Om Shanti

Peace be with your feet! (Translation: by Carie. Accuracy: wayward)

I think I may be on a finishing streak at the moment, I finished my blanket (which has been in almost constant use ever since) and now I've finished a pair of socks.


These are the first pair of the 2009 Socktopus Sock Club, the Om Shanti socks, designed by our fearless leader, Alice. I think the idea is for a little self-pampering in the post-Christmas season because they arrived with a wonderful array of foot soak, scrub and butter that smells wonderful and has left its lingering scent in the yarn itself. I can't wait to use them.

The yarn is Chameleon Colorworks Evolution which is a 100% merino wool that has been stretched. And yes, that is as bizarre as it sounds. As far as I can work out, stretching the merino makes it longer and thinner so that it is closer to cashmere in form and thereby softer and fluffier.

It is incredibly soft yarn and it has a halo and a sheen a little bit like silk which you can just about see in the picture. The only way I can think of to describe is is that it is like wool that has been over-ironed, but in a good way. As sock yarn it won't be for wearing with my walking boots but you can never have too many pairs of socks for padding round the house in your pyjamas and these fit the bill.

The colour is Peppermint Cheer - which is the reason why most of my photos incorporate some of the leftover peppermint sticks from last Christmas. Actually I don't think we've eaten any of them yet and we brought a whole box back from the US - I'll be making peppermint bark for Easter at this rate. My socks have spiralled beautifully so they look very like peppermint sticks.

For once, I made few variations from the pattern, and one was accidental. I knitted the largest size and only when I got to the heel turn on the first foot did I realise that I had an extra stitch in the foot, so I decreased one at the heel turn and left it be and repeated the same for the second foot. The socks fit me perfectly and I'm glad for the extra stitch.

I also made the cuffs a little longer - 13 of the three row repeats and 12 rows of corrugated ribbing. I have plenty of yarn leftover (I'm thinking of a pair of really cute baby socks) and my socks are about the same length as a pair of commercial socks would be.

I really enjoyed last year's Socktopus sock club and so far this year is set to surpass it!