Those are some awesome socks...touched by greatness over and over and given to someone great! Lovely!

What a wonderfully meaningful and powerful gift! Almost too much to be worn, but we sock knitters all know that they lose all meaning if they are not worn!

Oh how lovely and loving. I like to do that with baby sweaters. Even a non-knitter can be coached through a few stitches and the love that goes into them lasts forever!

How lucky you both are to have found each other and to have such a great friendship. That is something you will treasure forever. To knit for someone you care about is a privledge.
Enjoy!

Wow. Just...wow.

Ok, that makes me want to cry...how beautiful and meaningful that was. Great job!

I can't believe I'm tearful over a pair of socks! Wow. Holy socks. Such a terrific memento.
x Wow (again)

Beautifully stated, Steph!

Tears....what a wonderful way to commemorate a wonderful Summit.

You ROCK. And I'd be willing to be that Tina would agree.

Steph...that was amazing.

OMG...what a sweet post! It brought tears to my eyes (yes, right at my desk). Stephanie, you are THE BEST!!!!!!

The ocean of love contained in these socks is overflowing and spilling in the tears rolling down my face. This is one of the most beautiful tributes that I have ever read. Thank you for being, Stephanie.

Great Socks from a Great Friend(s) - What a gift!! The most awesome socks ever knit!!! They should end up in the Museum of Knitted Socks after they are worn through with love!!!

Wow, that was lovely.

How exquisitely perfect.

What a fantastic fitting tribute!

I can't even express how heartwarming I find this whole post (and the socks) - the feeling of sisterhood has moved me right to tears. And I'm sitting at my desk in a room full of guys...

There's a whole lotta awesome sock mojo in that pair. Ain't a damn thing I wouldn't try wearing them. Well.... almost. Love, it's just knit love. Mmm mmmm, I'm glad to be a part of this family.

How wonderful! I was completely touched by this post and have almost cried over my lunch at work :)

What a beautiful way to tell a friend what is in your heart. The tears will not stop coming. Thank you for blessing us with your words.

Wow, that is one amazing gift! Those are definitely socks to treasure ^_^

a post about a sock should not make me want to weep at work! but as usual, a beautiful note to a wonderful person, by a wonderful person, chokes me up big time.

SS09 was a moment in time that can and will never be forgotten and i am awed i was a part of it. thank you thank you thank you to you and tina and ST-2 and all the teachers and all of the people for making an INCREDIBLE weekend.

The hands, and hearts, that have touched those socks - wow. Priceless.

BEST. THANK YOU. EVER.

Is the ST-1 colorway good for wiping away tears?

Make me cry and they're not even for me! What a beautiful tribute...

You did it again. I positively melted into tears as I read your wonderful words on the power of friendship, and knitting. These socks have the power of all the goodness that you and community of knitters (both real and in cyber space) can generate.

With gratitude that you are so articulate and can knit at the same time.

Eve from Carlisle, MA

Awesome. Only problem is, I'd want to just put them on my dresser, like a shrine, and just look at them. All the sock saints rolled into one magnificent offering!

What a lovely thing to do.

Oh, you've made me cry.

Lovely, lovely post. What a tribute to friendship. Thank you for sharing.

Lovely post, great socks. Good work, lady.

I'm sitting here crying into my lunch. What an amazing gift...

You made me cry. And nobody makes me cry. You are a lovely human who always reminds me about all of the other wonderful lovely humans who are out there, even when I can't be with them. Thank you.

What a perfect way to describe the whole experience!

that was one of the sweetest things i've ever read....

*tear*

What a lovely tribute to your friend! And it was lovely to see the beautuful faces of long-term friends Deb, Judith and Nancy. (Hi to all of you)
Thanks for letting us in on this story.
Sharon in Salt Lake City

For Tina via the Harlot -
You know how very much she loves you since she is making SURE she has to give these amazing socks to you now (witnesses).
My dear Harlotta - you are an amazing sisterfriend and I don't know how she will ever be able to wear the socks other than on special occasions. So much knitting love and energy in one pair.

Good thing that my family wasn't around, wondering why I was crying while reading a blog about ... knitting socks??? What a wonderful tribute to a friend.

Oh my. Can you ever write. Tears in my eyes.

