Sorta Scrappy Socks

Do you remember the socks I knit for Sis?  My first pair of adult socks.  After they were done, I quickly cast on a pair for myself using the same pattern from Susan B. Anderson, How I Make My Socks.  They were meant to be for the Scrappy Socks KAL but I didn't finish in time.  The KAL, however, was my driving force.

Mary Rose (smozerose on Ravelry) can truly be credited for the inspiration behind these socks.  They began as an idea I blatantly copied from her.  She posted photos of a sock she'd knit using scraps, but instead of a random selection of colors, she outline each scrappy section with a consistent light, dark, light pattern.  See the sock on the left?  That's what I'm talking about.  I fell in love with that sock.  And then launched my own plans.

My socks are knit with Tanis Fiber Arts, the leftovers from my Whippoorwill shawl.  The colors are Tidal, Peacock, Deep Sea and Midnight.  Of course, I'm not very good at random, spontaneous selection (and I don't have a lot of yarn scraps) and so my socks had to have some rhyme or reason to them.  I decided on a striping sequence and got to work. (Hence, Sorta Scrappy Socks.)

I did run out of the darkest color, Midnight.  I love that color.  It's dark, but so rich - there are slight variations in the color that make for beautiful knit items.  I love TFA yarn - I wish I could afford to use it all the time!  Once I ran out, I switched to using Deep Sea to outline the stripes.  Most people won't notice the difference in the socks.  Probably knitters, or those who see a lot of my feet.  That's not a large number of people... :)  And if knitters notice, they'll understand!

This is my one and only pair of handknit socks.  It's not really been sock weather as it's been so warm and dry here.  I live in sandals all summer long and have the tan lines to prove it!  But at night, when it gets chilly or the AC has been running, this is the perfect pair of socks to slip on my feet.

They are warm and cozy, soft and squishy.  The colors are soothing to your eyes.  Nothing else in my drawer compares to these.  And perhaps that's all in my mind because I made them myself.

It doesn't really matter the reason, what matters is that I love them and they make me happy, and that's really what knitting is about for me.  If I can't enjoy it, then why do it?

Of course, now my knitting queue has at least doubled because I've added so many sock patterns!