Knitting Patterns Free: May 2011

I'm really hustling to finish up some projects before the end of May. (I have a few KALs I want to join in June.) I still have a fingerless mitt project to finish. Both pairs of socks are for DH.

Here are the Eesti Trail Hiking Socks by Nancy Bush and it is the third time I've knit them. I was working from the original pattern from Interweave Knits in 1997; the version in the book Favorite Socks has some errors in the colorwork chart. I used Elann's Peruvian Highland Sport and I'm not sure what size dpns I used - either 4 or 5 (US) I think.

I am too impatient to wait for DH to model these so here I am modeling them even though they don't fit my feet.

Here's a plain vanilla pair of socks using Elann's Esprit cotton/elastic yarn in the Tarragon color. I used size 6 dpns and 48 stitches with his required 8 inches (sigh) of K2P2 ribbing. I should have used a smaller needle but I wanted to finish these up quickly. These are possibly the most comfortable socks I've ever knit. If they pass the laundry test I'm going to buy all the colors of Esprit for future socks for both of us. I knit these for his summer hikes where wool socks might be too warm. Actually I'm really hoping he doesn't like them so I can keep them for myself!