Finished surprise socks

I've documented the only moderately interesting story behind these socks on instagram previously, so I won't bore you with a detailed version. In short, I ordered this yarn online to make socks for Nicholas, but one sock in, we decided it wasn't a good fit for "manly socks" and so the plans changed.

Yes, that sounds like a lot of work for nothing, and I was bummed for a bit. However, since we were traveling when the realization struck, and I hadn't brought any other projects with me, I decided to cast on a familiar pattern: another pair of Late Night Socks, in a short version, for myself. If we had been home, I would have set the yarn aside and worked on something else, but this was the only project I brought with on our trip (and I simply must knit when we travel). So the impromptu selfish socks were borne.

I knit them quickly, since this was my second time through the pattern and self-patterning yarn basically knits itself (just one more color before bed, okay, just one more color before bed, etc.). And turns out, I'm not mad to have spent hours knitting the first sock. For one, I got to trial a new pattern and that helped me realize what I'd modify next time. We realized I knit the first sock a bit too large (I've included a picture below so you can see just how big it is compared to my socks!), so I'll size down, and they were fun to knit, since the yarn is inherently fun.

Now that the impromptu socks are finished, I'm pleased as can be. And I've already cast on his replacement socks, in a lovely, manly navy.

Details

Yarn: Cascade heritage prints in 37 Boston

Pattern: Late Night Socks, size medium (free pattern)

Needles: size 0 dpn (my first time knitting with size 0; I love them)

Specifics/modifications: Knit as short socks, for more details, see my Ravelry project page

P.S.— In other knitting news, here is #whatsonmyneedles :

Olive green: Mae sweater (as a KAL with my friend Maeve! For updates, we're using #andreaandmaeveknitsweaters

Blue colorwork: Glacier Park cowl (as a KAL with my friend Molly. She finished her's and it's stunning! For updates, we're using #glacierparkKAL

Navy: new vanilla socks (again, using the Late Night Socks pattern) for Nicholas