Trekking
Don’t you love it when you hit upon the perfect pattern for a particular yarn and the whole project comes together better than you could have hoped? That’s how I’m feeling about my Gentleman’s Shooting Stockings in Trekking XXL. I spent an irrational amount of time the day before my trip swatching for different socks, trying to find the one that would best complement this yarn, and I think I chose correctly.
     
       
This is sock #1, which I’m actually calling a Lady’s Shooting Stocking, as I eliminated the calf shaping and narrowed the foot. I just cast on 72 stitches and worked a straight leg: 72 is plenty for my decidedly non-mannish ankles. I cast on during the plane ride from Portland to Denver, and grafted the toe on the same flight home again. I knit this sock on a horse ranch at 8000 feet, in a tent sheltering from the sleet and 25-degree nights above treeline, and even on the back of my grazing pony in a mountain meadow. (Yes, I’ll have pictures of that, but they need to be developed. I didn’t dare bring the expensive — and heavy — digital camera, so I borrowed my parents’ old film point-and-shoot. We’ll see how well it served me.) The sock and I survived a hail storm, a bath in an alpine lake (I was filthy; the sock just had a little toothpaste on the toe), getting lost (a tip: bring a topographical map when you’re trying to follow a trail in the mountains), a drama queen pack horse, and a swarm of yellow jackets. Two rows were worked by my new friend Nora while I was clobbering my cousin Leith at ping pong down on the ranch. Nora caught the hang of the two circs right away. She’s also an accomplished markswoman, so it seemed appropriate for her to contribute to the Shooting Stockings. (And don’t get the idea that I’m good at ping pong. Leith had been into the Scotch and probably wasn’t at the peak of his game. Pool is more his thing, anyway.)
Unfortunately, now I have three socks without mates: I still need to knit a second Pomatomus, and my poor solitary Retro Rib is pining away in the yarn drawer. I have terminal Second Sock Syndrome, people. And I’ve got this crazy idea I’m going to knit mittens for holiday presents this winter. If that’s going to be any kind of a success, I need to prove I can finish a brace of matching socks. So let’s vote: which pair should I finish first?
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 2:21 am
It’s gorgeous. Not many patterns show well in the stripey or variegated yarns, but that certainly does 🙂
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 3:53 am
I love Knitting Vintage Socks, and I love your version of Gentleman’s Shooting Socks. That yarn is divine! But I have to vote for Retro Rib… has the one sock really been finished and mateless since 2005?
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 4:10 am
i think that you should go back to the first sock you didn’t finish and work forward 🙂 poor retro rib! it needs a mate!
i love the trekking and that pattern! it was a fabulous choice.
miss you around here 🙁
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 5:17 am
I’m with Steph – finish the oldest first!
It was lovely talking to you last night. I miss you tons!
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 6:12 am
The sock is beautiful! Very subtle and classy. Your trip sounds like quite the adventure.
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 7:29 am
I love it when I can find the perfect yarn/pattern combo! That’s how I feel about the Crusoe socks I’m working on right now. As for which socks to finish first, I’ll go against the flow and vote for these trekking socks. You seem to really be enjoying them, which may entice you to finish them quicker. Then, you can go back and finish the others. Just another viewpoint. 😉
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 7:57 am
Did you take more pictures of your trip! that first one was so gorgeous, it was a tease!
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 8:01 am
Here’s my sentimental vote: Retro Rib! It’s what you were knitting when I met you! Also, since it’s your oldest UO (Unfinished Object?) maybe you’ve forgotten the pattern, so it can enchant and delight you again?…
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 11:38 am
The sock is gorgeous dahrlin’!
You could go a little 80’s and mix and match the odd socks that you have already 😉
Posted: August 29th, 2006 at 7:37 pm
I’m glad you had a great trip! I really love the colors on your Shooting Stocking. It turned out really well.
I vote for the Pomatomus, because I love the pattern and that lovely plummy color.
Posted: August 30th, 2006 at 7:57 am
Wow – that is the perfect pattern for that colorway! Great job. I especially love the pic of it on the car side mirror – the reflection provides a look at the top of the foot. Hee!
And how exciting for you and the sock! Whew, you’ve gotta have some great stories.
As for my vote on the second sock, I say stick with the Ladies Shooting Sock and Trekking and get this 2nd one outta the way. And then work backwards. But this may be because I finally finished a pair of Trekking socks, and am filled with relief and excitement to knit any other sock other than Trekking. This can spur you on!
Posted: August 31st, 2006 at 3:05 pm
Wow I love the colorway with the pattern–it seems to be a perfect match!!
Posted: September 8th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
mittens are easier. while i do tend to put long cuffs on my mittens (prevents snow up the sleeves, and keeps the wrists warmer) they’re still much shorter than a sock leg. and the hands are usually (note i said usually, my fiance has very big hands & feet, lol) smaller than the feet. granted you’ve got that thumb thing in there, but if you’ve done toe socks, thumbs are cake.