in between finishing up and sewing the buttons on my tabi socks, i knit a pair of 'pussy willow stockings' from the book sock knitting master class by ann budd. i had a hard time with them at the beginning, i'm no good with markers and had to pull back the first attempt (after staying up all night finishing the heel in manic sock excitement) because i had been increasing on the wrong side of the mark, slanting the pattern the wrong way. after i discarded my (makeshift, paperclip) markers and just counted stitches instead, it was a warm spring breeze to knit.
i used what i had at hand, a skein of novita 'nalle aloe vera' yarn, a basic wool blend sock yarn infused with aloe, but i will likely knit another pair some day with something more silky and lustrous, altering the pattern slightly and making them knee-high. this is a toe-up pattern, with 'moccasin toe' construction which i liked a lot, and my kind of lacework — super simple and streamlined, but still expressive.
the pattern aligns really nicely with the buckle of these shoes, which i love to bits but can't walk in because they keep falling off. they may appear black, but the hue is a deep willow-bark brown, so they are a perfect match. i think it's worth a try to superglue some suede inside, on the back of the heel, because my new fancy socks need to go out this spring!
