Thistle and Forest Plaid Socks are DONE!

I finished these nearly a week ago but it took me a while to get the camera and the socks together.  Here they are!

I’m quite happy with how these turned out.  Despite my best efforts, the two socks aren’t identical.  When turning the heel of #1, I figured out a better way to begin picking up the strands on sock #2.  I took notes and followed them when I got to #2 – but it turns out that the change I made on the sole of #2 (which was to begin the round in the middle of the bottom rather than at one of the needle changes) affected the leg of #2 in such a way that the vertical stripes didn’t match up any more.  The soles are more or less identical, but can you see how the vertical stripes on the leg aren’t quite the same?On the left sock, the vertical blue and green stripes are evenly spaced.  On the right sock, there are 10 stitches between the green and blue stripes instead of 8.  Let’s look at the other side: Left sock: the space between the green and blue stripes is less (only 6 stitches).  I know that no one will ever notice this when the socks are being worn, but it bugs me a tiny bit and I might reknit the entire pattern one day just to prove I can do it right.

Julie commented that these look really long in the leg.  I think it’s a visual trick that has to do with the heel.  We’re so used to seeing the heel flap come up the back of the heel, but here it’s placed on the bottom.  In this picture, the socks are on my feet.  I actually think they fit me a bit better than S1.  If I knit this style heel flap for her again, I will add 3 extra rounds in the sole.

These vertical climbing strands are really fun.  I think one of my next socks is going to be another Lorilee Beltman pattern that uses this technique: the Our Paths Cross socks.  Take a look.  These are toe-up again, but the heel is totally different and unlike anything I’ve knit before.  I wonder if I have anything in stash that will work?  I need 100 g of the main color and it probably needs to be a light color.  Hmmm.

Suggestions welcome.