FO Friday- R socks

Friday seems to sneak around so quickly, fortunately some car knitting last weekend meant I had these done before the last minute this week.

Pattern: Rick by Cookie A from Sock Innovation

Yarn: Regia World Circus

Needles: 2.25

The pattern is interesting, rounds of decreases and yarnovers give a spiralling pattern around the leg and top of the foot.

I have to be honest, I don't love it as much as I thought I would. All the decreases take a lot of stretch out of the fabric, so it is a tight fit to get on, I think it would have been better worked on 2.25mm needles over 72 stitches. It would not be a good choice as a gift as you need the foot around to try it on as you go. It does go on, and fits ok when it is on so I did not bother ripping it out and restarting.

The pattern is fairly slow to work but the changes on the foot make it a little more interesting at the point where you would be getting bored. You need to keep an eye on the book for changes of direction as they sneak up on you! So don't take the project when you are returning a car rental and sitting around for an hour without the book then merrily knit away, missing the direction change and having to tink back, um, not that I did that.

I am also a little worried about how robust all the little yarnovers will be during wear.

There is, of course, good things about the pattern. It is well written and an interesting design concept, I like the spiralling nature, I just think I would find another way to do it. The pattern is quite easy to memorise once you have done a few rounds, although the change from left to right confused my brain a little and I kept working past the decrease poitn and having to go back (tiny brain issue rather than pattern fault).

I like the yarn a lot more than I like the pattern, I would use it again happily. It seems softer than standard Regia 4 ply, but in most other ways is the same (weight, smoothness). It is a little more expensive but I would not mind paying the extra as I am really happy with the self striping of this colourway. The stripes are not obtrusive, so you can use it to work a textured or lace pattern without losing the stitch work in the colours, but it is a little more interesting than a solid colourway. I suspect it would wash ok in the machine, however since mine is a "Destroyer of Socks" (like a "Destroyer of Worlds" but more socky) they will have to be handwashed, plus with the tight fit I can't risk shrinkage or they will never fit back on my feet.

Pattern close up:

Next up will be the S sock, I am excited about this as I have had the pattern and yarn since Christmas and have been saving them.