One down one to go...

Beautiful pattern, keep heart...

Maybe I'm just slow but this has seemed a very very slow sock to make.  Partly because it's the biggest sock I've ever knitted, it fits Scott perfectly so must be okay.  I think in Op Art Socks Stephanie van der Linden uses a slightly higher stitch count to get the beautiful results and the one sock done so far is just stunning.  I've like the construction, these socks are top down with the vertical bars created by a clever slip stitch pattern rather than fiddly stranding.  The heel is different to how I have created a heel before, creating a really well defined box shape and very sturdy with a slip stitch pattern that makes the fabric kind of a double layer over this most heavily worn area of the sock.  Now I just have to do the other one without losing heart...

The black wool used here is a 4ply I had in my stash, however the orange is a beautiful ombre from DROPS Garnstudio called Fabel in #153 Tex Mex, it contrasts beautifully with the black and incidentally covers all the colours of his football team, Dundee United.  The yarn came from the ever lovely Fluph, their Thursday night knit night is a welcome knitters sanctuary especially when I'm becoming discouraged by a project, always someone on hand to look over the bit of your pattern you're struggling with and help out.

Second pair of knitted socks - done!

That's my second pair of socks made with Opal's 4 ply Sock Yarn done and dusted, this pair to go away for winter, though, given the current weather here in Scotland that won't be long.  The wool is Opal's Vincent Van Gogh range, a pretty orange and green striped variegated yarn (ombre) with purple and yellow flecks called Paul Gauguin's Armchair with Candle #5436, colours taken from the painting of the same name. 

I've enjoyed learning how to knit socks and now feel ready for the fair isle versions I've looked at with longing, I got a bit bored with this pair which is a good sign that I've got the technique down.  There's a lot going on, knitting in the round is straightforward and it's fun watching the colours change, it's a nice wool to knit with.  Short rows to create the heel flap, picking up the flap stitches and creating the gusset are challenging but the instructions that came with leaflet that came with Opal's ball of wool as part of Rainbow Silk's sock knitting kit are comprehensive and if followed with care give the right result.  I had to shorten the number of rows after the heel as I've got smallish but wide feet so I knitted only 35 rows before decreasing for the toe.  The kits are lovely, wool, needles, pattern and a set of adorable stitch markers.  And then finally decreasing down to a 20 stitch toe and kitchener stitch, sewing up the toe to give a dead neat finish.