I celebrated the 3rd of January with a finished pair of socks: behold, Bartholomew’s Tantalising Socks!
 
These took me a while to knit, maybe I was too busy to get my head around Cat Bordhi’s different way of doing things, or life was too full – but I adored the linen stitch cuffs, and the heel was fun (when I got it right the second time around). These would have been done a day sooner but I had gotten the heel wrong on the first sock, working like a normal shortrow where you shortrow to heel depth and then lengthen each row on the way back out to do the rest of the sock. In this pattern however you have already knit the sock to the full depth of the heel, so the shortrows are just to make the cup that curves around your heel, then you knit straight across and continue back and forth across the sole eating up all the extra gusset stitches in what is essentially the complete opposite of a top-down flap heel.
Really.
I’m not sure I can explain it any better than that with mere words, but if you want to know more, knit the sock! It is very comfy and squooshy, and I want some more, and have even received a request from my husband for a pair-Â thankfully in 6ply yarn! Let’s make that a goal for 2012 
Lastly, the photos were taken in a park 10mins down the hill, where the glowing soft light was courtesy of the overcast and smoggy day. That glowing spot is the sun going down.
January 7, 2012 at 9:12 pm
The socks look lovely. I started a self-striping (stocking stitch) pair on New Year’s Day and finished the first one on 2nd January, and immediately cast on for the second. Mum went home on the 4th and we watched tennis while she was here. I also knitted on the train taking her to Strathfield to catch the XPlorer. But I haven’t touched my knitting since!
January 10, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Thanks Lynne! I can’t compete with a-sock-a-day, but my next blog post will feature a-pair-in-a-week
It’s been fun getting through plain things so fast, but I really am becoming a little bored with st st in the round! I hope you enjoyed the tennis, and that if you were there in person you had lots of sunscreen, a really shady hat and the kind of sunglasses that filter out the glare but still allow you to read your knitting 
Kate
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January 8, 2012 at 9:12 am
I have knit those too, and also stuffed up the first heel (but in a different way to you!). I love the linen stuff cuff as well. Yours look great, fab yarn for the pattern.
January 10, 2012 at 2:54 pm
Thank you very much! I shall now have to check out your version to see whether they were a) Red and b) Wollmeise (‘cos I think those might be your two faves…)
Kate
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January 8, 2012 at 10:21 pm
O such nice socks, I can see the linen stitch. She does have unusual patterns, but they look fabulous. 6ply socks for men are achievable I think!! The Sun is so glowy!! It is nice and cool here!!!
January 10, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Thank you! I adored the linen stitch, don’t know why but I LOVED IT!!
As for men’s socks, my hubby only has one pair from me, which were a 6ply pair, and fast enough that I will be willing to express my devotion in knitting again. (But he can go ahead and buy fine-gauge st st navy jumpers in a shop. I’m not knitting any of those for him) :> Kate
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January 10, 2012 at 9:21 am
I can totally imagine how comfortable and warm your socks are! When I was in Japan I used to buy nice handmade socks at socks store. They have all kinds of cute socks (but expensive) and I enjoy wearing them at home as Japan’s winter gets pretty cold (or at least colder than SF). I used to make scurf when I was in high school…for fun. I thought of starting to knit but California is so warm that I’ve been reluctant. You are very good inspiration to me.
January 10, 2012 at 3:20 pm
Hi Nami, Thank you for your lovely comment! My socks are very warm and comfy thank you – but I can see why you wouldn’t be needing socks like them in California! Of course, there are many things you can knit for warmer climates too, like cotton shrugs for cool evenings…(I feel it is my duty as a knitblogger to encourage interest in knitting, however you need not pay any attention!) :> Kate
A Knightly Knitter visit me in my castle @ http://knightlyknitter.wordpress.com/
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