How did you start making socks?
I learned to knit when I was a kid, but didn't do it for many years. About three years ago, I re-learned to knit and while browsing online for knitting books, I came across a sock book. I knew, of course, that that's how socks used to be made. (My grandmother has since told me stories of her grandmother who used to spin cotton and then knit all the children and grandchildren socks; this was in the South. Since I also spin, it's a connection to my own grandmother since she enjoys watching me whenever I visit down there and bring my wheel.) I hated buying socks because they never fit me, my feet were always cold, and the storebought socks always wore out quickly. Did people actually really still make socks? (Little did I know then ;-) So I bought the book, bought some Lorna's Laces and was hooked. I buy a lot of sock books, but usually use SKS for my guidelines and rework any other patterns as needed.
I'd love to hear how you started making socks!
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6 comments:
I also learned to knit as a child, but I never really knit anything substantial. I started knitting again about 2 1/2 years ago, and started knitting socks a couple months after that. I just decided I wanted to, so I grabbed some sock yarn and DPNs and did it. :)
I just learned how to knit socks about a month ago. I had taught myself to knit in college, but never anything as complicated as a SOCK! (just couldn't imagine it then) I used Silver's Sock class from the internet and just did as she said. It worked great. Now I'm hooked.
I've been knitting for less than 4 years, but quickly got tired of scarves after the first month or so. I kept looking at the sock books and finally bought one (it's a basic sock book and I can't remember the name of it). I decided I needed/wanted some hands-on help so I took a sock class at a LYS and then I was really hooked. The next book I bought was Cat Bordhi's "Socks Soar on Two Circulars" because the technique intrigued me. I have not knit socks on DPNs since. I made only one pair using that book because then I discovered SKS. The rest is history...:-)
I started knitting Nov '05, and I took my first sock class in March or April '06. For some reason, I found myself staring at all the socks online while I was slogging through those first Christmas scarves for my family. I think it was the intricacy (compared to the scarves) that attracted me. That and the amazing ability to create an object that was more than just flat.
Coolest thing ever!
When I (re)started knitting last spring, I thought I would never knit anything on smaller than size 6 needles, and socks seemed crazy. But my husband requested warm socks for Christmas, and I was looking for a knitting challenge, so I made the Thuja socks from Knitty.com and fell in love with sock making. That was in November and I'm now finishing my third pair.
Discovering Sensational Knitted Socks helped me to really understand how socks are constructed, rather than blindly following a pattern as I did with the Thuja socks. I make mine on two circulars because I'm scared of DPNs. (Favorite needle method might be a good question for future posts!)
I also learned to knit when I was quite young, maybe 5 or 6, from my grandmother, who also taught me how to crochet at the same time. I love the connection to my grandmother and to the past that these crafts gave me (my mother neither knits nor crochets). For some reason I took to crochet more easily, so mainly did that for many years. I started knitting again a few years ago when I found some old patterns stashed away. I was amazed how far yarn had come in the intervening years! (I mainly crochet with crochet cotton, very small stuff, lace and the like, so I never realized!) I started knitting socks a few years ago after getting a booklet called Learn to Knit Socks by Edie Eckman at a JoAnn's. It was a great introduction to socks (I have given it to other people learning to knit socks as well.) I found SKS a few years ago I suppose, and have loved it. I have knit 5 pairs from it to date.
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