Green eggs and ham moment
Monday August 31st 2009, 5:43 pm
Filed under: Friends,Knit

But didn’t I tell them?  Lace shawls, sure.  But socks?  I don’t knit socks. I have quite a few pairs of handknit socks, thanks to Jasmin, Deb and Kate, Niki, Bonnie, Michelle, Chris, and my daughter Sam has a pair from Judy Sumner that turned out to be just her size.  My longtime readers know that I wore mine every day at Stanford this year as a way of declaring, I am loved.

But me?  I do not knit them here or there, I do not knit them anywhere.  Not in a house, not with a mouse, not on a train, not in a tree, my hands don’t like them, Nancy, see?

That package that arrived last week from some Sock Summiteers, had, as I mentioned, a hank of Blue Moon SockGate sock yarn in the colors of the logo of the Summit that was going on while I was holed up in the hospital. A yarn with a good firm twist for holding up well under heel and toe–cushy for a foot, not so much so for, say, a shawl. It was adamant about what it wanted to be when it grew up.

I looked at it and thought, it could make a cool hat for some guy sometime…

Wait. Would I knit a hat on the size needles that stuff would require? For anybody? No matter how much I loved them? When I could make one in a third the time with something else?

No.

I noticed that there not only was no return address on the envelope, the thing had been auto-stamped in such a way that it didn’t even say what town it had been shipped from, fer cryin’ out loud–if I wanted to surprise Nancy back, much less the others, with something finished from that yarn? Dude. Totally out of luck.

She/they wanted me to make myself a pair of Sock Summit socks to match the t-shirt and did a good job of reinforcing the point.

But I don’t knit socks. I can, I have, I don’t, the needles are too small, I drop too many stitches, blahblahblah.

I am wearing the shirt.

And looky here. How did that happen?! I do too knit socks!

I still won’t take them here or there, I’ll still drop stitches everywhere. But I do, I DO like knitting socks!

And quite honestly, I would never have sat down with a porcupine scaffolding of size 1s if it hadn’t been for the happy peer pressure of that package:  I have some designated blue-and-purple yarn of at least two or three years’ standing in my stash to prove it.

I am having the time of my life watching this first one coming to be and I’m really hoping to show off the pair at Purlescence on Thursday.  You guys go give each other a big hug from me, y’hear? You have SO earned it! I can’t wait!


33 Comments so far
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Happy Peer Pressure-I like that expression. I think that sums up our knitting community.

Welcome back to the world of socks. If you are worried about dropping stitches, try to switch to two circular needles. It made a big difference for me!

Stay well.

Comment by Robin 08.31.09 @ 6:15 pm

magic loop is the way to go!

Comment by debra 08.31.09 @ 6:32 pm

Welcome to the world of socks. Now we have you truly hooked. Or knitted.

Comment by ruth 08.31.09 @ 6:51 pm

of all the things I miss about knitting – and there are many – I think I miss knitting socks the most. Perfectly portable project, perfect for my gnat-like attention span and there was something about that collection of needles clicking against each other that just made it all even better. Glad you’re having a good time!

Comment by Lene 08.31.09 @ 7:16 pm

I have heard that ‘resistance is futile’ – I have become a sock knitter. They are such a comfort.

Comment by StellaMM 08.31.09 @ 7:44 pm

Magic Loop is much more comfortable to knit with. Great sock!

Comment by Marlene 08.31.09 @ 8:51 pm

Those will be some gorgeous footsies!

Comment by Diana Troldahl 08.31.09 @ 9:17 pm

Look at you go!

Hugs

Comment by (formerly) no-blog-rachel 08.31.09 @ 9:31 pm

i learned to knit purely to make socks. ive made a few other things, but mostly i make socks. we all have our strengths and weaknesses, talents and challenges. but i cant wait to see your finished socks!

Comment by Tola 09.01.09 @ 3:56 am

Since those of us sock addicts like to call sock yarn “crack”, there is a perverse joy I’m having dancing around and pointing — “Alison is on crack…Alison is on crack.”

Ok, maybe that is only funny in my head.

Comment by Patricia 09.01.09 @ 4:22 am

Nice Thneed, and not made from Truffula tufts!

Comment by LynnM 09.01.09 @ 4:38 am

Talk about an interesting twist, huh?

I’m glad you’re enjoying your present, on more than one level. 🙂

We hear so much of the problems peer pressure causes, it’s nice to have another take on it.

Keep smiling and do enjoy the porcupine!

Comment by Suzanne in Mtl 09.01.09 @ 5:01 am

Yippee! Alison’s making socks! I saw your post on one of the lists about it and it made me grin! It’s funny that your hands like bigger needles – mine love smaller ones. I do prefer 2 circs for sock knitting – don’t have to hold those needles so tightly. But sock on! Can’t wait to see the finished product.

