KnitWerk

Oh, it’s hard to make something for someone I don’t know. I have enough of a hard time choosing patterns and yarn for my own projects. I’m new to sock knitting, so I wanted to use a simple pattern and feature the yarn in the design. Unfortunately, none of my LYS’s have a good selection of red handpainted sock yarn, Stitches was a bust as far as sock yarn goes, and going into the long weekend, I just wanted to get started. The deadline is looming.

I settled on a solid-color Koigu in a beautiful crimson red. That’s cool; I’ll use a pattern with some texture. I can deal. I really wanted to use the Diagonal Rib Socks pattern from the subscriber section of IWKnits, but it’s at 7 stitches per inch, and I like this yarn at 9 s.p.i. So I settled on the Waving Laces Socks from IWKnits Spring ‘04 issue:

The first leg is coming along nicely. The lace pattern is easy to memorize, it’s fun to knit, and two purl stitches on either side of the repeat make it nice and stretchy. But now I’m torn by doubt. I’m not sure it’s working in this color. Something about the red with a lace pattern just isn’t hitting it for me. I’m seeing these on a matronly woman in a kitchen full of geese with bows on their necks. Doesn’t seem right somehow. If, by chance, the recipient is a 20-30 something, would she like these socks?

Am I nuts? I’m close to ripping the whole thing and doing the extra math required to turn them into Diagonal Rib socks… Hmmm. Opinions welcomed.