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November 02, 2003
A report on hand-knit socks: knitting AND wearing them
I started knitting socks (successfully) back in May. I had been attempting to knit socks for almost a year before that, but could never get the knack of the double-pointed needle thing. When I found out about knitting socks on circular needles, I was able to take off running.
I knit several pairs of socks over the summer (see http://www.water-rights.com/knitting/projects2003.htm; a few recent pairs have not yet been posted), but the weather was too warm to actually wear them. Now that our furnace is running, I've been able to wear all of my hand-knit socks and have learned some things that I will apply in my future sock-knitting:
- I have found that knitting a bit of a rib in the leg of the sock and continuing the rib on the instep down to the toe makes a much more comfortable sock. It doesn't have to be much - a 4x1 or 5x1 rib allows the sock to stick to your leg and not sag around the ankle. In my opinion, the 2x2 rib just doesn't make an attractive sock.
- Yes, wool socks can be itchy. Especially if they bag around your ankle. Putting in that rib helps a lot.
- I have found the Regia sock yarn to be the least itchy. In fact, they are my favorite socks right now and have held up well under multiple trips through the laundry.
My current favorite socks
- The Fortissima Socka Colori yarn makes such cute socks, but I think they are the itchiest socks I've made to date. I would like to see how well the faux-fair-isle patterning holds up if I ribbed the leg and instep.
cute, but itchy
- I am building a dangerously large sock yarn stash, and will be able to continue sock-knitting for the next several months at least! Knitting socks is much more fun than I expected and offers almost instant gratification when compared to knitting sweaters.
- Socks are highly portable and can be discreetly knit in public - at soccer games, music lessons, that half-hour before the kids' band concert starts, waiting in the car to pick up the kids from sports practice - the possibilities are endless!