I’m thinking about socks these days. How much I like to knit them. How much I like to wear them. How they go so many places as they’re being knitted. How they go even more places once they’re knitted and on my feet. They seem to be the perfect humble work…both the knitting and the wearing goes unseen mostly…and yet provides the most daily warmth and comfort of any of the other knits.
I imagine unraveling a hand-knitted sock, and letting it tell of all the places it had been while being knitted. Like a typewriter whose words are bound up in the ribbon, circling and looping round and round, forever sealed up. I like wearing a little bit of my recent history even as my feet carry me and my newest sock-on-the-needles project bag wherever I go.
This neon pair started at the beach this summer. They’ve seen a lot of life as well as times of neglect as I tended to other projects, both knitted and painted. They don’t seem to mind. The lure of knitting Christmasy socks propelled me to finish the final inches of the second sock. And now I’m happily knitting in all sorts of lovely holiday memories into this pair which I hope to have finished by Christmas Day. That will be quite a feat (feat, feet, ha!:) for sure!!
Perhaps you’re knitting socks too! Or crocheting them! Do tell of the capers yours socks have gotten into over the duration of their stitch-life!!
And…Happy Sock Knitting!
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The above sketch was made in my Yarn Project Only sketchbook. I’m thinking about logging the start and end dates of each pair of socks and all the significant and not-so-significant events of my life as I knit them.
And Knitted Socks help you run faster and play better and feel better!.
Ha ha! I think that’s a boy thing. My son just mentioned going faster in a new pair of shoes the other night (He’s 42, not a boy but still has the boy’s heart which I guess you guys who are lucky never lose).
Ha! Ha! I’m wondering if my dad is hinting that he would like a pair of hand-knitted socks…hee! hee! Maybe I’ll teach him to knit his own!!
Are you hinting at something dad? I’ll teach you to knit…:)
I never got the hang of knitting socks on circular needles, I like double needles though. If I ever finish the scarf I’m knitting, I think I’d like some socks 🙂 You inspire me Jennifer, love your socks.
My daughter prefers DPNS also Elaine! Fun either way! My only hiccup sometimes is what is called “second sock syndrome” where after knitting the first one, I lag in starting the next one! But I tell myself I can’t cast on for any other socks until I finish the pair I”m knitting! Happy Holidays to you!!
Wow! I had to put on my sunglasses lol! Those socks are so fun looking. My socks are stalled for now. I lost a needle first but it was a set with an extra (even beyond the 5 which I don’t use – I’m a 4 needle knitter) but now I’ve lost the directions I’d been using. Oh well, I want to make my granddaughters some shawls so I have plenty to do. I’ve noticed I don’t wear the socks so much since I moved to California. I am still wearing flip flops when I go shopping! It was 31 degrees when I woke up but it’s 70 degrees right now so cold weather clothes are seldom needed. I’ll get back to knitting my shawl from your directions after Christmas it seems.
I’d love to see your crochet shawls!! I think you sent me the name of the pattern you are using…I will look that up! Thanks for visiting here again Timaree! So good to hear from you! Sounds like your creative fingers are still working!! Bravo! Have a super week!
Love the idea about the log…sketches included I hope!