Socky Summer Anticipation

Everyone seems to have a sock technique that makes them happiest - probably a combination of how they learned, what fits best on their own feet, and what's funnest to knit/looks best to them. This is awesome, but it can make for comedy when sock knitters collide: the circular needle crew just do not understand the staunch dpn-ers ('People, you can make TWO at a time!'), while the dpn boosters perhaps enjoy the defensive possibilities of 4-5 pointy little needles. There are toe-up lovers and cuff-down aficionados, and never the twain shall meet (this is the opportunity for someone to invent a heel-start sock and start a war). I won't even go into the intricacies of the methods of negotiating a heel turn. To gusset or not to gusset, that IS the question. Meanwhile, of course, the non-knitters and sock newbies stand by and gaze in perplexed wonder. What bliss!

Yes, Summer of Socks 2007 is about to begin, and I am reviewing my sock thoughts. Before I get into that too far (or people stop reading because they're sick of socks - horrid thought), here are some nice garden pictures:

Does anyone know what the first one is? It was here when we moved in - it comes back every year, but doesn't introduce itself. The second, I'm told, is called a maidenhead, which seems sort of risque, but that might just be me.

On to socks! First, the two sock projects in progress that need to be finished or sidelined before June 21. Rebekah's crazy German socks are halfway done:

Stylish, or what? In case you were wondering, it's posing on the chimney - those lines on the side aren't some futuristic art project, just siding. The best part about this sock is what the flecks of red did on the back of the leg. Am I the only one that thinks of Curt Schilling's famous (Red Sox win the World Series) sock?: And the June TOFUtsies sock club sock:

I'm really enjoying this project - the pattern is very nice (see how the ribbing goes into the pattern?) and easy to remember. I'm sure I'll use it again. And the yarn is very cool to work with. Because of the direction it's spun and because I'm a continental style knitter, it tends to untwist a bit, but it has a really nice feel, sort of cottony, but with a lot more drape to it. Hard to explain, but I'll definitely be using this yarn, even after the sock club is over. I even think I like the pink. Every now and then I see it and do a double take: 'man, is that pink!', but it's growing on me, and it's good to embrace change, right?

Now, projects for the SOS! This is the yarn I spun from the ZenString roving:



So shiny and soft and yellow and purple (which is sort of washed out except in the first picture)! I think I want to use this for my first sock of the along. I'm thinking Monkey, since I've been wanting to try a Cookie A pattern for a while (and then knit them all), and since I haven't yet made TheOneThey'reAllTalkingAbout!

Then . . . . . do I dare to Baudelaire?:

That's a Fleece Artist skein in Indian Summer that's been calling out for something special. And I did say I want to knit them all!

Finally (for the starting lineup), I'm thinking the Eleanora sock in this louet gems:

I saw the originials in a museum in Florence last summer. They're stunning, though a bit corpse-juice imbued. These shouldn't have that problem, though it would be cool if they lasted as long!