What I'm Working On Now (FO - Betsy's Socks)

During the last 6 yrs. of my knitting adventures, I've knit projects for myself (of course). I've knit for family members, and for friends. I've knit hats and sweaters for charity. I've knit baby gifts. I've even knit items and sold them. Some of the items I've made, for myself and others, have been well-received and well-loved; others. . . not so much. This year, I've fixated on a sure-fire way of getting more satisfaction out of my gift-knitting time. I am knitting socks for other knitters.

It actually started last Fall, while traveling through the Bay Area, I fortuitously stopped by the friendly yarn store K2Tog.  I say fortuitously, because my visit coincided with the arrival of a gloriously large shipment of Malabrigo.  After fondling the gorgeous piles of the stuff, I limited myself to 2 skeins of Malabrigo Sock yarn.  Once I got home from the trip, I realized, as much as I loved the yarn, I already had many pairs of hand-knit socks.  On the other hand, a knitting friend whose birthday was imminent, had yet to knit herself a pair.  From there, it was a no-brainer, and this is where the 2 skeins of Malabrigo Sock ultimately went.

In March, another pair of Priscilla's Dream Socks in Malabrigo, this time in Ravelry Red, went out as a birthday gift to a knitter:

At this point, the element of surprise is gone, so I'm asking the rest of my little circle of knitting friends to choose their own sock yarn and patterns.

Which brings me to my current WIP.  A friend who met up with us at Stitches West chose Miss Babs "Bamboo Baby" Superwash Sock & Baby Yarn, in the color Grapitude, and settled on the Vinnland (Rav link) pattern by Becca Compton.

So far, I'm really enjoying knitting these up.  The color is beautiful, and the pattern is cleverly written.
I like how the beauty of the design pops out once the sock is stretched to actual foot-size.  Maybe this is something only someone as easily amused, and overly fascinated with knitting, like me can appreciate, but I'll share:

I've turned the heel on both socks, and they'll be done before my next visit with their recipient, which means my other knitting friends might want to be thinking about which pattern they might like to have on their feet in a few months.