Wingardium Leviosa

Last weekend during playoff football, while all my picks were winning I might add, I finished my first pair of socks! Check it out, they actually look and fit like real socks. The combination of the pattern name and the yarn name made me think of the scene in Harry Potter where everyone is trying to make feathers fly. I give you Wingardium Leviosa. 

I don't know if it was the excitement of the football games or that I had in mind that the first sock was a little big on the leg, but sock number two ended up being a somewhat tighter gauge. It's pretty clear if you hold them up next to each other. Each fits -- after wearing them all day when they were done I found that I like the foot of the first sock and the leg of the second sock best.

My toes ended up being different on each sock. The first sock I didn't decrease on the 'big toe' side until the last four rows of decreases and on the second I started a few rows earlier just to see how it would work. I like the second version the best. Kitchener stitch is a little finicky and I had to look up how to do it both times but it is magical. The perfect join every time! The only noticeable 'seams' are the little diagonals from the decreases up the side. 

Despite the noticeable differences between the two socks, I'm going to leave this pair as-is to commemorate my first sock attempt. I really enjoyed this learning experience, and I'm pretty proud of myself for making a passable pair. I'm looking forward to finding some more patterns with different heel constructions, since it seems like that is an area where there are a lot of different options to play with. Until then I'll just sit back and watch this week's Championship games!

Pattern: Hermione's Everyday Socks (my Ravelry project page)

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in 'Calligraphy'

Needle: Size 1 DPNs