Christmas socks for my FiL!

If you know me, then you've definitely heard me say that I have the best in-laws in the world. And it's true. I mean, I really seriously want to challenge anyone that thinks theirs are better to give me a call so we can put all the cards on the table and figure it out. I would bet Berger and Puggie that I'd win. So yeah, I'm pretty sure.

Earlier in the year I made my MiL some cotton ankle socks that she could sleep in (special request), and as we were getting things together for Christmas, I decided that I really wanted to knit my FiL some socks. Why? Well, the reasons are many:

1 - I knew he would appreciate them. He's definitely a sentimental kind of guy, and the fact that I spent 30+ hours on these socks would be completely lost on some, but not on him. Bonus: I dyed the yarn as well.

2 - We're taking a family vacation to Alaska next year. Can you think of a better place to wear hand-knitted socks? I mean, I'm sure there are a few (Antarctica, Russia, the North Pole), but Alaska and comfy socks seem like a perfect combination. And he will be visiting his friends in NY, his other kids in MN...he'll have plenty of cold places to wear them.

3 - There's nothing I can buy him that he doesn't have or can't get himself. But...he can't knit. So I spent lots of time dyeing the yarn, tweaking the pattern, and knitting them up to show my love.

And if you don't mind my saying so, I think they turned out pretty well!

If you're interested in duplicating it, I just made a few adjustments to the Yarn Harlot's Earl Grey pattern. One that you'll notice right away is that I didn't do the cable. I like it, but I wasn't feeling it with this yarn. So I ended up with a very hip stripe down either side of the foot. Additionally, I did cast on 70 to begin with, but when I did the gusset decreases, I stopped at 72 so that I could do the round toe. I hate the kitchener stitch.