Steadfast Socks

At any given time throughout the year, I am doing something sock-related. I could be thinking about making them. Other times I am washing and line-drying them, buying materials and actually making them. Otherwise, I might be blocking, finishing or fixing them! This work is never over, and for some very good reasons. Anyone who has ever made or worn hand knit socks will tell you that once you go down that road, you will never come back. The promise of lasting warmth and otherworldly comfort is so great that you will never look at Wal-Mart value packs or the funky-printed offerings at the accessory shop the same way again.

To me, there is no such thing as not having any knitting to do. In between other projects, socks are always my default. Long ago I memorized a pattern I like best and all of the steps, so the process has become second nature. I can sock-knit on autopilot while at home watching TV, on my break at work, or while waiting for my car to be serviced. Sock yarn and needles are more portable than other projects, making it a practical option to pack in my bag and take with me out into the world.

I buy sock weight yarn pre-need and stock pile it in plastic gallon bags that I squish into my striped duffel bag. Not having any sock yarn at any given time would be a mortal sin. Sometimes when all I have are scraps, I come up with some very interesting stripe combinations.

Bustin' at the seams! 

Scrappy summer shorties. 

Since I buy sock yarn so often, I have come to find that closeout retailers such as Tuesday Morning sporadically carry good quality sock yarn for a small fraction of the price it would be at any yarn shop. Sometimes they have the same brands! 

Bargain courtesy of Tuesday Morning. 

The 437 yards in this ball yields at least 2 pairs of socks that could possibly last several years, and I only had to invest a little over $6 after tax. That is the very definition of getting the most bang for your buck! Ever since I made this stunning discovery last year, I try to swing by Tuesday Morning’s many locations throughout Northern Virginia at least once a month. Seek and you will find.

My goal is to gradually delete store bought socks from my wardrobe, one hand made pair at a time. Until I had finished and began wearing my first good pair, I had no idea as to how much I had been suffering with store bought socks over my entire life. Store bought socks are poorly fitted for anyone, regardless of shoe size. Over time and repeated washings, my old socks gradually became tighter around my feet and ankles, leaving huge marks around my calves by the end of the day. Not to mention that this is terrible for circulation! For a long time I thought I was one of those women who, inexplicably, always had cold feet. It turns out the explanation for this was simpler than I ever could have guessed! 

"Warm face, warm hands, warm feet. Oh wouldn't it be loverly?" 

In many cases, the material used for these socks is thin and chintzy. Even if you buy them at Ann Taylor. Before I knew it, the heels and toes of my old socks had become so threadbare that I could see my skin through what was left of the fabric!  

I can clearly see my nail polish! 

The toe seam is usually the first thing to go, and being able to wriggle my big toe out of it was not a nice feeling. It made me feel like some poor hobo! 

It is inevitable that one day your hand made socks will wear out, too. Socks are one of the few things that knitters know are not going to last a very long time, despite all the work and effort that goes into making a pair. This is ok because they can be mended and repaired over and over again. Patches and reinforcements can bring them back to their near-original state. You can even pick up the stitches around the holes or tears and knit an entirely new swatch of fabric! (Yet another reason to save even the smallest of scrap yarn.) There are many different ways to smoothly repair socks, and a few good ones are listed here.

Right now I am 75% of the way through making another multicolored creation with some of my favorite yarn leftover from Christmas. After they are completed, I cannot wait to chuck away yet another old, see through pair. I’ll start with those pink tie-dyes!

In progress. 

My blue plastic sock forms remind me: The next time you are in an antique shop, visit the section where they have small housewares and homemaking supplies. I guarantee you that you will see at least one pair of wooden sock stretchers.

Prolific. 

If you have yet to make your first pair of socks, learn and get started today! Do not listen to the rumors that they are hard and frustrating to make, because this just isn’t so. In fact, basic socks are a very intermediate project. They are made in a series of small steps that are easy to memorize. Find a nice, cuff down pattern. Knit socks are very small things that enrich the lives of you and your loved ones in a huge way, one stitch at a time!