Because they're too beautiful to share a post with anything else:

Judy's Beanpole Socks

My Dutch-heel conversion

Inside out and right side out

I knit these for my co-worker, Judy, who has made the transition from the old store to the new one so very easy for me!  

Judy loves the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and so these socks are in her favorite colors of Irish Kelly green and navy blue. They were a real challenge to knit. The pattern is the same one I used for an earlier pair of socks, but much more difficult this time because the contrast is stronger with these two colors and so every mistake shows right up.  I have carefully photographed them to avoid showing the worst errors!

In the original pattern, designed by "Hypercycloid" for one of my Ravelry groups, the band of patterning that runs down the center front and back of the socks was interrupted for the heel shaping.  I did a little bit of re-designing, replacing the original pattern's heel turn with a Dutch heel so that the band could continue uninterrupted.

I also changed the way the toes were worked.  The pinstripes and center band were supposed to extend all the way to the ends of the toes, but my brain was just worn out from all the patterning, and I couldn't make it work as written. Instead, I just used alternating rings of color to finish them.

I delivered the socks to Judy Friday evening, in time for her to wear to the Notre Dame game on Saturday...I hope they kept her feet warm in the frigid weather we had that day!

Today was my fifty-seventh birthday. I spent it quietly at home. I had a visit from the kids and grandkids, did some knitting, watched football and napped. It's good to be another year older. :)