Comment by Niki 09.01.09 @ 5:14 am

I too resisted making socks for the longest time, but finally gave in when my “Chicks” wanted to learn by doing a KAL. Talk about peer pressure! Now I can’t stop knitting them!

Comment by Jody M 09.01.09 @ 5:49 am

Joy!! That might – MIGHT! – be enough to jump-start my own sock mojo.

Comment by Channon 09.01.09 @ 6:03 am

Teehee! Welcome to the Sock Side! 🙂 Nice going.
And: would you consider 2 circs for those socks? I tried it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and liked it much better than when I failed at it a few years ago!

Comment by karin maag-tanchak 09.01.09 @ 6:14 am

Alison,
Socks are my favorite thing to knit! I still haven’t finished my first sweater, but I always have at least one pair (right now it’s 3 pair) on the needles, along with whatever else I’m working on. I do them with both dpn’s and two circs, it doesn’t matter, I love them both. I’ve even been known to combine both dpns and circs for the gusset rounds! Now if I could just master a sweater…

Comment by shadylady 09.01.09 @ 6:45 am

Mostly, I forgo the scaffolding and knit on 2 circulars. There is a simple logic to it: circ 1 = DP’s 1 & 2, circ 2 = DP’s 2 & 3. When you are ready for the heel (I knit cuff down) you don’t have to do any shifting because it is on one circular. Nothing falls out of the stitches, and it is so portable. Happy knitter here!

Comment by Barbara-Kay 09.01.09 @ 6:46 am

There’s something magical about the first heel turn you work on a knitted sock. I’ve knit many a pair but that never gets old. Enjoy! (Also-love those colors!)

Comment by Michelle 09.01.09 @ 7:03 am

Oooh, you’re on a slippery slope, Alison. Betcha can’t knit just one (pair)!!

Comment by Julie 09.01.09 @ 8:26 am

Welcome to the dark side. 🙂

Comment by Jasmin 09.01.09 @ 9:15 am

Oh, I just found this t-shirt, and I think you need it Alison!!

http://www.dresslikeapirate.com/scart/everyday-pirates-yarrrn-p-377.html

Comment by Serena 09.01.09 @ 9:23 am

I have never knit socks. I have knit things like fingerless gloves on small needles, and I must agree with a previous commentor that magic loop is the way to go. Good for you for listening to the yarn – not listening only leads to much frogging.

Comment by TripletMom 09.01.09 @ 10:27 am

Welcome to sock-land, they’re addictive. I always have a pair going (I knit 2 at a time on 2 circs) and I knit them everywhere. Really. Have fun!

Comment by DebbieR 09.01.09 @ 10:28 am

Knitting socks is like anything else; When you find a reason/need/way to do it that works for you, you will do it! I couldn’t handle the DPN’s and I desperatley wanted to knit knit socks. Voila, the Magic Loop method (one long circ) saved the day.
Funny thought for the day; my friend described knitting with DPN’s as ‘ trying to wrestle an octopus’!

Comment by Ruth 09.01.09 @ 11:14 am

Alison, are Ms Seuss? Then there’s the story about the person who started knitting a pair of socks, and they turned into sleeping bags.

Other humor:

The irony of life is that, by the time you’re old enough to know your way around, you’re not going
anywhere.

Comment by Don Meyer 09.01.09 @ 11:14 am

Ms suesses are licensed under California law. Me, I’m an unlicensed, freewheeling ply-by-night spinner and knitter.

Comment by AlisonH 09.01.09 @ 11:56 am

Hooray Alison The sock munchkin finaly bit you. I love to make socks. Last week I made a shawl out of Auricania(sp) hand dyed sock yarn and although it isn’t gossamer it is very pretty. Sock on. Pat

Comment by pat flores 09.01.09 @ 12:22 pm

YAY! Looks great!

Comment by Alicia 09.01.09 @ 2:24 pm

Hooray for socks! And for the occasional loving peer pressure 🙂

Comment by Jocelyn 09.01.09 @ 2:54 pm

I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I can. Now learn how to do two socks on two circulars.

Comment by sherry in idaho 09.02.09 @ 11:57 am

The hubby calls me sock knitting “wrestling with toothpicks”. And then demands that I start knitting him a pair of new socks…..

Comment by Carol 09.04.09 @ 12:41 pm

I remember the first time I saw someone knitting socks. (“Ohmigosh…she’s knitting with string…and sticks!!”) But I eventually learned how, after much angst. I wholeheartedly agree with Barbara Ann and everyone else who have recommended two circs. I, who love knitting socks, was about to give them up due to my carpel tunnel and arthritis, when I took a class in the two circ. method. I don’t understand exactly why, but it’s much easier on my hands and with just two needles, the opportunities for dropping stitches are fewer.

Welcome to sockland!! It’s cozy here! 🙂

Comment by Shirley 09.14.09 @ 8:00 am



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