Starry Night Socks for Valentine’s Day

One of the supreme advantages of loving a knitter is the handknit socks. Or so I like to tell myself. Once again, my husband got socks for Valentine’s Day.

He gets a new pair of socks each Christmas as well, and if he takes me to a yarn store, I tell him to pick out a sock yarn. The boy has socks, is what I’m trying to say.

He does wear them (I’d steal them back if he didn’t!). Handknit socks are comfier than most store-bought socks, and they’re warmer too. I’ve mentioned before we live in a cold climate so warm socks for Valentine’s Day (or any other day, really!) are welcomed.

This is a simple pair of socks – no pattern but in a nice colour. That’s been his request since he felted the cashmere-blend charcoal-coloured densely-cabled socks he got a couple of years back.

And what a nice colour it is. The yarn is Opal (no felting!) in Van Gogh Starry Night.

Do you see it? Even when they’re side-by-side, I’m not sure I see much of a resemblance to the famous painting.

Oh well – they look nice enough anyway. And, this is fun, they’re almost identical! I’ve never knit identical socks before in self striping or patterned yarns. (Those dearly departed cabled socks I mentioned above matched.)

I’ve been thinking about knitting more socks so we each have a drawer full. I need to quiz my husband on heels and length. I know he prefers socks that are “Kind of the usual length. A bit longer than yours.” I’m not sure what sort of heel he likes best though! I’ve knit a fish-lips kiss heel here, which is my current favourite method. Although, I’ve never knit a new heel turn without falling in love with its neatness and simplicity.

Laundry accidents aside, I’m pretty careful about darning socks and making them last. At the usual rate of production, he’ll have a drawer full of socks before he knows it – even if they are all fraternal and you can tell the date I knit them by the heel turn I’ve used!