Stephanie--what a grand and fitting tribute from you to Tina, but I must add that you too are equally awesome, brave, fierce and wonderful. What the two of you and ST-2 created for all of us was absolutely beyond description and I will never figure out how you did it without a single glitch. From our point of view it was perfect, and any bumps in the path were so well handled that we never knew! There are not enough thanks --or socks- in the word to properly pay tribute to what you all accomplished!

Thank you!

oh, I am just boo-hoo-ing at that.What a lovely precious gift.

WOW!

Speechless....

What a cool pair of socks!

What a great deal of LOVE!

Stephanie and Tina
I wasn't able to get to Sock Summit. I don't know either of you....even though I do know your work. I have to tell you my eyes started to weep as I read this post. I am a sock knitter and I know how much love can be knit into a sock. I love the fact that you thought to have so many people knit on Tina's sock. It must surely be a sock full of love. Knitters rock!

Maybe it's just my pregnant lady hormones, but this made me choke up at bit.

What a lovely gift. I love seeing the parade of knitters working on the sock. Lovely indeed.

Beautiful, Stephanie! Thank you for sharing the story of the socks and the amazing people who contributed to their life, the universe, and knitting.

So touching.

Wonderful.

Those socks should be worn with the same love as went into them, then after the first hole appears (no counting the intentional one) they should be framed right along with the day's blog post. Maybe have a scrapbook kept with pictures of where they are worn...

The story of the socks of love.

Tina is going to cry...and going to love them! How awesome is this!

Oh wow. How can Tina even wear those socks after reading your touching and heartwarming blog post? What an awesome gift.

you're such a sweet person miss stephanie.
(ps that is some crazy knitting juju in one pair of socks)

Wow! I just want to cry! How amazingly wonderful and moving.

Oh crap Steph, you've made me cry again. Way to go. ;-).

You guys are amazing. I wanna be you and Tina when I grow up.

I don't think a pair of socks has ever made me tear up before. Beautiful and thanks, as always, for sharing your journey.

You are one amazing woman, one again you have brought tears to my eyes. Such a lovely gift!

I am seriously tearing up. Thanks for including us vicariously in your wonderful friendship.

Talk about intentions. Wow.

Steph----you continue to amaze me! What I wouldn't give to have you as my friend. Tina is just going to sob like a baby when she reads this!! A lovely, hearwarming tribute to a wonderful lady. All the same can be said of you as well.
Beautiful!
Tamara Scott

Awesome. Those are some seriously majik socks.

Stephanie , I will likely never meet you in person although I feel I know you . I have rooted for you during the rough times and cheered for you in the good . You have, without knowing it, made me a better person , willing to take risks and to live fully and honestly and lovingly , as you do.
Thank you for being there and thank you for so often making my heart sing while I have tears in my eyes .

How could anyone who attended Sock Summit, or any knitter PERIOD, read this and not get choked up? I remember you knitting on those during the Luminary Panel; I remember thinking that Sock Summit must be the only place one can knit before the "heads of state" of one's crowd, and not be considered rude. How cool is that? You are a wonderful friend.

Oh gee. Now I'd have to take those socks and frame them, along with the blog post and photos that went with it. How incredibly special. Thanks so much for sharing with us.

Who knew a pair of socks could tell such a story. Love the narrative, photos and love you put into them. They rock (or maybe they stripe) I don't know, but whatever they do, they're cool doing it.

Wow. Just when I think you have impressed me with the most awesomeness imaginable, you achieve something even more "awesomer". So those were the plain vanilla socks you decided to bring along? Amazing. Speaks volumes. And I love Ms. Neatby's hole. :) But I love even more that you conceived of and documented all this for us.

As someone else who went around getting people to knit on a project (I would be the veil girl lol) that's some awesome mojo. I hope this starts a trend of people having other knitters knit some love into special projects.

wow Steph, this is such a beautiful post- you've got me blubbering in tears over here...what a special gift!

Absolutely beyond heartbreakingly sweet.

No words, but I'm tearing up.

best gift ever, and now I'll all teary

To be the owner of that sock... Tina obviously deserves every bit of it. The mojo, karma, love in that sock must be powerful. I can only imagine feeling pure light when wearing those.
But yeah, this post made me tear up a bit.

Stephanie, you are a heck of a friend and a great writer. Hope you can just veg out for the next month!

