Summer Socks

Is there any knitter out there who doesn't knit socks (or want to)? Even Norma* has succumbed. (Is that pair finished yet, Mz Norma?) When did you knit your first sock?  Was it recently?  Was it because you saw someone knitting socks on a blog?  Do you love wearing your socks as much as knitting them?

I knit my first sock in the mid '80s with cotton yarn. After one sock I gave up as I hated it (it was the yarn, of course).  A couple of years later I picked up the unfinished second sock, as I really wanted to knit socks, and finished the pair.  Cotton socks are not fun to wear as they are hard and ungiving, so I didn't really care for them.  I tried again at a time when my arms were aching and knitting on tiny needles caused too much pain.  I was almost ready to give up knitting altogether, because of the ache, when I figure out that I was highly sensitive to flax seed oil.  When the evil stuff was out of my system I began to knit socks with a vengeance and haven't looked back.  It's been nearly 10-15 years that I've been enjoying a run of obsessive sock knitting.  This obsession to learn to knit socks, and the drive to do so, can also be blamed , in part, on the fact that we have a sock maven in the 'hood.

As with all sock obsessed knitters, my sock yarn stash is over flowing.  Cassie said yesterday that sock yarn is a fall back purchase when you don't need to buy more yarn. That's exactly why it piles up so quickly.  Opal is one of my favorite sock yarns and my stash of it has grown lately.  It has a rich assortment of colors and many  people I know collect it obsessively. (Sock knitting and being obsessive seem to go hand in hand.) 

Koigu is another favorite of many sock knitters (I know of one junkie in particular).  The colors, the softness, and the twist of the wool,  make addiction certain from the first touch. I have Koigu in the stash for other projects (another Charlotte's Web) and only a few skeins designated for socks (ok, maybe more than a few). Also in my sock bin are three skeins of Mountain Colors Bearfoot, which I have yet to knit, but I hear it is wonderful, too. 

Lorna's Laces is also a lovely sock yarn, but I only have a couple of skeins. There are several socks in my drawer already knit with this extra soft yarn, however.  In the stash are also three odd ball yarns.  Shaeffer's Anne (a gift from Nancy for helping her with her new book), Twinkletoes (it's the center pink skein and a great yarn!), and an unknown red that I purchased from an Ebay seller in Australia.  It is a gorgeous red and just might become my next sock.  I can knit a red sock and make it a 'three for all' (like Cara)...Year of the Sock, Knit Red, and the Summer of Lace.  So, gang, tell me your favorite sock yarn.

First I must finish up knitting this big ol' pile of socks.  With this heat the only thing I can stand to pick up and knit is a sock. It is small, portable and not big enough to sit in my lap.  We might have rain this weekend...my toes are crossed as I'm using my fingers, thank you very much.

*Font size changed for Norma.

Comments

[Christy]

My favorite sock yarn is Tess' Super Sock from Tess' Yarns. It's wonderful- soft, plenty of yardage, and the most amazing colors. It never pools!

I started knitting in March 2003, having taught myself. That June, I took a sock class. I had started to explore the knit blog world and noticed all of the great things about socks. That was two years ago and I have not looked back. I've made at least two dozen pairs since then.

[Donna]

Hmm.. I started knitting socks in January 2004. It was Opal that sucked me in. We were on holiday, and i visited a local yarn store, and saw a ball of Opal in gorgeous colours with glittery bits. I was hooked.
I've got Opal, Lornas, Regia and lots of others in the stash, and I'm trying to resist buying any more. But I think my favourite is Mountain Colors Bearfoot.

[michele]

I love sock yarn...the colors the variety and now that I am a little bit better knitter, all the fun patterns...I love Lorna's Laces so far because it's so soft to knit with, but I don't even have a sock finished with it yet, so can I even say that. I have many Opal in my stash and a couple Bearfoot and many LL's. A couple Koigu, but I want more and it's hard to find. I also love Sockotta and Fixation...I could go on and on but I can't justifiy the expense to buy yarn for a large sweater so I buy sock yarn, plus it's such a totable project (one wonders could I buy the sweater yarn if I didn't buy the sock yarn???) Oh well...when I see sock yarn I get it if I like it because will I ever see it again??? Sorry I wrote so much, but I enjoyed your post :) take care

[Julia]

Hi there, I taught myself knitting socks when I was about 15 or so because I wanted to make some as Christmals presents. For years and years, socks were all I ever knit. At the moment, I am really trying (but totally failing) to knit less of them (really, how many do you need?) and use the time to knit other stuff. I don't have a favourite yarn, I knit with Regia, Opal, Koigu and Lorna's Laces, all lovely in their own way.

[anna]

i knit for 20 years before i knit my first sock just before christmas 2004. somehow, the idea of knitting socks just never entered my 'radar'. the first pair i knit were the 'pippi kneestockings' from the first Stitch n Bitch book. Since then I've had at least one pair on the go. my husband has been the main beneficiary - he LOVES his wool socks, and waxes lyrical about them frequently. and we know how knitters love people who love their knits. he just gets cheap superwash merino, cuz they're worn under army boots. i love wearing handknit socks too. they're a luxury that's really difficult to explain to someone who's never owned a pair, but if i could, i'd never wear a pair of machine manufactured socks again.

[Kim]

WOW......that is quite a collection you have!! So far, Lorna Laces is my favorite to knit with and wear, but I haven't tried Opal yet.....maybe this fall.

[Cassie]

I'm so glad to hear that someone else has multiple skeins of a sock yarn they haven't even knit with yet. Whew. I'm not the only one!

