Where There's Muck There's Brass

I've recently finished two pairs of socks.

The first was intended as a Christmas present for Mr but it's very hard to try and knit a pair of size 11 socks in secret and on a deadline, so it was after Christmas that they were finished.

His favourite colours are black and burnt orange together. So when I saw the yarn on The Knitting Goddess stand at Yarndale, it just had to be bought. The colour name is just great too, "Where There's Muck There's Brass".

The pattern is Paper Moon by AnneLena Mattison.  My ravelry project page. The pattern didn't go up large enough, so I had to alter it. The largest size went up to 70 sts, mine were 77 sts; I added the extra stitches within the garter stitch bands.

I worked them two at a time on circulars from the toe up. I'm a toe down kind of girl but I tried them for a change. Though I did manage to use up every yard of yarn this way, which definitely gets a tick in the pro column.

They look all wrinkled on the sock blockers, but they fit fine on Mr's feet.

The other pair of socks was for me. The pattern is Budleigh by Rachel Coopey. A beautiful pattern and I modified it to try and fit me better but I'm not hugely happy with the modifications.

The yarn is a pretty hand dyed sock yarn from Ring a Rosie at Whitley Bay (bought on holiday last year). The name for this is nice too, "Paddleboat on the Thames".

I cast on for the medium size and went down to the small size for the foot but I had to use the large heel to keep the sock in pattern. Perhaps there was a better way. It did fit well after I'd finished and I ended up re-doing the toes and taking an inch or so off the length. They fit a lot better now but they do look a bit stunt. At least I learnt how not to do something! I'm not sure the yarn is robust enough to wear with shoes all day long so they may be special occasion socks. Plus they're pretty and sparkly so they probably should be for parties anyway!