See, now I was fine. I was touched, but okay. Until the end. And now, darn it, you made me cry! *sniffle*

That is one pair of wonderful, magical socks. The happiness and good cheer (and greatness) knit into them is amazing. Tina is a lucky woman. And you both are absolutely astounding.

Lovely. Never doubt for a second what an incredibly kind, thoughtful, brave, tenacious woman you are.

What a beautiful way of expressing all the amazing feelings in your heart, and how wonderful of you to share them with us. I'm in awe, and tears, of your considerable talents!

I'm sure non-knitters would never believe a blog post about a sock could make a reader cry. But it can, and it did.

You did it again Steph. You made me cry. THAT sense of love and compassion and honor was what ran all through SS and had me crying there as well. The knitting, the classes, all were great. But what was most important from SS was that sense of community love, respect, togetherness, universality, and, with due respect to Anna Zilboorg, anarchism! Love you!

Those socks are surely to be treasured forever for the love and friendship that was knit into them.

Wow. Those are some awesome socks indeed. My STR ST-1 yarn just arrived on the mail today - one of my wee consolations for not being able to make SS this year. I say this year - I'm sure the Universe would like SS to be a regularly occurring event, just positive!

How lovely (& eminently sensible!) that you planned in the retreat afterwards, good plan Stan!

Beautiful! And that goes for the socks, too.

I made DH come read your post. Having all those knitting greats hold or knit the sock would be like the genealogy of his chemistry professor's/professor's...come tweak the glassware set-up in a lab. He gets it...and chuckles.

Well done!

What a nice post, love the socks, cheers to you!

Um - not sure why - this post made me cry my eyes out. SO freakin' awesome.

This is why I love you: because you're this kind of person. You're a person who would intentionally knit mojo-laden socks for your friend all the while putting all the mojo you've got into everything you touch.

<3

I'm glad you guys threw sock summit -- but even more glad you got to be together.

Stephanie, I saw you knitting these while onstage at the luminary panel and wondered how you could be standing and knitting while so absolutely exhausted. I now understand.
The intention that was put into this wonderful gift contained so many heartfelt emotions. These socks are a gift of love, and a beyond awesome way to honor your friendship. Beautiful blog post.
I'm verklempt...

Sniff. Beautiful post. Beautiful photos. Beautiful socks.

I didn't think someone could take the spirit of knitting and put it into actual words. You did a wonderful job of expressing the essence of it all. Amazing blog entry.

wow, just wow. so wonderful a gift. so many of us crying over the post. what an amazing thing this knitting is. what a community is created.

Oh. My. Lord. I am in awe of the picspam of fantabulous sock knitters that contributed to that wonderful pair of 'plain vanilla' socks, and know that they will be in the SS Hall of Fame someday. Legendary.

What a lovely gift for a lovely and wondeful friend. All that and a heartwarming story on my 61st birthday - a wonderful gift for me also.

Wow. I don't usually cry when I read things, but I have tears rolling down my cheeks. A beautiful sock knit by a coven of women who obviously have poured love and spirit into action to be presented to someone who is part of this coven - and so obviously deserving of all of its intention. Now, almost like blood sisters, you are sock sisters. And that is so cool! I am touched by your relationship and so glad you have each other. All of the best and congratulations on such an accomplishment (both the Summit and the sock)!

Thumbs up. To all of it, every last bit.

Beautiful.

What a grand gift. And what a perfect circle, starting in Tina's hands and now returning to them with a priceless journey through the hands of so many friends from start to finish. My heart feels huge and I cannot stop grinning, just thinking about such a lovely and joy-filled gift.

This brought tears. You are a beautiful and wise woman blessed with a lovely community.

Oh, wow. That is SOOOO awesome that you made her those!

And all those wonderful people added stitches.

VVVEERRRY cool idea. I'm sure she will love and cherish them forever!

A most eloquent love letter from one most powerful Witch to another. Opinionated, passionate women should fall in this kind of love more often.

I surely wish I could have been there.

That's gotta be just about the best present in the history of time. What a charming gift to give and to receive.

Oh my, I have gone all teary too. Over a pair of socks! But what socks! And what amazing people you two are

All those people adding to the sock you made for your friend made me cry. That's lovely.

Oh hell. I'm crying again.

