Finding the right design
I’ve been trying to find the right pattern for my brother-in-laws Christmas present, which is to be a pair of socks. I wanted something simple, unfussy and yet a little something ‘more’ than a plain stockinette sock. My brother in law will not wear bright, outlandish colours, busy designs or complex twisting cables, but as these are a Christmas gift I wanted to include something that was a little ‘fun’. I believe these will be teh first hand-knit socks my brother-in-law will have ever received – the hat I made him last year seemed to be his first hand-knit gift of any sort, so I thought I’d try and incorporate a little christmas tree in the design for these.
I made a rough graphical sketch of my idea for the simple pine tree shape which I thought I might be able to replicate in some fashion with the use of single cable stitches and raised knit stitches on a reverse stockinette stitch background. once the ‘trunk’ of the tree is about 1½” long I am going to knit six or eight rows of garter stitch for something for the tree to ’stand’ on, and then do the foot of the sock in stockinette. I keep switching between loving these socks and then finding them horrid, but it is happening every few minutes, and I can’t actually tell what it is that I am finding disagreeable about them. I suppose I am nervous that they will not fit, but as my brother-in-law resides at the other end of thecountry, and these are meant for a surprise, there is little chance of my furtively sneaking in to try them on his feet without him noticing.
The simple pine tree design knitted into the sock.
