Always Coming Back to Socks

I'm always returning to socks because I have a heavy rotation of loved ones who love their hand knit socks.

There's my mother-in-law who likes socks in bright colors with just a touch of ribbing in them to help them stay up. She just got a pair for Mother's day. Now Luke started wearing my socks just this past winter because he found them warm and comfortable. He likes plain patterns and green or muted colors. These two types of sock aren't terribly exciting to knit, but I do it for love. I get great satisfaction out of knowing that my loved ones' feet feel great because I found scraps of time in which to knit a sock.

Here's one such traveling sock, so-called because it travels with me every where:

The yarn is ONline Supersocke, knit in my standard 72 stitch pattern, but on a smaller needle than usual, a 2mm. I used about an inch of k1 p1 rib at the top and then did the rest of the leg and foot in k5 p1. I like the look of the wide ribs, it works in this type of yarn.

Remember a while back, I was asking about what sort of ease you knit into your socks? Most of you said you prefer to knit your socks with negative ease because they bag out with wear. Well this pair was my first attempt at tightening things up. It didn't work too well, because the smaller needle size made a sock that's a bit too snug. I wanted to give them to Luke, but he had difficulty getting them on and declared he wouldn't wear them. Jim was willing to tug, so he gets this pair.

Jim is one of my favourite people to knit socks for because he's willing to wear just about anything. Like lace and bright colors...

This is Nancy Bush's Gentleman's Socks for Evening wear, knit out of Kataish's handpainted yarn. Aren't the color's gorgeous? I love that they didn't pool and that all the shades and tones are so beautiful. She used KnitPicks Gloss Bare as a base, so these socks feel quite decadent too.

Next to Jim, I am my favourite person to knit socks for, because I can knit myself whatever I like! Plus, I save all the best sock yarn for myself. But my sock drawer is pretty full, but Luke and MIL only have a few pair, so I predict it will be a summer of dull-colored and plainly knit socks for me.

I'd better go stock up on some more podcasts....