Sock Update

I've had socks-on-the-brain this week (I'll explain why in a bit), and it occurred to me this morning that I could really do with having a little chat about the socks I've made since my last update back in May. I don't keep a physical record of my sock making journey (other than the finished socks themselves of course), and never manage to keep a hold of the ball bands, so it's really helpful for me to be able to record the yarn info here on my blog for future reference. Plus, it's always nice to share colourful yarny stripes, these photos make me really happy!

Seven pairs of socks (an actual stack of them!) plus the pair I sent to my Mum last Christmas makes eight pairs in total. I still can't quite believe that these socks have been made by my very own hands, with pointy sticks and teensy stitches and skinny-minny 4 ply yarn, it truly amazes me that I can do this magical sock thing. I am a Knitter of Socks, and I am so proud!!

After the handpainted Pea Green socks that I knitted for my Mum, I decided that she must have a super-stripy pair to follow. I went with {Opal Viridian Schafpate sock yarn : colour 'Thelma'} as I love the way that Opal sock yarn comes out so very cleverly stripy, they are quite irresistible.

I got rather a bit addicted to making this particular pair of socks (I couldn't seem to leave them alone) and cast the pair on and off my needles within about two weeks. Boom! Go me! I'm hoping to be able to get down to Dorset at the end of October so that I can gift them to my Mum's cold feet in person. She is a hand knit sock convert since the first pair I made for her and quite honestly I know exactly how that goes. They really do feel like a woolly hug for ones feet.

There are many things I love about knitting socks, the bestest thing by far being that I get to wear them and flaunt my knitting skillz. I also love that a good many of my yarny friends now knit socks (many pairs are often on the go around the café table at Knit and Natter sessions), which makes me feel like I somehow belong to a rather special Sock Knitting Club. Although truthfully I do still struggle with knitting in public - I can crochet quite happily with only a small portion of my brain engaged with what my hands are doing, but knitting? Nope, I most definitely need all my grey matter to cope with the itty bitty stitches and counting of the rows, and find that talking and knitting simultaneously presents a bit of a challenge. I'm told this does get easier with time - I'm hopeful that one day I'll be able to cope better with chatter+coffee+knitting.

The pretty pink and green socks in the above photo were on my needles in July, the yarn is another {Opal Viridian Schafpate : colour 'Kate'}. I decided about half way through the second sock that I wouldn't keep them, but would give them away instead. Not to family this time, but to a complete stranger......

....I wanted to join in with this year's Charity Sockline organised by my friend and sock-queen extraordinaire Christine.

So once my socks were off the needles and all nicely washed and blocked, I made a label for them and added them to Christine's fairly impressive pile......

....oh just look at that, a whole mail sack full of beautiful hand knitted socks! During the past few months, parcels containing knitted socks have been arriving at my studio, waiting for Christine to come and gather them all together. It took most of yesterday to sort through them all......

....with more than 80 pairs lovingly knitted and sent to Yorkshire by followers of Christine's blog and Facebook Sockalong group. The socks will be displayed at this year's Yarndale festival (this will be the second year for this fabulous project, you can read about last year's charity sockline here).

After Yarndale, Christine works hard to make sure each pair of socks is donated to a charitable organisation where they will be gifted to those in need. Places like shelters for the homeless, women's refuges and children's hospices, where it's hoped that a pair of gorgeous, hand made woolly socks will make a tremendous difference to someone who needs a little bit of extra love and warmth. You can find out where last year's socks were given here.

It's a wonderful thing to be a part of our generous yarny community here in Blogland, I really do think crocheters and knitters have very huge big hearts indeed. And very clever fingers.

Now then what have we here......not MORE pretty sock yarn surely?? I know you must think I lied very badly indeed when I told you that I really don't stash sock yarn at all. Uh-uh, not me, I buy just one ball at a time as and when I need it, honest I do! Cross my heart! 

These six balls of gorgeousness were given to me last month to squidge and have a play with, aren't the colours lovely? This is a brand new 4ply yarn called "Head Over Heels" made by Stylecraft. It's been specially developed to be durable enough for socks, but also fine and light enough for knitters and crocheters who like to make shawls. The three balls on the left (from top to bottom : Matterhorn, Everest, Kilimanjaro) create short stripe repeats, whereas the three balls on the right (from top to bottom : Eiger, Olympus, Fuji) have much longer and more graduated colour changes. There are some pictures showing how they each look when knitted up here, so you can see what I mean about the short and long colour changes. It's fascinating how these colour changes work and I'm looking forward to having a play with them once I can breathe out again after Yarndale.

Oh, such beautiful stripy goodness! The Attic24 #operationsockdrawer is still a bit on the miniscule side, more of a small select pile than an actual drawer, given that I only have four pairs so far. Gotta start somewhere though, there is definitely a full drawer in my future I'm sure of it!

