I have figured out that knitting in general and sock knitting specifically is like that proverbial goldfish that grows to whatever size bowl you put in. In my case that bowl is the size of one of the Great Lakes, maybe Lake Erie. It's taking up all my mental space to the point that I no longer read my weekly publications like the Nation and the New Yorker beyond the film reviews and the cartoons. Nor do I send greeting cards, iron the DRMC's shirts for work or engage in important hygiene rituals like exfoliating and moisturizing. No, I spend my time thinking about knitting socks.
Realization: I am a bona fide sock whore.
I suppose there are worse dark masters to be serving...I mean, I'm not breaking any laws. And although I have sold my soul to Blue Moon Fiber Arts, no one is really suffering. And until they take my kids away from me, kick me to the curb at Penn State, sell my house in a county tax sale and annul my marriage for failure to perform expected wifely duties, I'm rolling with it. Hey--you can have my two Size 2 Addi Circulars when you pry them from my cold, dead hands!
The above pictured sock had been sadly been languishing on the needles since last June until my recent adrenaline sock surge. They were fun to finish, and I'm actually not dreading the second sock as much as one would think. Spring Break is rapidly approaching and I need a goal.
The Specs:
Pattern: Fiber Trends Leaf Lace Socks (Lord knows I love me anything with a leaf pattern)
Yarn: Lanett Superwash in # 8513 aka Puke Green (Sometime Puke Green just works)
Needles: Begun on Brittany Size 1 dpns and completed on two circular Size 1 Addi Turbos (Be gone you dreadfully warped bamboo skewers!)
Like all vices, the above-pictured sock provided me with heretofore untold highs...The pattern, Baby Cable Rib Socks, is from my all-time fave sock tome Sensational Knitted Socks. I like this stitch a lot. It's the same one featured ad nauseum in the Union Square Poncho, a behemoth of a project that took up way too much time for the diminishing return that it represented. The same stitch was a cinch scaled down to a smaller project.
The Specs:
Pattern: Baby Cable Rib Socks from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn: Socks that Rock 24 Karat
Needles: Two Size 2 Addi Turbos
Did I mention how completely obsessed with Socks that Rock I am? Wow....where to begin. If Koigu is yarn porn (as I have previously referred to it as here), then STR is yarn crack. There's a springiness to it that makes it so lovely to work with. The colors are gorgeous and the hand...oh the hand. Wow. Love it. Want more of it. Luckily for me I joined the sock club so that a steady supply of it will be flowing uninterrupted to my residence for the next year.
In other sock yarn related madness, today I was able to procure the holy grail of indie sock yarn. After getting burned in a bad way on the Vesper Sock Yarn Scarcity Incident of Fall 2005 and the Catastrophic Sweet Georgia Calamity of Spring 2007, I have finally come up a winner. This b*tch has managed to get her mitts on some Sundara sock yarn, y'all. Hallelujah!! Can I get a witness?
Well, there you have it. Welcome to the underworld of a crazed sock knitter. Are you feelin' me?
19 comments:
Socks are an addiction that quietly sneaks up on you and rare and much sought after sock yarns are how you get hooked. I missed out on the STR Sock Club but I've joined another one that promises sought after and rare sock yarns. BY the way, saw your note, now there are stars next to the ones I've read :-D
The socks look great!! I can't wait to see all of the lovely ones you will knit up as part of the STR club!!
You are too funny!!!! I'm laughing so hard over here. Yeah, I guess I'm a sock slut too. Three pairs on the needles, over 15 miles of sock yarn in the stash (yes, that's MILES), and a monthly "fix" coming in from Scout. :)
I think I need a button that proclaims that I am a sock slut. :)
Love the socks with 24 karat.
Beautiful socks! I'm still a sock virgin, mostly because I dislike dpns, but I'm going to knit them for the Spanish sock exchange. I've read that magic loop is slower than dpns. Do you find that to be true?
I never thought of STR as crack but I guess you are right. And welcome to another person frustrated by the Vesper shortages. But I am lucky enough to have some Sweet Georgia in my stash. Sundara yarns are nice. And I love the baby cable rib pattern. Sensational Socks is the best one out there right now. And just think her next book will be out soon.
Totally there with you on the sock fetish...have you seen all of the singlets I've made?! As for the sock yarn, I've finally gone full circle and want the BMFA crack again--I've been using mostly Sundara, but I have been eyeing all of those nearly solids at BMFA and have sock patterns already picked out for each of the colors. Now I just have to gets to buying them. Love the 24 karat, btw. What color Sundara yarn did you score? Also. since you mention that you heart the leafy sock patterns, do you know about the free one over at Clementine's Shoes called Baltic Socks? They're really cool--I think I'll be knitting them very soon with some green merino tencel. I HAVE to try more tencel, this time in sock form.
Socks Sluts Anonymous here we come!I almost feel like a criminal (A.K.A. Bandit) because of the yarn of scored in the last two weeks: Scout's Swag, Sundara, and Vesper, with STR Rockin' Sock Club on the waay! It feels like it should be illegal to have that much goodness! I have the STR Krat and it is gorgeous. Photo's do not do it justice, but your socks rock! Love your pattern chocie.
Lovely socks! Great post too hehee.
Hmm...think I'll have a skein of what ADD's having :)
Yeah, I have to agree with you that Baby Cable Ribs is one of my favorites too! In fact, as I sit here and type guess what babies I have on my feet? STR in Watermelon Tourmaline that I knitted in the Baby Cable Rib pattern.LOL I love all those other socks yarns you like too!
i have so far avoided the sock bug.
you should let me know the next time that you are on smith street! what kinda store does the ex own? (i live over that way.)
Holy cow. Get a hold of yourself girl. You'll be getting in an accident knitting socks while driving! Yarn crack, huh? I better get me some before I start getting the shakes or something....
Sweetheart, you CRACK me up. Seriously, tho, I'm jazzed that you got a Sundara fix. That's next on my list. Did you get your BMFA binder yet??????
Your socks look great. I too loved making the baby rib sock. It's just too cute. I know what you mean about finally getting your hands on some indie sock yarn. I had to really be somewhat of a spy to get my hands on Yarn Pirate's Culture Club colorway--and I think I hit it at the right time. I don't think she makes that colorway anymore.
LOL!! You are my sock idol! Seriously! I want to be a sock whore just like you one day. Those socks are absolutely gorgeous! Did you say size 2 needles? I cringe to think of how I can tame such small needles. I think I should get a sock project going. That will teach me ptience and may prevent me from hurting my professors. lol. Let me stop!
I totally love them both.
Hey Heather, did you see this on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sensational-Knitted-Socks-Charlene-Schurch/dp/1564777170/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_2/002-4394695-5294445?ie=UTF8&qid=1173892638&sr=1-4
Hall Again, since my last comment got cut off, I wanted to inform you that Charlene Schurch has a follow up to "Sensational Knitted Socks" called... "More SKS". It's due for release on March 26th. Enjoy!
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