Sock it to me

Finally I have finished my second pair of socks! It really was a struggle at the end to get there, as I wasn't in love with the colour choices I had made, but thanks to a looming KAL deadline I pushed on.

I ran out of my contrast striping colour just above the ankle, which really didn't matter so much as by then it wasn't contrasting anymore. Lesson learnt, next time I need to check a lot further in to the striping yarn before settling on a contrast!
The mock lace cable stitch I used on the leg is excellent, easy to knit (no cable needle), looks effective and gives a lovely squishy stretchy rib to the sock.
So I'm not in love with them, but I've learnt a lot along the way. The fit is excellent thanks to learning about knitting a gusset to accommodate my fat ankles! The heel fits much better than the afterthought heel I previously tried (although I think again that's mostly down to the gusset). Learnt a great mock cable rib, and a new bind off 'Jenys surprisingly stretchy bind off', which again is easy but so effective.
I've also learnt something about joining a KAL. It worked well for me by having a deadline to meet, I know these would have been cast aside when the striping yarn ran out otherwise. I didn't get any sense of being 'cheered on' as I've seen people comment, conversely I find it hard to ignore those who completely go against the spirit of the thing by entering items they clearly made before the KAL commenced. Not even smart enough to edit the dates on their project pages connected to the entry. Clearly just in it for the prizes, and I'm finding it hard to keep quiet about it, but at this stage, I know better than to stir the crazy when it comes to internet groups!

I've joined the next KAL already, with a Christmas gift theme, although I'm not sure what I'm going to knit on for it! I have been trying out a few Christmas decoration patterns and thinking over what I might do with them, and I still have two shawls on the needles to, so keep knitting!

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