I heart Tina so much. I don't even know where to begin to say thank you to her. I know this is about the socks but all I can think about is hearting Tina.

what a beautiful tribute! such a touching gift, and a lovely post. one of the things i love the most about the knitting community is the unabashed love and support of its members for each other.

tear!
Tina & Stephanie you are so lucky to have each other.

Thank you again for everything, Sock Summit was beyond what anyone but you, could have imagined. Thank you.

aaaah.aaaah. aaaah.

the socks of destiny.

aaaaah. aaaah. aaaah.

I was crying just reading the essay, and seeing the portraits of knitting greatness, and pictures of the nearly inconceivable sock summit.

aaaah.

ari

Awesome. Just so totally awesome. Congratulations on what sounds like an incredible feat (or feet?) and just keep doing that thing that you do.

When I knit my bit on them, I did it Harlot-style lever technique. Both you and Tina have changed the world for the better, and touched my life.

Thank you both for creating the magic that was Sock Summit.

Okay, so I'm equally smiling and heart broken at the same time. Smiling because I can hear your voice as I read your words, smiling because I have friends like the ones you describe here who have shown EXTRAORDINARY compassion and helped me TREMENDOUSLY lately. Gratitude is such a deep emotion to express and the fact that you knit a sock to convey yours means I've got to get BUSY!

I know that you are all probably very tired right now, but to cure my broken heart, may I ask when is Sock Summit #2 and how soon can I sign up?

Oh my. Those socks are going to be the best gift ever!

Simply beautiful.

Oddly enough...this is the single most touching post I've ever read.
(Or maybe not so oddly. It is, after all, the essence of friendship and gratitude.)
There are no words for you ladies. I'm honored to be in the same craft-sphere as you all.

I'm in tears. You are two of the most awesome women alive. Gratitude is such a gift. Thank you for what you put out to the world.

ok... now I'm crying!

Wow.. that sock does have some mojo.. and my eyes have some tears.. Great post and sock! :)

~sniff~

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I was brought to tears with this post. So very beautiful-friendship enhanced with knitting and knitting enhanced with friendship. My husband is a wonderful woodworker. I admire his craft as he does mine. But, our lines don't cross. I did, however, get him to put 2 stitches in a pair of socks for his mom one Christmas.

I'm glad I'm not the only one near to tears after this post! Sweetest thing EVER.

Holy crap! My first impulse is to frame those socks and hang them on the wall!

Stephanie, what a wonderful gift for a dear, dear friend. Asking other luminaries to knit on the socks adds so much more to the gift. Tina will treasure them always. Thank you for all your hard work and wonderful, positive influence on the world.

Awww! I'm all goosebumpy now!

Stephanie - This post made my eyes leak!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for a wonderful weekend! I had to leave early and did not have the opportunity to find you and tell you goodbye in person.

Wow!! What a delightful treat. I don't know if I'd be able to wear them after all of the talented, loving hands that had touched them.

Sigh...

A thoughtful gift, Ms. Stephanie.

That was beautiful. What a gift to give!

That was lovely. So glad you came through it with your respective sanity only a little frayed.

You are a beautiful woman with lovely words and profound sentiments.

Tina (and every one else) is lucky to have you on their team.

In the previous post about SS09 I said I wasn't going to cry because it'd sog my wool.

Strike that.

Wow! I saw you knit on those socks in class. I also remember that you thought you had forgot them somewhere and asked Rachel H. to go get them and when she returned (not with your socks, but with hers as a substitute I believe) you realized you had them in your bag with you, next to your feet. Then hugs and general exclamations of exhaustion ensued. Hee-hee. How special!

I think that is just about the most wonderful gift one knitter ever gave another. <3

That was awesome! Those socks certainly are endowed with some magical knitting mojo from the hands that worked on them!

I hafta know...is there a story behind the hole that Lucy put in? Maybe I'm just too new of a knitter to know why.

What a lovely gift to commemorate the remarkable event that you put together for the sock-knitting community. The whole weekend was wonderful, and I will cherish the memories for a very, very long time.

Wowza!
If ever there was a sock for the Superhero's of Knitting, these would have to be it:)

Well, crap. How do I explain to my office mates that I have tears in my eyes because of a combination of yarn and words?

this entry made me cry because of how great it is. it reminds me of me and my best friend and that is really something special

What a beautiful tribute to your friend!

