About 2 weeks ago, I hauled out the contents of my handknit sock drawer, which had been lying fallow for the summer, gave everything a bubble bath and lay it out to dry. That’s when I noticed. The contents of my sock drawer are, considering that I am a sock knitter of a reasonably prolific nature, sort of meagre and shoddy. They all have holes, or darned spots or holes and darned spots, and dudes… it’s not how a knitters sock drawer should look. You’d think that I’d have a pretty formidable selection from which to choose, but there’s nearly squat in there. I think what happened is that a couple of years ago I noticed the same thing and went on a big self-sock knitting jag, filled the drawer with socks my size, and then continued on my merry way, meeting the demands of familial and friendly sock drawers – and didn’t think about what would happen next.
What happened next is that since all of the socks are about the same age, they all had a similar lifespan, and they all got worn about the same amount and therefore, all got their first holes about the same time, were darned about the same time, got their second holes in another communal wave of woolly disintegration, and have now all died entirely in what feels like a plague set upon my sock drawer. I’ve decided to fix that right up by whipping myself up a few pairs, and then to henceforth remedy this by adding to it now and then, just so they can’t all expire at once. I thought that this pair would be the first to replenish the drawer…
STR Lightweight, colourway "Petroglyphs" – no pattern, just a little seed stitch and ribbing slammed into my my standard sock recipe . 2.25mm needles.
They fit, they’re charming and cozy, and they’re colours I love and sort of wear. (Except the red – well, and the yellow. Ok. I really only wear that brown and that grey, but everyone needs the zip in thir wardrobe to come from somewhere) and they worked up fast. Only problem is, the other night when I was over at my mum’s, she admired them. And they fit her. And she asked if they were for her. And – well. I love my mum and like it when she loves socks and… you can guess what decision I made next.
Christmas is coming after all, and there does need to be socks for the people who love to get them – and I love giving socks to people who value them and love to get them. I really love it. Making socks for other people is a real pleasure. It’s the only reason, really, that a sock knitter who churns out this many socks wouldn’t have any. I’m not a martyr though, and I’m trying to remember that I’m a person who really values hand knit socks and loves to get them too, so I’ve wasted invested some time this afternoon hunting up a pattern for a really beautiful skein of yarn I wrestled Rachel H for in a sick knitters cage match at Lettuce Knit purchased, and with my wool as my witness, they will be mine.
Dream in Color Starry – Chinatown Apple colourway. Pattern as yet undecided. Maybe Nutkin.
Ever have trouble keeping your knitting for yourself? Own many socks?