In honor of Lolly’s fantabulous SOCKTOBERFEST, I give you my sockstory:
When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?
I started knitting my first sock in January ’05. It was Koigu and I used size 3 bamboo dpns and a pattern from Ann Budd’s The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns. No one taught me per se, I just followed everyone’s advice to do what the pattern said, and turned the heel as it was written. Let’s just say I didn’t get much farther than this:
I think I lost a dpn somewhere and the sock was slouchy and I hate to rib and the color was boring. I abandoned all sock knitting until…
What was your first pair? How have they “held up” over time?
My first pair of socks were knit in June ’05 after seeing Meredith’s pair of purple stripey socks. I took one look at her stripes and knew I had to have another go at it. This time I used two circulars instead of dpns (the d stands for dreaded) and it only took me 11 days to finish the pair!!!
I used Regia Cotton Surf and while I loved knitting the socks, I haven’t loved wearing them. Cotton just doesn’t work for me for socks. They’ve stretched out quite a bit and haven’t bounced back. BUT I loved knitting with two circulars instead of dpns. LOVED IT! And had every intention of knitting another pair. I started a few other pairs of socks after that but nothing that I really loved. Then I went to Rhinebeck and bought A LOT of Socks That Rock. When I got home I was itching to try it out and I stumbled upon the Jaywalker sock pattern by Grumperina which appeared in the September ’05 Magknits. I thought, hey – this might work.
Let’s just say that the pattern literally changed my life. Between October 2005 and February 2006 I completed 8 pairs of Jaywalkers in STR yarn. I currently have two single jaywalker socks and one mate on the needles.
What would you have done differently?
Absolutely nothing. I feel like my sock journey has been exactly as it should be.
What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
My love for Socks That Rock is well documented. It is by far my desert island yarn. I could live on it forever. That said, I’ve been enjoying Koigu as of late. I also love Sock Hop yarn and will be spinning up my very own Sock Hop roving for socks very soon. I’ve tried other yarns, but these are the ones I come back to – and when I haven’t knit with STR in a bit, I always fall in love all over again. I make no apologies for my unadulterated affection for this yarn. It is, in a word, perfect.
Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
I have knit my socks with two cicular needles exclusively. I prefer Addi #1s for my socks. I like to have one circular be longer than the other. I always do the heel on the shorter circular. I’m not sure why. Also, I move the stitches around when picking up the gusset so that half the heel and half the instep are on one needle, and the other halves are on the other. I can’t see myself going any other way on this.
Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
I prefer top down heel flap socks with kitchenered toes. I LOVE to kitchener. LOVE IT.
How many pairs have you made?
I have knit seventeen pairs of socks – two pairs were for Sockapalooza, and three pairs of those socks are actually six singles waiting for mates. I’m currently obsessed with knee highs. I’ve finished one pair, one pair is waiting for handspun heels and toes, one pair needs a mate, and my current sock is just about ready for a heel:
The yarn is Koigu – the semi-solid green is 2340 and the variegated is P852. I’m thinking I’m going to start the second sock and knit to the same spot – right before the heel flap. For some reason I like doing knee highs this way.
My plans for Socktoberfest 2006 are all about finishing. Finishing my new knee highs. Finishing my old knee highs. Whatever I get done I get done.
Handknit Socks. They make life better.
So you’re partial to pinks and red, eh?
You love to Kitchener?
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Can I send you all of my socks and have you finish them for me? 😀
Look at that lovely pile o’socks! I remember the first pair. You told me you were knitting socks and when they were done Bloglines wouldn’t pick up the post. I posted a link to you and I think that’s when we bonded. 😉
Socks do make life better, the world a better place and brings knitters of ilks together.
Oh, you need to come enter my Show Me Your Socks contest – yours are fabulous! And I love to Kitchener, too.
I love to kitchener too, but I also love toe-up socks now… oy!
I will never stop enjoying the pictures of your socks!
[and they make me really really really want to break into my hank of Prove it All Night! 🙂 ]
i love that colorful pile of socks! a treat for the eyes.
‘Jaywalkers in a Row’ is probably my most favorite sock photograph ever. Love it.
I like to kitchener, too. Each one is easier than the last (and looks better).
You and I, co-hosteses of the world’s geekiest knitalong at ilovetokitchener.com – I can see it now. I still think your remark in the midst of the Jaywalker madness that “everytime I look out the window there’s a white van in front of the house and another pair of Jaywalkers has mysteriously appeared on my needles” is one of the damn funniest things I’ve ever read. Thank you so much for that!
Your Jaywalkers are so fun! Thanks for writing your sock history, I enjoyed reading it.
I am Kitchener impaired. Thank heaven I discovered toe up.
Your socks are fab. Someday I will try STR. (Have you ever tried Cotton Fixation? It, or the elann knockoff that I actually use, being cheap, solves the cotton problem by adding just a bit of nylon elastic.)
Cara, I’ve been meaning to ask – what weight of STR do you prefer knitting with?
Kitchener is King! I’ve been doing it so much lately that I no longer need to refer to my instructions!
