August 4, 2006
Dance by the Light of the Moon
Project: Broadripple Socks
Yarn: 2 Balls of Elann Esprit in French Navy
Needles: US Size 3 Inox Circulars
Completion Time : 2 Years 3 Months
Clearly I took my sweet time on this project. But this afternoon, in the excellent company of Julie and her daughter Maddie in a lovely sunlit breakfast nook, I finished my Broadripple socks. In celebration of this event and the break in the oppressive heat (it was warmer in Houston today than it is here, which is as it should be), after over 2 years from when I first cast on, I took the socks out on my balcony for a little dance under the waxing Giibbous moon.
Elann Esprit seems to be an almost exact carbon copy of Cascade Fixation (the yarn recommended in the pattern). It's a cotton yarn with just enough elastic in it to give it a good deal of stretch. Pretty much perfect for summer sock knitting. Two balls is just about enough for a pair of socks for a woman with size 8 feet. Any bigger and I'd want a third ball handy, just in case. I've been wandering around in the house this evening wearing the socks so that I could get a reasonable impression of how they feel to wear. They do seem to stay up nicely (courtesy of the elastic, I'm sure) and so far I find them quite soft and comfortable.
With more cool weather ahead tomorrow, I think I'll be able to commit to wearing long pants and shoes that require socks, so they'll get the full workover. But I suspect that they will come through just fine. I'm also curious to see how this yarn does going through the wash.
The Broadripple pattern is a nice easy pattern, a good introduction to some lacy elements in socks. If you don't like the Dutch heel, or 4-point decrease toe, it would be trivial to substitute in any heel or toe that you preferred.
This is the last pair of socks I get to make for myself during my Family Sock Challenge (no it has not been forgotten, but it has been sadly neglected during all the other things going on this summer). Next stop? A straight stockinette pair for my brother in some relatively manly Regia which I've liked since I purchased it off Ebay, but that has been marinading in my stash for a while.
P.S. The Happy Dance drawing will happen this weekend. I'm going to put everyone's name in a pot and let the guy with the healing eye pick the winner. Results on Monday!
I'll bet you're thrilled to have those socks finished!
Very nice socks! I think you did the right thing and knitted them in a solid colour, looks much better that way!
I find it endlessly facinating how the yarn chosen can really transform a pattern. In a plain yarn, the Broadripple socks look completely different - more ... grown up?
Those look seriously comfy!
I thought that I'd misread that time elasped! :0
I've been eyeing the Esprit at Elann - more for a little ribbed shell than socks, though. Nice to hear it really is reasonably elastic.
It's actually cool enough there to wear long pants? Sounds divine. It's cooled off a lot here the last few days (shhh... I don't want it to heat up again!). It's been cool enough that I've been able to get away with a tank dress (the thought of long pants makes me break out in a sweat), and a cotton top over it in the evening... And a very light thermal blanket over the sheet at night. And no a/c. At least at our house. Don't want to jinx it, though, so I'd better be quiet...
Your socks look great. Isn't it great to have them done. Good luck on the next pair.