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ps All my socks are made following Christine's fabulous Basic Sock pattern which you can find for free on her blog {Winwick Mum Basic Sock Tutorial}

If you want to find out more about my own sock making journey, all my posts are archived in the Sock category {my socks}

xx

 

 

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Comments

[Sarah @motherbirdmakes]

I agree Sock knitting is just fabulous.Even when you know you have knitted them there's still something magical in the fact they look like socks and fit perfectly.Love another good reason to add to the wool stash.Have a happy Yarndale xx

[claire potter]

Love the socks! Love the label! Love that you sent a pair to a stranger!

[Sue Neal]

Lovely. Are there any crochet sock patterns that are good?

[Elsie Pop]

Yep, I'm approaching the first toe of my first ever sick and the addiction has already hit! Like you, I'm incredibly proud of myself, having thought sock knitting was nothing short of witchcraft for many years! Thanks for the winwick mum tutorials - it's made it so easy! Xx

[And]

I knew you'd be addicted!! You do ok chatting and knitting at Coopers xxxx

[Rose]

I must say that socks are a great thing to knit! it looks complicated to do but not so in fact!
I love my knitted socks and it gives me vitamins in cold days just by looking at them.
It is always a pleasure to have a look at your blog!
Rose, xx

[Grace Huffman]

I love your socks!!
The colors are wonderful....Great Job!!!! 😊

[Carol]

Just love the colour of the 'Kate' socks. Beautiful colours and I can't wait to visit Yarndale and buy lots of sock wool! Hope to see you there along with a million others!!!

[marijana gavric]

Beautiful socks,colours are
like a rainbow

[Barbara Johnson]

Just love these socks but just cannot knit, have you any crochet socks please.x
I

[Ursula]

Beautiful socks in wonderful colours......love your blogs, wish I was as organised as you and could blog....I sew, knit, crochet, but no blogging...never mind!!
I bought my first sock yarn in Canada last week, never made socks before, something about coping with four knitting pins, so I bought shorter ones....knitting pins that is!!....wish me luck with my first ever socks!!! Thanks Lucy xx

[helen]

Happy socks, happy colours!
I am more a quilter than a knitter/hooker but your blog is so inspiring that I am starting actually your beautiful Coast Ripple Blanket!! I love these colours!
(Looking forward receiving the yarn!)
Best wishes!

[Susan]

I have the sock knitting bug too! Christine's tutorial is wonderful. Love your yarns.

[Linda]

Fantastic socks Lucy, I'm afraid I have the bug too! I'm so sad that I can't got to Yarndale this year so see you all again but it's on my calendar for next year that's for sure. I must explore that yarn I didn't even know it existed thanks for the heads up. :) xx

[CJ]

Brilliant socks Lucy, you've really nailed this sock knitting malarkey. Sock yarn is absolute genius isn't it. Never boring to knit with. I love the idea of using it for a shawl as well (haven't got the courage up to tackle socks yet - all those needles!). CJ xx

[Rachel]

I have the yarn, book, needles and extra PDF that Christine has now provided, but honestly Lucy I'm daunted! There seems so much to read and to do that I just haven't started yet. I need a brand-new sock along to join so can start bit by bit, with other newbies I think. X

[Soozcat]

Such beeyootiful socks! And all those colors make me want to buy more sock yarn... mmm, sock yarn... but no, I have TONS of stash to choose from right now and very little money to spend. Must go on yarn diet! Bad Sooz, no biscuit!

Seriously, you've done some lovely work here. Thanks for sharing it.

[Kate]

Thanks to your blog about your first pair of socks and the Sockalong blog and Christine's book, I have now become a sock knitter also. I am working on my sixteenth pair since January.
Truly, it's addictive and I am making a pair every week, it seems now. Some people are going to be very happy this Christmas! Love that yarn you showed. Guess I will have to get me some.......

[Fiona]

Self striping yarns are wonderful. I knit for friends when they are going into hospital.
Keep you feet warm is my mantra.

There are some great ideas for what to do with your left overs, scarves and blankets and shawls

[Pink Milk]

Oh yes. Now they're gorrrgeous. All of them. Clever you.

I have a mental image of you gadding about Skipton sporting your beautiful handmade socks with flip flops! Please tell me you do! :-D

Hxx

[Helen @ lifeglitter]

Such beautiful stripes! Colour is so uplifting isn't it?!

[Kath]

Wow! Such glorious colour! Trouble is, which one to try first? Decisions, decisions.
I'm surprised you have time to blog with Yarndale on the horizon. You've got some energy there girl, just don't overdo it. Hate for you to wear yourself out.