FO: Spey Valley Socks

Gavin's Spey Valley socks are done and he seems pleased with them. In fact I suspect that they are now his "good" socks to be worn on special occasions. Maybe after the newness wears off, he'll wear them regularly? Only time will tell. I suppose it is flattering that he thinks so highly of them that he doesn't want to expose them to hard wear.

It's a very straight forward pattern with some interesting details like lateral Vikkel braids which ring the leg and divide the three different rib patterns. The real glory of these socks is the yarn: Wollmeise. Now that I've knit my two skeins of Wollmeise I can affirm that it was an absolute pleasure to knit. It's soft but sturdy at the same time. It's got lovely twist and spring and yields perfect stitch definition. It's got fantastic yardage. It's the ideal weight for sock knitting - a bit heavier than most light fingerings but not bulky. It's the least splitty wool yarn I've ever knit. The socks launder beautifully and are wonderfully comfortable. If I could find a reliable source it would become my go-to yarn immediately; in fact, I'm already stalking it in other Raveler's stashes to see how many are willing to sell or trade. Can you tell I really really like this yarn?

In our photography session this morning I struggled to get a good picture; I wanted the photo to look natural but still showed the detail of the socks. Now that I've reviewed the photos I think it's the flatness of Gavin's feet that bothers me. His feet are really flat, always have been. And contrary to prevailing wisdom it proved no impediment to his military service in his native country. If you ask him, he'll tell you that flat feet are better - more and better contact with the ground. He's got the best balance of anyone I know, which he puts to good use surfing, paddleboarding and windsurfing; it certainly seems to work for him.