Subdued and Subtle

There are a few birthdays coming up in my family, and both of the birthday folks like hand knit socks, so with not much time before their happy days (and with April being a very busy birthday month for me - 3 of them fall within a 4 day period), They will be getting a pair of plain vanilla ankle socks that I have been calling "Subtle" and "Subdued", in honour of the low-key colours they are knit from.

These 2 skeins of cotton were in my stash, and seem destined for the recipients of these presents, both of whom like blues and browns. Not really sure how the yarn found its way into my stash{??}, as I generally like colours with a bit of "ooomph" to them. I have to admit, though, that these were fun to knit, watching the subtle colours emerge into their stripes.


I think they will be loved by the ladies who will be receiving them.

Details:
Subdued and SubtlePattern: Plain Vanilla Ankle Socks, same as the Plain Vanilla sock pattern but shorter
Yarn: Lana Grossa Maya Cotton (for the socks I am calling Subdued, the mostly cream coloured ones with the muted beige/tan/shades of blue striping) and Lana Grossa Fantasy Cotton )for the ones i am calling Subtle, the self striping/jacquard pair with the wide bands of tan, shades of blue and cream) -- each sock used 23 g. of yarn, 46 g. per pair.
Needles: Harmony wooden dpns, size 2.75 mm
Time In: Each pair take about a day of knitting .. started one pair on April 11, finished at lunchtime April 12th, started the other pair on April 12th and the second pair was finished the evening of April 13th. Quick, easy, and a great use for random skeins of yarn (I have enough yarn left to make another pair of each, if I can find my blue Regia for cuffs and toes! I tidied up, and now everything is "lost"!)
Again? Definitely ... these bring the total of ankle socks I have knit in 2009 to 4 pairs. They are fast, cute, comfy and fun, and with summer coming (eventually), a pair of short cotton socks are perfect for cool evenings or for boating. They are a speedy knit as a last minute gift.




** I wrote this blog a week ago, with the thought that if I posted it, the recipients (who didn't have their socks yet) might see it, and the pictures -- but one pair is for my Mom, who is the birthday girlie today (and will get them in a few hours) and the other pair are for my MIL, who doesn't read my blog (her B'day is on April 23). I feel safe blogging pictures today!