I promise I have been busy knitting to make up for being remiss at typing.
The Knit Love Sock club has been a fantastic 'look forward' to and I have managed to finish each of the April sock patterns. The Tideway and Merrivale were Alice's April's offering and very lovely they were too.
I used the club yarn for The Tideway, which is a colourway aptly named Grellow. Neither green nor grey nor yellow, but a little of each, it lends itself perfectly to the Oxford and Cambridge boat race inspired sock pattern. I loved knitting this pattern and quickly returned to it to make another pair for Mr C in a very bright green (which he of course insists on wearing with his shorts.)
Merrivale was the second, slightly spicier pattern which I knitted using Sokkusu-O in Spring Storm and is a very gentle colourway. Perhaps a little too polite for me but pretty nonetheless. There are some lovely projects listed on Ravelry in much stronger colourways than I chose, which look great.
The heel of Merrivale had a very unusual construction and instead of the usual heel flap, heel turn, pick up stitches and then gusset decrease construction, it was worked by increasing the stitches gradually towards the ankle before then working across the live stitches, decreasing as you went to create the sole and instep. This meant that the integrity of the pattern was maintained as the decreases were along the sole of the foot. It was very quick to knit and great if you hate picking up stitches. I particularly loved learning a new technique, which is what sock club is about. For me at least.
I've also make a switch, needle wise. From my previously loved DPN's I've gone stateside and I'm now knitting using the Magic Loop method. It took a little getting used to but now I think I'm hooked. No more losing the travelling DPN when I'm not looking and I no longer feel like I'm going to kebab my toddler every time he climbs up on the sofa next to me whilst I'm knitting. Garroting remains a possibility, however.
