How're Ya Lichen Me Now?

Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks is one of my favorite sock books, the Child's French Sock contained therein is one of my all-time favorite patterns of any kind. (I quite like Gentleman's Sock as well.) I suppose it doesn't hurt that these two pairs of socks I happened to knit with some rather lux yarn. At any rate, I am a big fan and have been a member of the Knitting Vintage Socks KAL for several years now... but, alas, have never participated in one of the KALs. Blasphemy, I know! Well I decided to put that right with this month's KAL:


This month's Sock du Jour is the Lichen Ribbed Sock, one of the simple ribbed socks from the beginning of the book that serve to explore different ribbing patterns, as well as, and perhaps more importantly, toe and heel shapings. The "lichen rib" is done up as a 3x1 rib all along the leg and top of the foot. The heel is a Welsh Heel and the toe the Star Toe of Three Points.


The Welsh Heel is interesting. It seems quite wide to me, but then, I have somewhat narrow feet to begin with. The number of stitches the heel is actually turned on is quite small, and unfortunately you can't really see it in the above photo. Nor can you see it in the following, which looks down the gusset from the point nearest the top of the foot. Ah, well. That shot, however, does portray the yarn in a positive light. See how nice and even the stitches are, even without blocking?


At any rate, I shortened the foot by 1/2 inch from what was written into the pattern in order to account for the extra space in the heel, as well as for the fact that I wear a US woman's 7.5 shoe, and the pattern is written (or, resized, really) for a woman's 8-9. Though it hasn't been washed yet (and of course I didn't swatch for a sock) it seems to have worked rather well. Only time will tell though.

I had hoped to have these done before the end of the month, though I only just cast on January 23! Had I cast on sooner this would have been an entirely reasonable goal - these socks in their slightly thick yarn and super simple pattern are extremely easy, and fast, to knit. I've already reached the heel flap of the second sock even as I type this. I may need some more socks soon, as more mayhem was discovered last night.

The jury's still out on the color (s) though. :)

posted by Carrie @ 10:45 PM