Walking on Sunshine

The Hoffnung Socks are finished - just as the weather becomes too hot to wear them:



More pictures:





I have worn them only once and, as predicted, they have started to pill already. This is the second time I have knitted with Cascade yarn (the first was for the Noni bag). If you recall, that bag turned a very odd, mucky (tt) green during the felting process. The delightful Lisa at First4Yarns very generously supplied me with a second hank and that time all was well. (I still haven't finished the bag - it just needs handles and somehow, I just haven't managed it yet.)

Why are socks like buses? You wait for ages and then three come along at once. Not content with the Monkeys and Hoffnung, I am almost finished with the first of "Jack Sparrow's Favourite Socks" Made especially for 'im indoors, at his own request. I gave him the choice of several pattern but these were his favourite. (Maybe I should take to calling him "Jack Sparrow" instead of 'im indoors?)

The sole:



The heel:



The toe:



and the reason why they are Jack Sparrow's favourite socks in the first place?



Actually, though I gave a link to the pattern, I didn't follow it at all. I worked toe-up, with a short row toe:



and heel:



and because the original pattern uses only 64 stitches and 'im indoors (aka Cap'n Jack) needs 72 stitches, I also had to modify the skull pattern. I had to add two stitches to each pattern repeat, the result being that the skulls are rather more well-fed than they perhaps ought to be.

I was going to bang on about short row toes/heels but that will have to wait for another day - I want to get started on the second sock before the dreaded SSS sets in.