Wedding Report and Socks for Granpa

Kathleen-
We're safely home from Arizona, where I met my mother's new puppy, did quite a bit of work, and attended a lovely wedding. Pictures of all of these things when we unpack and I manage to get the camera and the cord that connects it to the computer in the same location.

Last week at Knit Night I was on a mission to accommodate a special request. You see, my mother had called me about the dreaded Christmas knitting. She's knitting socks for my grandmother, and it turns out that my grandfather would like a pair too. Nice warm wool ones for cold Michigan winters. And when someone so charmingly requests a hand-knitted item, and you know how much they'll appreciate it, what knitter could turn them down?

Mom assigned my grandparents to measure their feet, and in my mail appeared the vital stats....which leads to the question: why do all the people (except you) that I've knit socks for have such enormous feet?

So at Borealis on Tuesday I searched the sock yarn with enabling provided by the full cast of characters at Knit Night. I finally decided on Dream in Color Smooshy, which is truly Smooshy and has a lovely hand. I picked out a skein in beautiful shades of green and brown (color name to be added once I'm home with the ballband). The lovely ladies of Borealis wound it up for me, and then I was off.

Once home I scoured my books. Nothing jumped out at me in Favorite Socks. Likewise in Socks, Socks, Socks. Nor in Folk Socks. But then I opened my copy of Knitting Vintage Socks (one of my used finds at Powell's on my Oregon trip). And there was a treasure trove of patterns appropriate for a gentleman who is a bit conservative in his dress.

I cast on in Arizona and knit most of a foot, but promptly ripped my progress out when I returned home, deciding that the yarn and the pattern were not a match. But now I know what I want to knit: the Gentleman's Fancy Socks, though I need to buy a contrast color for the heels and toes. I'm modifying to knit toe-up to use all my yarn, but I'm looking forward to the simple yet attractive and stretchy pattern! Pictures once I cast on tonight at Knit Night!