Gotta have some socks on the sticks

For the most part of this year, I've had 3 pairs of socks on the sticks. Last week saw the finish of the last pair still going - while I don't mind having many projects on the go, I was a little frustrated with myself for constantly having 3 pairs of unfinished socks. So I'm going to try and have only 1 pair on the go at any time. Of course, now that I've said that out loud, no doubt this weekend will see me start another pair of socks (and because of a package which arrived yesterday, I have even greater temptation to do this - but that's for another post).
Since socks are my bus knitting, I had to cast on another pair as soon as I finished the last (well, duh!). Since husby hasn't had a new pair of socks since Christmas, and he has been waiting so patiently for his jumper, I thought he deserved a new pair of socks. I even used sock yarn from my stash (although I have come to the realisation that Knit from your Stash is dead to me, dead. Clearly I was optimistic about my abilities to curtail my shopping habits when I signed myself up for that! Sigh).So here is the first - more from the genius of Nancy Bush - Spey Valley, from Knitting on the Road. If you are a sock knitter and don't have this book, I highly recommend it. I plan on making almost every sock from this book!

I thought this pattern would be ok with the variegated yarn (Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, in "Camouflage") - it's ok, not perfect but ok. Enough pattern to keep me interested but very easy and good commute knitting. And a very clever sideways braid (which Nancy calls Vikkel Braid) which you can see above, about an inch from the cast on edge.

I bought this colourway because I thought it was a good manly colourway. I'm not sure that if I had my time again I would repeat the purchase - the brown is a bit too "poo" for my liking, and I'm not quite down with the whole camouflage thing. But the yarn itself - lovely - soft - fab to knit with! And no pooling - yet!