Pin Striped Socks

I got this yarn nearly ago at the Interweave Yarn Fest in Loveland, Colorado.  The yarn is from Western Sky Knits booth, which was probably my favorite booth in the Yarn Fest market place.  The yarn is called "Twinkle Sock" and the color way is called "Rainbow Bright".  At the Western Sky Knits booth, this very yarn was knit up in a sock pattern called "Aquaphobia".  My friend, Belinda, and I both bought the yarn and we were determined to make the Aquaphobia socks (see pattern HERE).  Belinda finished her socks months ago and I frogged my attempt at the Aquaphobia pattern a month (or so) ago. The yarn looked great in the pattern but I found knitting the pattern too labor intensive for me. I had to keep track of the rows very carefully and I think every four rows, the pattern called for little two stitch cables. I figured out how to complete the cables WITHOUT a cable needle, but still I realized I was never going to finish the socks since I was not enjoying the knitting.

Belinda and I are off to the Yarn Fest NEXT WEEK; it's been so fun to look forward to this event for a whole year.  We kept saying we had to knit up our projects with ALL of our yarn purchased in the market place before going to the Yarn Fest this year.  The Rainbow Bright yarn is the last of the yarn I bought last year at Yarn Fest, so I got out my needles last night and cast on 64 stitches.

I intended to knit some plain old socks since the yarn is so colorful, but as I was knitting away on the cuff, I had a light bulb moment.  I went to Ravelry and looked up a pattern I've been admiring for awhile: Pin Striped Socks (you can see the pattern HERE).  As luck would have it, the pattern called for 64 stitches.  After I finished the cuff, I decided to try out the Pin Striped Socks pattern in my sock and, as luck would have it, this yarn and that pattern are an amazing combination.  The sock is looking so great, I am having a hard time putting it down.

Pin Striped Socks

Pattern link:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pin-striped-socks

You could adapt this pattern to any socks, regardless of stitch count (you would just have to alter the numbers).  It's a simple two row repeat:

Row 1:  Slip 1, knit 7; repeat to the end of the round.

Row 2:  Knit the round.

The pattern calls for an "afterthought heel", but I will probably complete a traditional heel flap, heel turn, and gusset. 

Okay, I better get back to my knitting to have these socks done in time for Yarn Fest!  I am sure I'll have my knitting projects packed before I pack my clothes. That's how I roll.