required going all the way back down to the toe to fix it and simply ignore it. But I did. I then proceeded to go a little cable crazy by not doing enough plain rounds in between cables for about an inch. Again, I didn't want to go back. I'm hoping the dark variegated colors will hide the mistakes and if that doesn't work, then my shoes will!

They are truly soft and stretchy socks though. Love the yarn and love the pattern. Maybe I had to finish them now because I needed a little color in the middle of winter?
P.S. Oh yeah, I also just remembered that I didn't exactly follow the pattern. I used the Universal Toe-Up Sock Formula and then inserted the Badcaul pattern for the foot and the cuff. Why? No idea.

5 comments:

sprite said...

Pretty! I started a pair of Badcaul last spring, but stopped when I realized they really needed to be on a larger needle. Maybe I'll pull them back out sometime soon.

Aunt Jenny said...

Very nice! I am so stuck on knitting socks right now!! Really need to knit something different just to change things up but keep casting on another pair each time one is finished..lotsa gift socks given this year! Most of my stash seems to be "sockable" yarns! I have been doing a very simple ribbed generic sock cuff down and can practically knit them in my sleep. Next pair for ME are going to have some cables or some fun feature for sure!!

Senja said...

Very cute I am in the sweater knitting mood lately my queue has a ton of sweaters in it and what I really need is a hat, just go with it:)

Becca said...

Those are beautiful. Gorgeous colors - a perfect contrast to the brown and white outside!

Cloudberry said...

Beautiful!
The one I knitted in the same yarn is no starting to get a bit felted after several years of use - perfect bedsocks ;)