Knitting -- sock test

I said I'd report on the socks I made in 100% Peruvian highland wool.
They're still soft after about six washes in cold water and castile soap.
They're still that soft pink color, meaning that the color is nice and fast (it doesn't wash out).
They're still warm.
A soft yarn sometimes wears out quickly.
One sign of wear in yarn is pilling where bits of rolled yarn stick out.
You get less pilling if you wash once before wearing but you'll still get it.
Most of the pilling will happen where there's friction -- underarms, elbows.
In socks, it's at the heels where you slide your foot in and out of shoes.
That's exactly where these sock are pilling, but they still look sturdy.
If you have a sock pattern you love, you might want to try one pair in Wool of the Andes worsted; they have almost 100 scrumptious colors.
My crew socks pattern takes 3 balls.  At $10 a pair, it might be more cost effective to make a new pair than darn the heels of the old pair.
That's because I would need yarn from the same dyelot, or the darned heels would be a slightly different shade from the rest of the socks.
You'll have to make your own decision: buy 4 balls so you have some of the same dyelot to darn with, or buy 3 balls and plan to make a new pair when the old ones wear out.
(BTW it takes 15 or 16 balls to make the pullover sweater pattern I posted so if you buy 20 balls you can make both socks and pullover, and have yarn leftover for darning.)
See how it works out!

© Patricia Jo Heil, 2013-2018 All Rights  Reserved