Stripey Goodness

I went to a wedding out on the Eastern Shore this weekend, which meant a total of 6 hours in the car, plus the usual evenings. On the drive out, I finished these:

And then crocheted this little scrunchie that night:

Then I proceeded to swatch pretty much all damn weekend while I tried to figure out a decent pattern for socks with the Happy Feet yarn I got in a trade a while back. I'm still not thrilled with the colors, but here's what I've got so far:

I was really feeling cables, but they just don't show well with this yarn, so I settled for a fun ribbing pattern.

For those interested in the spiral socks, here's the pattern:

“Blueberry Spirals”

Bernat Sox, 1 ball each in MC and CC

Gauge: 48 rows and 32 sts per 4 inches in stockinette

set of 5 DPNs, size 3 or size needed to obtain gauge

Spiral Pattern:

Round 1: *K4 in MC, K4 in CC*, repeat to end

Round 2: K1 in CC, *K4 in MC, K4 in CC* to 3 sts from end, K3 in CC

Round 3: K2 in CC, *K4 in MC, K4 in CC* to 2 sts from end, K2 in CC

Continue in a similar fashion indefinitely

CO 56 sts, join

Rounds 1-5

Work 2x2 ribbing in MC, on last st of last row k2tog (55 sts)

Then work 4 in (or desired length) in spiral pattern, about 38 rows

K N1 onto just-worked N4 (29 sts on 1 needle)

MAKE FLAP (in MC or continue spirals)

Row 1: Sl1 P1 to end

Row 2: K to end

Repeat for 11 rows, ending with a WS row

TURN HEEL

Row 1: (RS) Sl1, k to last 10, K2tog, K1, turn

Row 2: Sl 1, P til 10 remain, P2tog, P1, turn

Row 3:Sl 1, K to one st before gap, K2tog, K1, turn

Continue in this manner until only one st remains after the gap (19 sts)

GUSSET

Resume spirals on instep, carrying CC behind for heel sts if you've worked the heel in MC

If you are knitting the heel in MC:

N1: K 5 heel sts, M1, K 4 sts (10 sts)

If you are knitting the heel in spiral pattern:

N1: K

Pick up:

Use empty needle (N2) to k across remaining heel sts and pick up 14 side sts (24 sts)

K across instep sts as normal

Pick up and k 14 side sts plus remaining heel sts on 4^th needle (24 sts)

Decreases:

Round 1:

N1: K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1

N2 and N3: knit

N4: K1, ssk, K to end of round

Round 2:

Knit

Repeat these 2 rounds until you are back to 55 sts (if you are knitting the heel in MC, you will have to dec one extra stitch to maintain the spirals)

FOOT:

Resume spiral pattern all the way around if you have not already; K in pattern to first joint of big toe

TOE:

If you are going to use only MC on the toe, begin now

Round 1:

N1 and N3: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, K1

N2 and N4: K1, ssk, K to end

Round 2:

Knit

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 four times, then Round 1 only 5 times.

Kitchener remaining stitches together.

Make 2.