FO: Dark Chocolate Froot Loops

Normally my disappearing for a time without notice would elicit some sort of apology from me.  But I'm not really sorry.  I reached a point after the last post where I could not seem to get excited about my knitting.  I had too many things on the needles and not enough time to finish them in and of course a firm mental block about accepting that fact.  I'm sure no one minds that I decided to not spread those bad vibes around our community.  But I'm back now with something finished! (Actually I have two FOs, but I only have pictures of the one)

(For some reason Blogger won't let me link that to here)

One of the knitting deadlines I was rapidly approaching was my mom's birthday.  My mom is a great sport.  She has always been on the receiving end of rather unusual undertakings that always work out splendidly when someone else makes them (Eva made her jewelry out of caps from her nursing floor) and disastrously when I try.  No matter how odd or ill-fitting, she always takes the gift in stride and accepts it as only a mother can -- with grace and an enthusiastic smile.  This year I decided to give her something I know she's been angling for and that I finally feel confident in making.

Froot Loop by Kristi Geraci in Malabrigo Sock

When I decided to make socks for Mom I had plenty of time.  So I threw the idea to that part of my brain where things live until they resurface with a plan.  Usually that happens spontaneously on a run (like the current plan to somehow have my wedding programs modeled on knitting patterns, though I've thrown that one back until it comes back with an actual image) or while I'm dealing with a crowd of people at work.  But that did not happen this time.  Instead my brain left it there until I was only a month out from her birthday.  Fortunately I had found a skein of Malabrigo Sock in the colorway Archangel that reminded me of the dark chocolate mini Cadberry eggs and just screamed Mom (I'm not the only one who thinks so).  Unfortunately it took several rejected patterns to find the right look.

After I finally cast these on they went very fast.  The pattern becomes pretty intuitive and though it seems tight on the needles, the ribbing really opens up when blocked.  I made my standard modifications, doing a short-row heel with no gusset and a short-row toe, because I have found these to fit my feet better.  Mom and I have worn the same size shoes for years and so I felt pretty confident giving her a pair of socks that fit me.

Overall?  Thumbs up on both the pattern and yarn.  I'm a little worried that these will wear out fast, but I have a lot leftover.  The risk of damage is far outweighed by both the softness and the grin on my mom's face when I threw them across the living room after weaving in the ends.