FO: Wheat Stalkings

• Construction: Toe-up, 58 sts on 2.5mm circs
• Yarn: Knit Picks Palette in tan
• Pattern: My own, available here

These have to be the cheapest pair of socks! I used one ball of yarn that cost US$1.99. That’s just CDN$2.16 or GB£1.00.

That said, it’s true that you get what you pay for, and this yarn is nowhere near the top end of the luxury scale. LOL. It’s a bit thicker than I’m used to in a fingering weight, and it’s all too easy to split it when working stitches other than the standard knits and purls. Of course, the pattern I was using had lots of crossed stitches, decreases, and tbls, so it did get a bit frustrating at times.

I’ll use this stuff again though. It’s a lot softer knitted up than it felt on the ball, and if I ever get around to trying my hand at Fair Isle knitting, this wouldn’t be bad to practise with.

I wasn’t too keen on the look of the sewn cast-off I used on my Kool-Aid socks, so I used one that consisted of knitting one stitch in pattern, then inserting the left needle through the fronts of the two sts on the right needle, and knitting tbl. I went up a couple of needle sizes to do it, but with hindsight, I should’ve gone up only one size. Personally, I think it looks much nicer than the sewn cast-off. YMMV.

Next on the needles is a toque for hubby. He requested one to replace his old watch cap, and he’d like it to be the same style, but in black. What’s the style? K1, P1 rib from start to finish. Lovely! The yarn I’ve cast on with is an extra fine merino that feels as though it will be a real pleasure to knit with, so I’m not complaining. Besides, June’s Sockamania pattern will be out shortly.

Which reminds me; a few people have asked where they can get the pattern for the May Day socks. It’s currently exclusive to the Sockamania Club KAL, but Anni may make it more widely available in the future.