FO Alert!

I finished my RPM socks! They were completed last night, just 2 days past the end of Socktoberfest...I'm really happy with the way they turned out, and I'm wishing they were for me! Yes, it's true, these are actually a gift, but the recipient shall remain nameless so she is surprised when they're opened. I should've taken a photo of them not on my feet because they look hilarious. The ankle/leg part is very wide because of the stitch pattern, and the recipient has small feet (hence they fit me as well, and will be difficult to part with) so the foot is very short, and the overall appearance is very amusing.

Project Stats: RPM Socks

Pattern: RPM, from Knitty, summer 2006

Yarn: Socks that Rock mediumweight, colorway County Clare. I had A LOT left over, probably could have made them twice as high...

Needles: Clover bamboo, size 2 DPNs

Time to knit: About a month. The first sock took less than a week but then there was the whole wisdom teeth incident and I didn't work on them at all. The second sock probably took less than a week once I got to it, and I've been working on other things as well. So about two weeks I guess.

Modifications: I used DPNs instead of magic loop or whatever circular needle mumbo-jumbo the pattern was written for. I think I did what it said, but really I just did things as they made sense to me on my DPNs, and my socks look like the model socks so I must have gotten it at least mostly correct. I did a flap heel and grafted toe, and used plain stockinette for the sole of the foot, although the pattern also provides instructions for a short row heel and pointed toe, as well as an option for continuing the pattern on the sole, which seemed like it might be uncomfortable.

Impressions: I adore STR. The colors are beautiful, the weight is nice, the yarn flows smoothly through the fingers and doesn't bind on the needles. My previous experience with STR that contained a similar number of colors resulted in much more flashing than is evident in these socks, which I'm happy to see. The pattern was very easy to memorize since the stitch pattern is really just P3,K6, moving over one stitch each round. I'd recommend this as a first sock project since it uses slightly heavier than fingering weight yarn (and thus goes by quickly) and is a simple stitch pattern that's easy to remember, easy to read, and results in a stretchy sock (such that gauge issues are slightly forgiven). I want some for myself.

It's raining. It's been raining for several days, pretty much constantly. It's also snowing in the mountains, which is exciting. But in the city it's just raining. I don't mind the rain persay, but it's preventing me from wearing the suede boots I just picked up from being stretched. See, I have big calves. Let's call them athletic. And I have an affinity for knee-high boots. This can be a problem, but I've discovered that you can take boots (leather or suede) to the cobbler and they can stretch them! So I had these stretched. I bought them last year but only wore them once because my feet fell asleep. Now they are much better. I shameless stole this photo - those are not my legs (even stretched the boots don't gap on me, nor do I have leopard-print rugs). They're Campers - are they not adorable?!? I want to wear them!!! Stop raining!!!