In October 2015 I decided to learn to knit socks - I read somewhere that they are more comfortable than bought socks and I decided to have a go. I was only an OK knitter but socks (I thought) are such simple things - how hard could it be? It was a nightmare. Double pointed knitting needles were like knitting with a hedgehog. The first sock took 6 weeks - knitting for about an hour - 90 minutes most evenings. The second only took 2 weeks. But they turned out different sizes - even with the same amount of stitches. The first one was baggy and uneven, so I unraveled it and made a 3rd - again it took about 2 weeks. I gave them to my daughter as part of a mix of small presents for Christmas. She loved them. I'm now hooked on knitting socks .... I'm still slow, but I have a small family. They're all getting some next Christmas. I'll bet loads of you ca knit socks in a jiffy!
You had me in 'stitches' there I am a useless knitter - always end up with more stitches than I started with My Mother, decided to use up leftover wool by knitting gloves The problem was it was the thick Aaron wool and it was a creamy yellow colour When finished, they looked like 2 bunches of bananas ! - I laughed for a week ! @Julie Stewart
Gloves are my next thing @Patsy Faye - presents for Christmas 2017! I love knitting with DPNs now - well, small things like socks and later gloves. I'm thinking of trying tea cosies the year after - I've found a wonderful pattern for a motorcycle tea cosy that I want for myself. This sounds like everybody will be getting tea cosy covers for Christmas 2018. Here's that first pair (I don't have a sock-shaper thing so they look scrunched up)
They look good to me. You have way more patience than I. Like Patsy I always end up with more than I started with.
I am pretty patient - but I also spent a lot on wool and double pointed needles. You can see the sock on the right is a bit floppy around the ribbing. Fortunately, my daughter is a sturdy girl with sturdy legs. She asked for another pair without ribbing if possible. I then learned how to do a picot edge !!! Get me - "picot edge" - !! Thank you YouTube! @Joe Riley - that's a great cartoon. You are a wizard at finding relevant stuff super-quick. Google better be scared of you!
I totally enjoy knitting socks, too, @Julie Stewart , and in one of the earlier threads in the hobbies section, there is a picture of one of the socks that I had knitted. My mother-in-law was from Lancashire, England, and she was an excellent knitter. She also could crochet fine doilies, or pillowcase edgings, and do beautiful embroidery. We used to go and visit with the in-laws very often on weekends, and while the menfolk were out in the garage working on one of the vehicles, I was relegated to sitting in the house. I usually brought along a book to read; but you can't just do that forever; so she taught me how to knit, crochet, and embroider. I never became as proficient at any of those things as she was; but I loved making slippers and socks for my family. My (then) husband was a power lineman, and he needed work socks that went to his knees to go under his knee-high lineboots. Socks that long were hard to find; so I would knit them for him. The heels and toes were the only parts that wore out, so when that happened, I just ripped them back to the ankle, and redid the bottom part again. Since yarn back then came in dye lots, sometimes I could not exactly match the top of the original sock color; but it didn't really matter since they were hidden under his work boots anyway. They lasted almost forever. I think that all of my kids probably have socks that I have made for them still.
Eeee by gum! @Yvonne Smith - I'm a Lancy Lass by birth! My brother still lives in Middleton just outside Manchester. It's a small world ... My grannie could do loads of stuff like that - for her, as a child, it was a way of economizing. All members of her family were either cotton mill workers or coal miners and quite poor. She used to do something called "tatting" but I can't remember what it is - I'll have to look it up. I'll find your sock at some point as I meander around the highways and byways of SENIORSONLY ...
I was lucky enough to recieve a pair of socks knitted by @Yvonne Smith , and I love them. I wash them over and over, because they're much more comfy than any of the many slippers I've tried. This old log cabin has hardwood floors, and the cabin is up on blocks, so the floors can be the coldest thing in the place. I'm trying to wheedling more out her, but because her socks are so sought after, I must wait my turn.
I've tried to teach myself to knit, but haven't had any success. Thankfully, I do know how to crochet and cross stitch/embroider, although I don't do much of that these days. I think they actually sell looms you can knit socks on, which I'd considered at one point. I'm not sure how it works exactly, but I would imagine you'd have to finish them off the loom, at least for the heels and toes. My great-grandmother tatted, but she died long before I was born. I've always wanted to learn, but I'm saving that for when I have more free time. It's nice to know some people still appreciate handcrafted items.
That's what everybody says about hand-knitted socks - that hey are so comfortable, more so than bought sock. I need to make a pair for myself!
I enjoy knitting because I can't sit and watch TV without doing something - sometimes I post on this forum whilst watching TV, like yesterday during the women's tennis final at Roland Garros. I need to remind myself what tatting is ..... I've just remembered that my Grandma also made lace with lots of little wooden bobbins.