Socks for Me!

This is the second pair of socks I've knitted for myself. The socks I've knitted for myself have been learning experiences, so I'll tell you about it. At the recommendation of an old thread on the socknitters' list, I picked up Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. What I really liked about this book is that it gives you specific instructions for several different styles of heels and toes. What I didn't like about the book, but knew to expect from her previous books, is that she gives you specific instructions for making socks. If you want to make what she's showing, you've got to get her gauge, or figure out what gauge you need to use her pattern to fit your target foot.

So I started out knitting the Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern on page 41, got a few inches into the sock and decided I'd had enough following instructions and I would modify the pattern for my purposes. So this sock is "inspired" by that pattern, but I deviated in the following ways:

needle size: 1
stitches around: 70
yarn: Sockotta ... The yarn was fine, but I really don't care for the colors. It's the color saturation I don't get along with. They remind me of faded dungarees and I just ... won't buy that kind of color again. And I've discovered that I really don't like those self-patterning yarns.
cuff: I followed the pattern, but I did it for half the length called for by the pattern because I didn't have enough yarn to make longer socks.
heel: I decided to try my first-ever dutch horseshoe heel. I don't like the feel of it on my feet and won't be knitting it again.

I like the lozenge pattern, and I'm thinking about doing a pair using the King Charles Brocade pattern, thanks to Franklin's blog bringing it to my attention back in February. And the seam stitch made an interesting change, but I think I'll go back to the heel-stitch heel with no seam stitch for the future.

Oh, and it was a real challenge to translate this pattern onto one circular, but I did manage it.

I've got pictures of the next sock I'm knitting, so I'll post about that later, since I'm being offered breakfast and I'm not as stupid as I look.