More "Monkey" Socks

This is pair #3 for the Summer of Socks knit along. These are a Christmas present for . . . Well, I can't tell you in case she reads this!

Pattern: Cookie A's Monkey Socks
Yarn: Mountain Colors hand painted yarn in the Gold Rush colorway. This is the softest sock yarn ever and the beautiful color reminds me of fall leaves. Details: Bearfoot, 60% superwash wool, 25% mohair, 15% nylor. 350 yards/skein. I had plenty for 2 socks with a little bit leftover.
Needles: KnitPicks 2 circular needles, size 1

NOT Summer of Socks!

I started these before the official Summer of Socks2007 start date, so these don't count. But, unlike some prolific sock knitters that I've read about, I can't stand to have UFO's on the needles, so I took the time to finish them. Besides, I needed the needles for my next pair!

Pattern: Fools Rush Socks, top down
Yarn: From the stash, but I can't remember -- lost the ball band. Some kind of sock yarn, 1 skein.
Needles: Size 1 - 2 circulars

Picture taken in Indiana at Horseshoe Lakes.

Summer of Socks #2

A pair of generic ankle socks done with one skein of KnitPicks "Dancing". I like this yarn because it has a little stretch to it and it matches the flowers behind me! Knit cuff down on two circular needles (size 1).

This picture was taken at a Thousand Trails (membership) campground near Clinton, Indiana, called Horseshoe Lakes. The campground is full of little lakes that were once phosphate mines. I don't know how long ago they stopped mining, but it is a beautiful place today with many trees, fish in the lakes, lots and lots of song birds, and nice hiking trails. Peaceful.

Finished socks in the Canadian Rockies

Ok, this is the last picture of this first pair of socks for Summer of Socks 2007, and the one I'm entering in the Socks on Vacation contest. You can read the specs on these socks here. I've since hand washed these socks and they seem a little stretchy and limp to me, but that may be because a size 2 needle was too large for this yarn. They are slouchy socks, which is okay by me.

This was taken at Vermillion Lakes in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies on one of our 4:30 IN THE MORNING excursions to get good sunrise pictures.

While EB took pictures, I did a little Nordic walking.

Future socks

Here's something I learned today: Don't ever buy boucle yarn that you have to wind. It sticks to itself and I ended up winding this skein twice because the first go-round was so tight. I don't know if boucle stretches or not, but I couldn't just leave it in such a tight ball. I don't even know what I'm going to do with this yarn, but I got it from Misty Mountain Farm in Amissville, Virginia. It was beautiful AND on sale, so resistance was futile!

The two outside balls on the table are from Mountain Colors in Montana and will be socks in the near future (I hope!).

The ball in the center (I wish you could see it better) is a beautiful hand spun and dyed 5.5 ounce hank of yarn that I got for $11.00 (!!!!) at a really nice little yarn shop called The Cultured Purl (no website) in Libby, Montana. The shop owner, Susan Pugh, said the local park ranger's wife spins and dyes yarn for her shop. The day I was there, I just missed a spinning demo . . . darn!