Year of Projects 2: Winter Socks 02

Folk Knitting in Estonia: Aino's Gloves • Anu's Christmas Gloves • Anu's Mittens • Anu's Stockings • Avo's Mittens • Ellen's Stockings • Helgi's Mittens • Hilja's Mittens • Ilmar's Socks • Juta's Stockings • Kalev's Mittens • Kristi's Mittens • Laila's Socks • Landra's Gloves • Liidia's Gloves • Liivi's Stockings • Maarja's Socks • Maimu's Mittens • Marko's Mittens • Meida's Mittens • Merike's Gloves • Rita's Stockings • Sander's Mittens • Tiit's Socks • Ulla's Gloves • Virve's Stockings

Knitting Vintage Socks: Gentleman's Shooting Stockings with Fluted Pattern (1887) • Gentleman's Sock in Railway Stitch (1889) • Gentleman's Socks with Lozenge Pattern (1895) • Bed Sock in Lemon Pattern Fancy Knit Stripe (1896) • Cycling or Golf Stockings with Fancy Cuff in Trellis Pattern (1897) • Heelless Sleeping Socks (1897) • Child's French Sock in Citron Pattern and Diaper Knitting (1898) • Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern (1899) • Gentleman's Half Hose in Ringwood Pattern (1899) • Gentleman's Sock for Evening Wear (1900) • Evening Stockings for a Young Lady (1900) • Fancy Silk Sock for a Child of 5 or 6 Years (1900) • Gentleman's Fancy Sock (1901) • Gentleman's Plain Winter Sock with Dutch Heel (1901) • Child's Sock in Miranda Pattern (1904) • Baby's Bootikin (1905)  •  Little Child's Sock (1907) • Infant's Fancy Silk Sock (1909) • Ladies Useful Stockings (1913)  •  Ladies Silk Stockings with Clocks (1914)

While I rewound that skein of Classic Merino Lace from my stash I read the care instructions on the label - handwash and lay flat to dry. That puts paid to any plan to hold it double and knit it into a sock. A handwash-only sock would be worn once around these parts only to spend weeks or even months languishing in the laundry room. Back to the stash to find more machine-washable scraps to knit into this Gentleman's Plain Winter Sock!

The scale says I have plenty of yarn to knit these socks, but after alternating the Kroy sock yarn every other round with scrap yarn down the leg, and after knitting the entirety of the first heel with Kroy I'm nervous about running out of that particular yarn. If you've knit with Kroy before you'll know it's very hard-wearing  - the perfect choice for the heel. If need be, more of the foot and toe can be knit from other sock yarn scraps. That's why I put sock one on waste yarn immediately after picking up the gusset stitches to knit sock two to the same point. May as well know exactly how much of each yarn is left and make them match. Thank goodness for the kitchen scale.

Things are zooming along with these socks now. Although ... with this particular colour scheme, calling them "plain" seems wildly inappropriate. They're pretty loud! Now, I'd better get a few of the chores done ahead of spending the afternoon at workshop called "Beyond KoolAid" where we'll learn to dye yarn with food dyes. It's going to be so fun!