More Work Socks

What is swirly, and girly, and so full of goodness it keeps your feet warm? My new pair of socks!


Pattern: Spiral Book Socks by Véronik Avery from Interweave Knits Summer 2007

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock, Lightweight, Spot Rock One

Needles: size 1

Notes: The pattern is actually for socks that come up to the knee, but I didn't have enough yarn for that, nor did I want socks that high. I started with 72 stitches (conveniently the number I was aiming for and a multiple of both 6 and 8) and did the top of the sock as written then leapt into the ankle pattern, skipping the patterns for calf and leg. I also did the heel flap over fewer stitches and the sole over two fewer stitches than called for in an effort to have enough yarn to finish. Finish I did with 6 grams left over. This pattern eats more yarn than your average sock so beware.

I did a cable cast on instead of my usual knit cast on and I think I may be a convert. My usual knit cast on is stretchy enough for the top of a sock but it always leaves the first row looking a little wonky and loose. The cable cast on, however, is stretchy enough for the top of a sock but is clean and refined and everything the knit cast on is not.


I love how the stitches spiral one way and the colors spiral the other way. I briefly debated making mirror image socks and having one spiral to the left, but in order to get the spiral you have to shift one stitch over your needles every other row. This is not difficult when you start knitting with a new needle before the old one is finished, but it is very tedious when you want to shift the stitch the other way so I gave up on that idea.

The best part about these socks is that I drive by them every day on the way home from work. I don't have a picture because it is beside a freeway, but there are a couple hills on my way home that are nature's equivalent of these socks. All the same colors exactly, it's almost freaky.