The latest sock and the yarn that broke my resolve

First up, the sock. This is my first attempt at knitting a sock in the traditional manner, from the cuff to the toe instead of from the toe up. In an attempt to try to actually be as open minded as I like to think I am, I decided that before I can declare that I prefer to knit socks toe-up on magic loop, I need to actually try other ways. These are cuff down on magic loop, and I have some double-pointed needles on the way from KnitPicks so that I can try that, too. As my mother said, I have to be open to unlimited possibilities (Mom says stuff like that a lot).

So, I really like this sock a lot. I started it last Saturday morning and finished it on Wednesday, which is the quickest a sock as ever gone for me. And I have to take back what I've said in the past about the aesthetic of the heel flap. I hadn't seen that many in person, just in pictures on Ravelry, apparently of people with fat ankles or possibly people whose photography skills aren't professional (which is most of us). These don't make me feel like my ankles look fat when I wear them, and the fit is just amazing. Lindsay, you were so right about that.

If you're keeping score, this is sock #5 of the 12. Sock #6 is coming along well. I got to the point of turning the heel last night, and this morning I finished the gusset decreases, so I have to finish the foot and hope that I can get better at doing the Kitchener for the toe. The pattern is from Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (AKA the Yarn Harlot) and she calls it A Good Plain Sock. I got this book from the library, and I'm considering purchasing it, especially since Knit Picks is having a book sale until November 2 (but that's a different matter).

Now for the yarn that made me break my self-imposed no sock yarn until 6 pairs of socks are completed rule. Here it is.

Yarn snobs will probably know about malabrigo. It's really soft, can be very difficult to find, and the colors are just lovely. Some colors, like this one, Indiecita, tend to sell out of the online stores I frequent really quickly. In the hank, it's pretty enough, but I might have been able to resist, except that I've seen a fair number of finished projects on Ravelry with this yarn, and it's really gorgeous when knit up. I think that this is destined to be a pair of Sunday Swing socks, a pattern that's available for free in the Summer 2009 Knitty or follow the link I'm about to pop in.

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer09/PATTsunday.php

That's all I have for now.