Help me decide (making hose for a groom)

**sydnie7** · 31st August 13, 08:07 AM

My niece is getting married next spring and I've offered to knit the groom a pair of hose. This will be his first kilt outfit and my sister is having a kilt made for him in Black Watch (he's a LEO). I think Bonnie Heather is on the job there, selected from a short list that I provided of reputable makers gleaned from my time here at XMarks.

We've also found him a nice black Argyll, purchased from another XMarker, so this is shaping up nicely. I believe the wedding will be late afternoon-into-evening.

Anyway, back to the hose. I'm leaning toward a dark blue, with simple details -- perhaps a cable running up each side and cabled cuff. I'm thinking solid color but could add some multi-color details in the cuff, if I don't stick to cables. But I've yet to attempt an Argyll cuff and this is probably not the time to try

I think dark blue is better than black, yes? Not as funereal. I don't think the young man would be comfortable with a completely "non matching" color such as burgundy.

Dark green is another option but somehow the green hues seem more difficult to coordinate between knitting yarns and tartan. And unless I prevail upon Bonnie to send me a little scrap, I don't have any of the fabric to compare with.

So. . . thoughts? suggestions? Not many choices, as I've outlined, but maybe there's a brilliant idea out there!

**piperdbh** · 31st August 13, 08:19 AM

How about a dark blue body of the sock, with four 4-stitch red cables, spaced evenly, running vertically to the cuff, then horizontal stripes of blue, green and red in the cuff?

**cable scot** · 31st August 13, 08:21 AM

Is there a kilt shop in your neck of the woods, could find a swatch from them? If your in north county Blanford and sons is in Upland that may be worth the drive. All that said I think maybe a dark or navy blue would be my first choice.

**sydnie7** · 31st August 13, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by cable scot

Is there a kilt shop in your neck of the woods, could find a swatch from them? If your in north county Blanford and sons is in Upland that may be worth the drive. All that said I think maybe a dark or navy blue would be my first choice.

Thanks for the thought. I actually made a quasi-Black Watch kilt for my hubby (probably Pendleton fabric, got off eBay a few years ago) so I have as good a "swatch" as I'd get from anybody other than Bonnie. Now to start digging through the sock yarn stash and pulling likely candidates.

**California Highlander** · 31st August 13, 08:24 AM

Dark blue is better than black. I have a Black Watch kilt as my primary, and I only wear black hose when going out casually for cocktails or a pub with my workmates. Even then, I sometimes wear lovat blue, which I didn't think I'd like, but looks pretty good as a contrast. A deep claret/burgundy would look smashing!

**sydnie7** · 31st August 13, 08:57 AM

Perhaps if I get really ambitious I'll make two pairs, one safe dark blue and another burgundy. I also like the idea of a touch of red and/or green in the blue pair but red vertical cables seem a bit much. And are stripes around the cuff too casual? Perhaps "patterned stripes," that's something to think about. . .

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
BRBRBRBRBRBRBRBR
RBRBRBRBRBRBRBRB
BRBRBRBRBRBRBRBR
RBRBRBRBRBRBRBRB
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Along those lines, then another band of blue/green pattern. I'm liking this! or, on second thought, is that too Nordic?

**piperdbh** · 31st August 13, 09:16 AM

I don't think it's Nordic; it'll look like little checks. That's a lot of color changes. Are you thinking of working the cuffs flat, or in the round?

**sydnie7** · 31st August 13, 09:26 AM

Depending on the gauge I end up with, might make each color block a 2x2 or even 4x4. Still a lot of changes, yes! Am thinking round with floats...maybe try a trick I've read and work it from the rear to help keep the floats loose. Lots of time to think yet, I don't even have his measurements yet.