Well, just wow! There was an amazing amount of interest in the socks! Who knew? So, I thought I should maybe post a picture of the whole hand-knit sock drawer.
The first socks I knit were made for my brother as a Christmas present a number of years ago when we had a family challenge to only spend $20.00 on each person for the holiday. Happily, back then, one could get a really outstanding hand-dyed sock yarn for that price. He only uses those socks when he's camping to keep his feet warm in his sleeping bag - he tells me they've never seen the inside of a pair of boots!
After that, I started knitting socks because there are only so many shawls, sweaters, hats and mittens that a person can use or foist off on family and friends. I figured that I could have fun, keep knitting and enjoy wearing outrageously decadent socks. They have a lot going for them as a handy and portable project - they are made of tiny little stitches and take a long time to make, they have the advantage of needing very little storage space, they usually only use one skein of yarn, and they feel fantastic on my feet!
People wonder if I actually wear them. Well, I haven't worn any of the 2022 socks yet, since I wanted to take a picture of the lineup before I put them into my boots and started giving them a workout, and so far, I've mostly used the two rows on the right for everyday use, but others will soon be joining the rotation. The pink and brown ones are a perfect match for a flannel shirt in my wardrobe and the gray, brown and blue ones are excellent all-around general use socks. Otherwise, I'll just go with what I'm wearing and how flashy I want my feet to feel.
You already knew I was a bit odd, so this shouldn't surprise you too much, right??
7 comments:
Amazing. What a great pic: it's a work of art. I love it !
BetsyLee
Those are gorgeous!! I love to knit, but don't have enough patience for socks, with the tiny gauge yarn and intricate shaping. I am curious if you add elastic thread toward the top to give them "hold" on the ankle, or if ribbing is enough for them to stay in place?
Thank you, BetsyLee! I love all the wonderful hand dyed yarns - they make me look like a sock knitting genius. :)
Thanks, Wise Wanderer. I find socks a lot easier than sweaters - the only really challenging part is the heel and there are a couple great heel variations in the world that make the process so much easier than you'd expect. The yarn is tiny, though, no denying that! No, I don't add any elastic. The ribbing seems to keep them where they belong. I have never had any sagging with my hand knit socks. The only problem I have had is with boots that have fleece interiors. Those tend to grab the wool and make the cuff behave oddly and sometimes pull the socks off when I try to remove the boots. Otherwise, they stay put quite well.
Wow, just wow so many beautiful colors and each so different! It's always amazing to me
how they can dye some of those yarns to make fun stripes and patterns.
Shooz
Thank you, Shooz! Yes, the artistry of some of the hand dyers is astounding. And it's always fun to play with such beautiful colors.
Oh, those are so pretty. Like a Yarn Bomb in your closet.
Are they wool? I am allergic to wool, even dress, lined coats are off limits for me.
Sheila
Thank you, Sheila. It is definitely a blast of color that makes me smile every time I open the drawer.
Yes, they are wool - well, wool blend. Most of them are superwash marino wool or Blue Faced Leicester with some nylon blended in for durability. Some have a little alpaca or cashmere in the mix. For some reason, though I can't wear wool against my skin anywhere else on my body, these socks don't seem to bother me. Maybe it's the superwash factor or something else, but I'm glad I can wear them - it's luxury for my feet. I have a pair of red, black and gray ones on today (fifth from the bottom on the far right row). :)
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