I got back to knitting after a decades long hiatus because I wanted to knit socks. My only goal was to knit socks, my grandma, not being a sock knitter, said they were too hard to go right into, and I ignored her. Never looked back. ;-)

[Kathleen]

I am laughing about Christy and her Tess yarn. I admit it is lovely but it sure is a "process" buying it--online or in person. I knit...hmmm...I think I tried my first sock in 2000, up in MA--using LB Microspun. Ugh! What was I thinking?

I finished my first sock--lo and behold--in LB Magic Stripes last year when I learned the 2 circ methods. My dpn skills are terrible. But they weren't always...I learned on dpns. Sunny's Mittens, of course.

I think my favorite sock yarn is Koigu. And thank goodness my mom is addicted and keeps my toes warm with socks. :)

[Beth]

That's a lot of beautiful yarn you've got there Margene!

My first socks were from Regia and were way too big. Now my favorites are pretty much the same as yours. But no Anne here - that's one I still need to try.

[susan]

Favorite socks yarn you ask. I love all the usual suspects (i.e., Opal, Bearfoot, LL, Anne). But at the top of my list of interesting sock yarns are Lynn Hershberger's hand-painted yarns: http://colorjoy.com/forsale/yarns1.htm
and Socks that Rock yarn: http://www.handspinning.com/thefold/yarn.blue.html

[Chery]

Margene, I knit socks for my dolls when I was a young teen. I intend to fill our drawers with hand knit socks (no store bought socks). My favs are Bearfoot, LL, Koigu, Opal and Regia. Others knit and wear well, too. Socks are FUN.

[Hazel]

I've just knit my first sock after seeing them on other knitter's blogs. I made it with Opal Sock Yarn, and haven't tried anything else yet - but I am using that as a great excuse to expand my stash so I can try a lot more!

[Bridget]

I knit my first pair of socks as a gift for my husband before I knew about blogs, but seeing all the great socks bloggers knit has given me lots of inspiration. I do, however, blame the fact that I have quite a large sock yarn stash on said bloggers!

[Chris]

You sock knitters are like coffee drinkers: you get so much enjoyment out of it, I must be missing something. I tried to like coffee - even the aroma is inviting - but never could develop a taste for it. Maybe it's time to mosey into the sock knitting arena.

[Vicki]

I'm knitting my first sock -- Nancy Bush's Cables & Ribs from the latest interweave -- in Mountain Colors Bearfoot and I love, love, love it (the pattern, the yarn, the sock)! I've been threatening and/or resisting for over a year, yet picking up a little sock yarn along the way, anyway.

Actually started the sock with some Lorna's Laces, but gauge wasn't right -- I love that yarn, too, and already have a pattern picked out so I can use it.

[claudia]

Do I see a flaming case of second sock syndrome in that picture??

Just askin'.

[Sylvia]

I thoroughly enjoy your blog and reading about the SLC/PC area. We have spent several holidays in Deer Valley. Your "unfinished" green/aqua/not sure the color" yarn, can you tell me what pattern that is. I can't wait for Nancy's new book.

Sylvia

[Cara]

Just turned the heel on my second sock of my second pair. The red, lace, sock pal socks are almost finished, and I'm feeling a bit sad about it.

What to do? Cast on for another pair I guess.

I'm not sure I have a favorite sock yarn, YET, but I'm dying to try some Trekking, some Cherry Tree Hill, and some SOCKS THAT ROCK that I have in my stash.

[Beth S.]

It's hard to choose a favorite! I like Opal for commuter knitting (plain stockinette with a picot hem; no thought required, and it passes the time beautifully.) I love the palette of Cherry Tree Hill and Mountain Colors yarns, and Trekking seems to be coming up with better colorways all the time. I'm still searching for the perfect solid- or nearly-solid-colored sock yarn, though. Opal Uni is promising, but there aren't many 'subtle' colors, just bright ones. Maybe I should be looking at St. Ives or Lang Jawoll, neither of which I've tried yet.

[Jayme]

Just an FYI to frequent internet users. If you don't like a font size on a page hold down the "ctrl" key and rotate the wheel on your mouse to change the font size up or down.

This works on 90% of PC setups. Sorry, I don't know a trick like this for macs or an easy way to do it without a wheel.

Jayme

[Carole]

Ooooh socks. I started knitting socks because of Civil War reenacting - it's a very "period correct" thing for a woman to do while in camp. When knitting socks for Dale, I use Cascade 220 on size 3s. But for me, it's Lorna's Laces all the way. Or Vesper Sock yarn from Knit Pixie - if you can get it since it sells out as soon as it comes in. Cassie's right, though - when I don't have a project in mind, I buy sock yarn. I could knit nothing but socks forever and still not use up my current stash of sock yarn.

[Jan]

Lucy Neatby's Celestial Merino is the softest, most luxurious sock yarn I've used so far. Similar in twist to Koigu, it's got an even softer hand. Yum...wish it came in more colors!

[Jody]

The inspiration to knit my first sock came from the blog world. They are the perfect project - much yarn, many patterns, small and portable. While I don't have a favorite sock yarn, yet, Nancy Bush is by far my favorite designer.

[Kim]

I started knitting socks in spring of 2004 because we had an awesome selection of yarn at our LYS and I read an article on sock knitting in "Knit It" that really clicked in my mind. I proudly wear the socks I knit(at least the pairs I haven't given away). I seem to buy sock yarn on every trip I go on--it's an easy yarn purchase because you always know how much you need. My favorite sock yarns are: Socks that Rock, Lorna's Laces, Opal,Regia, and the Knit Picks merino you dye yourself(we'll see how it holds up though).

[Liz]

I just learned to knit last summer, I think my first socks were down last Fall or Winter. And needless to say, I am a sock addict. I also hoard sock yarn. My reasoning: When I am shopping for yarn, if I don't have a project in mind, or not sure how much I need...That's when I buy sock yarn. It's a no brainer :) As for Koigu, I just bought my first Koigu this week. For socks!