All I can say is “Wow!” You’ve inspired me with your passion for socks. I only just got my first skein of STR in sherbet and am thinking of making either a pair of jaywalkers or welt fantastic from Sensational Knitted Socks. I’m also a 2 circs kinda gal and love toe-up, so I can use up all the yarn. Gotta go blog now about my socky experience!
That’s a lot of Jaywalkers you got there! I haven’t tried the pattern myself, mostly because it’s not masculine enough for my tastes. Maybe someday I’ll have a lovely lady for whom I can knit Jaywalkers.
I’m really dying to try some Socks that Rock too, I hear it’s fantastic yarn. If I meet my Socktoberfest goals and make a dent in my sock yarn stash, then I’ll just have to restock won’t I?
I hope you know what you’ve done to me! I have developed an addiction to your blog and am now to be found wasting hours of precious knitting time clicking ‘refresh’ and waiting anxiously for the next instalment!
I have up till now never kitchenered, and my socks have been knit all of handspun, in very chunky, seam up the front house slipper style, but I love them! they make me happy. I have just started my >> first ever Jaywalker << (also in handspun, less chunky) and I feel like I’m joining an exclusive club! Am I now a real sock knitter?
(oops killed post somehow) and I now feel like I’m joining an exclusive club! Will I be a real sock knitter, with jaywalkers on my feet?
I love to Kitchener, too. BUt I really really love that last photo. Gorgeous.
lovely, lovely photographs, as always. i knew i’d get my fix of great sock pictures here. 🙂
i got some STR recently (jasper and scottish highlands) as a thank you from carola (sheep and no city). i loooove to just hold it and look at it. but i will definitely be casting on for new socks with it during socktober!
OMG I looove your little army of Jaywalkers!
I’d be curious to know about your method of shaping (if you have one) for the calves of your knee socks.
Oh, lovely, they’re all lovely!!
ANd add me to your Rhinebeck list willya, I finally decided to go! Woot!
you actually like to kitchner? Ug, can I send you mine?
Thanks for sharing your sockstory. I’m glad to hear that a successful sock knitter had a bit of a rocky start, but found that it worked out okay in the end.
of course, your sockapalooza is more than wonderful – please remind me of exactly where the knee-high formula is?
best … and keep being you!
I’m digging your socks! I officially purchased my first ball of sock yarn today. I have the circulars ready, now I just have to sit down with Cat B.’s book and c.o.n.c.e.n.t.r.a.t.e. That’s a hard thing for a girl like me. 🙂
huh… I don’t think I ever heard that you liked STR and Jaywalkers before! 🙂
Thanks for answering the questions, C! and for being a part of this little project. It is so great to see all of the sock knitting! Good luck with your Socktoberfest goals. Your knee high knitting spurred me into action – and after one false start (my “no-so” knee highs) I am set to have socks that actually go to the knee this time!
xo,
L
You used such beautiful colourways for your socks. I’ve never did jump on the Jaywalker bandwagon. I don’t know why. After looking at all of yours…thats food for thought.
love your closing line on this post… and I totally agree!
I love to Kitchner too! I have a chant that I think to myself as I do it so I never screw it up. It’s almost calming. Too bad I’m a toe-up convert. I’m digging the toe-up heel flap too.
Wow. What a great bunch of socks you have.
What a lovely pile of socks/jaywalkers/socks! Very inspiring!
Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous socks! There are lots of us addicted to sock knitting, including me! Socks are relatively quick, inexpensive, and so easy to carry around. And they feel heavenly.
Thanks for sharing and the lovely pictures.
Hand knit socks really do make life better. Your pictures make hand knit socks look absolutely beautiful.
I have real problems with Kitchener – what is your secret? Did you learn from a book or website that gave you the trick to it? I’ve done it, multiple times, but I pull my hair out with every attempt and it never looks nice and even.
Such beautiful socks. I started my sock journey last Nov 05 and failed miserably on my first pair. I did not get past the cuff and the LYS I went to at the time gave me puzzled looks and little guidance. In March 06 I took a basic sock class at my current and favorite LYS and I am totally obsessed. I have completed 2 pairs in the basic pattern (1×1 ribbed cuff with a short row heel and no kitchener toe, just weave it closed). I am on pair #3: finished the first on DPNs and am knitting the mate on circs. So far I am liking the 2 circs method, but I am not a huge convert. We’ll see if it grows on me. My next sock will be Jaywalker. I have many other WIPs but they have lost their allure for me and I struggle to finish them and get the monkey off my back. I feel guilty too because I have all this non-sock yarn and I only want to knit socks (and sometimes hats). Maybe I should make a huge log cabin blanket with the stash yarn or a bazillion hats and felted slippers. I plan to purchase only sock yarn at Rhinebeck and will look for Socks That Rock. Maybe some fancy rosewood DPNs and another set of #1  circulars, too. 12 more days!!!
If you have used Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock yarn, can you compare it to Socks That Rock please? Very interested in how these two compare (have used Lorna, not STR). Thanks!
I like to Kitchner also. For me, completing the sock is part of the fun. 17 pairs! Thats a lot of socks. I thought I was doing good with my 10 pairs in a year. I seriously need to get me some STR.