Socks Appeal

Well, it's happened...I finally understand what all the fuss is about socks!

Since I started knitting (again), close to 4 years ago now, I have not really been interested in knitting socks. I knit a pair a few years ago. They were thick ski socks for my husband. They were knit up in a really nice natural, undyed wool from a rare sheep farm. I enjoyed the process at the time; but, basically had no interest in making more socks.

And then...the power of the internet. Over and over, I would read blogs about sock knitting and sock yarns and sock patterns. I already was addicted to podcasts. And, over and over again, podcaster after podcaster would ooh and aah over sock knitting and all things associated with sock knitting. The Jaywalker pattern came up many, many times. I followed links to blogs where knitters weren't knitting a pair of Jaywalkers; but, could not stop knitting Jaywalkers, so many that a Jaywalker KAL was started. It seemed to me that sock knitting was serious stuff...it was the new scarf. And, the energy was contagious...I wanted to knit a pair of Jaywalkers, too. About this time, my friend N was cleaning up her stash and gave me a skein of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn.

Pattern: Jaywalkers
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill 1 skein
Needles: Addi Turbo circular, size #1/2.5mm 40" Magic Loop
Notes: None

That was all I needed...my own love affair with socks had begun. And, of course, after reading the JanuaryOne blog about her ongoing obsession with Socks That Rock yarn, I wanted STR yarn. But, what's the point of buying just 1 skein of yarn when for the same shipping fee you can buy 4 skeins of yarn? Well, 4 skeins later...one skein went to N and with my first of three STR skeins, I made the RPM socks.

Pattern: RPM (by Aija Goto) from Knitty
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR, 1 skein of Scottish Highlands
Needles: Addi Turbo circular size #1/2.5mm 40" Magic Loop
Notes: Decreased 1 stitch creating a 1-row spiral pattern repeat of K6, P3 on all rounds. Thanks to soapquiltknit for this tip. Used Twisted German Cast On and chose Short Row Heel and Pointed Toe from pattern.

I am now pretty much obsessed with knitting socks...so much so that I have joined the Six Sox KAL, the Townsend Socks KAL (I have not yet knit any socks from this KAL) and the Cascade Fixation Ankle Sock KAL

Pattern: Alison's Ankle Socks
Yarn: Cascade Fixation, 1 ball main color and 1 ball multi-colored for edging
Needles: Addi Turbo circular, size #5 40" Magic Loop
Notes: None

Pattern: Snake Skin Socks from Six Sox KAL
Yarn: Fearless Fibers, 1 skein Thoroughbred
Needles: Addi Turbo circular, size #1/2.5mm 40" Magic Loop
Notes: Used Twisted German Cast On and Sherman Heel

This photo even made it to the Fearless Fibers blog on October 09...on Mondays, Deb posts customer photos.

I have 2 more sock projects on the needles and many waiting in the wings. And, my sock yarn stash continues to grow. I guess when the sock bug hits, it hits hard.

P.S. I almost forgot...I posted a response to Cecily's challenge...better late than never. I don't know what it all means; but, we'll see what happens.


The countdown continues...5 Days Until Stitches