Amble Socks, Done!
Pattern: Amble, by Alison Clayton, Six Sox Knitalong, a simple gansey patterned top-down, flap-heel sock
Yarn: Lang, JaWoll superwash wool/nylon, color pistachio, used about 70g
Needles: Various US0, US1, US1.5, Inox and Addi circs, 2.omm, 2.25mm, 2.5mm
Gauge: 8-9spi
Started: August 2005
Completed: May 5, 2007
Finished Size: Womens US 9½ -10 (for my sister)
Notes:
I worked on this pair of socks over a very long period of time and between arm surgeries. Both of these factors meant that my gauge was all over the map. I decided partway down the first leg that I should go down a needle size, which was fine for the rest of the leg and foot. The second sock, started a year later, knit up much tighter. And at the heel turn I had a decision to make.
Though I almost ripped the first sock out and gave up this project, the finished socks feel fine on, and will be a gift to my sister.
The Lang JaWoll, is very soft, nice to knit though very fine gauge, has crisp stitch definition in the pale solid color. JaWoll comes with a matching spool of reinforcing thread which I used at the heel flap/turn and toe.
I found my ability to read and memorize the stitch pattern improved dramatically from start to finish, and this made the second sock knit up a lot faster than the first. I think my intervening lace projects increased my skills in reading the knitting and being able to “see” and knit a simple repetitive pattern like this without constantly referring to the chart.
