ugly-pretty or pretty ugly

 
Usually, when a person makes something, say a knitter making, I don't know, a sock, that person knows whether the final product  is a winner or not.  There isn't usually a grey area, it either came out great or it didn't.

  
  
But sometimes, you can knit pick things a little.  Like, "oh, well these socks look great, but the fit's a little off," or some such assessment.  These socks, I am pretty sure do not look great.  I don't think they are hideous, but they are, by no means, spectacularly aweseome, which really is my goal (most of the time).  While I do not usually aim for mediocrity, sometimes, due ot my own laziness, I am forced to accept it.  But back to these socks.

I want to love them, but I only like them, and I only like them because I knit them while K and I traveled the Mediterranean for our tenth anniversary a few short months ago.  Also, they fit really well, and they are warm.  So, sentimentally and practically speaking, a winner!  Visual aesthetics-wise, not so much, at least not for me.  Some people actually like pooling, that magical phenomenon that occurs when variegated yarn doesn't hit its happy medium of gauge and whatever else is required to make varigated yarn not look like crap.  I have no idea if this yarn is supposed to stripe or not, to be honest, but I am not enamored of whatever it's doing in this sock.  And I don't think it's just me.  I have used Shibui sock yarn before, and pooling can sometimes be an issue, but sometimes, it's not an issue at all. 

 
At the end of the day, it hardly matters, really.  I have a completed pair of socks that will keep my feet warm and two less skeins of sock yarn sitting in the stash, so that's something.

Comments

[Walden]

Sorry you dislike them. I think the colors turned out lovely and think they look very nice. Maybe they'll grow on your :)

[Mandy]

I agree, it hardly matters. I prefer socks to skeins of sock yarn. Your library picture is awesome.

[chancy]

Its funny. I think the close up picture actually looks really good with the detailed view of the mixing of colors. But the pictures from farther away are just...okay. Don't know what it is.

[JJ]

I struggle with the whole pooling issue. Why do yarns that are so pretty in the skein look heinous knit up. These socks, while not heinous, do not live up to the promise in the skein. Well, at least they fit well.

[Kingshearte]

I kinda like 'em. But, if you don't, at least socks are easily hidden in shoes, so you won't have to see too much of them. :)

[Oiyi]

I love the second and last shot of the socks. They are perfectly neutral colored. Looks like great all around socks.

[Kathy]

Maybe it's a question of liking the colors? They look brown/grey from a distance. I like the barber pole effect that you can see in the close up shot of the cuffs. I personally don't mind pooling at all. But that's just me and I know there are a lot of people that will rip something out (gasp!) because of pooling. Maybe I don't mind pooling because I hate ripping out more?

And, if you're still not sure, put them in the pile for Christmas gifts - warm socks, hand-made, 2 fewer skeins, and one less Christmas gift to worry about. That's a win, right?

[Tina]

Some of my most hideous hand knit socks are the ones i wear most often precisely because somehow, they are the ones that fit the best. Go figure!

[whitney]

I knit myself a pair of socks in that very colorway of Shibui and they striped pretty much perfectly...there's just no knowing what you're going to get with that stuff, I think.

[Janelle]

I think you have a really good attitude about these particular socks. I have knit 3 pairs out of Shibui and was not too happy. I know it might not pool for some, but they always pool for me - and I've tried 3 different cast-on numbers (60, 64, 72). Too bad!

Is that library photo taken in an archive? I see cards in every book and few spine labels.

[Becky]

I think the striping is lovely. I don't like it when variegated yarn pools in weird blotchy patches, but stripes are nice.

Love how you took your photoshoot in the stacks :)

[Krista]

They do look quite comfortable and I really enjoyed the story you told through your pictures.

[Jeanie]

Think of dawn on the beach, that's what I thought of.

[Cassy]

I have that same yarn! I gave up and made a seed stitch headband. I think parts of your sock look pretty cool, but I can see how the pooling would drive you batty. I had a similar experience with Madeline Tosh sock yarn. I made a headband with that one too...maybe there's a pattern here.