This made me cry too, I'm glad I'm not the only one. Mojo, indeed.

ditto what everyone above has said. And probably what everyone after will say. good on you!

Precious. What a wonderful friendship you have - you make a great team!

ok, this seals it. I must grab kleenex before reading one of your blog posts.

Thank you for sharing something so personal with us.

What a beautiful gift. I confess, I was teary-eyed reading about it. These might be the mightiest, mojo-est socks ever. :)

Friendship between you and Tina is rare and your gift of the socks is magical. I, too, have a special friendship like yours with my friend, Donna, and will treasure it for ever.

Now that I'm crying and can't read the screen- you should write a knitter's book -"the little socks that could" with pix of the sox and Sock summit and all the knitters so everyone will have a memory even if we couldn't come to Portland

Okay. . . so you made me cry again. You have a gift, Harlot. And it's in your heart and words. Thank you for sharing it.

Wow. Just wow.

I would take all your wonderful pictures and words, put them with the socks in a "memory" box for all to see, and only wear them on VERY SPECIAL occasions!

What a wonderful souvenir!

If those socks were on their way to me, I'd frame them, not wear them. All of that knitterly love and greatness in one pair should never be allowed to wear out!!!

So happy you made it through SS, Stephanie. I can't wait to see more of your pictures from the event!

Wow, that is an incredible post. And what memory-filled socks they are. I'm not Tina, but if I were, I think I would not be able to wear those socks. There is so much friendship and love knitted in, and maybe even the tang of the ocean is in there. (Try sniffing them.)I would slip them on for a moment, then take them off and put them in a special place, just to look at.

The gift of your words is every bit as profound and lovely as the socks with all that amazing knitting mojo.

What a wonderful pair of socks! I'm sure they will be cherished.

um, wow.
you are both amazing. this blog is a testament to the simple power of 2 sticks and some string.
And how they transform into love.

I've been reading your blog for a long time without saying anything until now. This gift you give your friend is awesome. I'm going to weep. Ah if only the world was run by knitters. Jude

I would be estastic beyond belief also if B. Walker knitted a few stitches on any of my projects. It's something I'd be boasting for years, "Oh and in this row, I had Miss Walker knit a few stitches."

I'm not one to tear up but I am. Lovely post and the most beautiful socks. What a wonderful memory of a wonderful event. I wish I could've been there. It's inspired me to get to work on a pair of socks for someone special. Pay it forward!

Truly AWESOME!

That is almost the most awesome thing I have ever seen (2nd only to my children's births, meeting my husband, and meeting you at the Saskatchewan Stitches conference).

How dare you make me cry on a Friday!

Tina is one lucky girl.

Ohhhh...did this make me cry. Beautiful, Stephanie. Simply beautiful.

bwah!!!!! I need a tissue! How amazingly heartfelt that was, and thank you for sharing with us. I can't even imagine owning something touched by all those women. I think I'd frame it and put devotional lights around it. THAT is what friends are for.

Thank you so much for these pictures from those of us who couldn't be there. WOW!

All I can say is Wow. (And I hope no one catches me tearing up at my desk.)

What a lovely gesture, but I have to be honest & admit that as I read the post, I kept thinking, Oh wow, Meg Swanson kit on that sock. And Barbara Walker. And Nancy Bush, & Sivia Harding & Anna Zilboorg & Lucy Neatby &&&&&..... I'd never wash those socks if they were mine.

I was WONDERING what was keeping you conscious during those last 3 hours of the SS, on your feet, keeping your concentration to moderate the luminaries. You must have been ready to drop. Like you say, this sort of things isn't for wimps. I know the socks will be treasured.

*sniff* You two were like the Wonder Twins during the Summit. I half expected you to bump fists and turn into strange and wonderous creatures. (Other than sock knitters, that is, which already ARE that. And so are you, come to think of it.) The more that SS09 sinks in for me, the more I realize how much it's meant to me, and how much I learned, not just about knitting, but about who I am, and who knitters are. And you, Tina and the ST's are some of the best. Beautiful entry. Thank you!

You are both amazing women, and my heroes. I SO wish I could have been at the Summit with you.

And I'm all teary here at my desk now. If there are any errors in the October issue of a magazine which must remain nameless (or it's my head!), it'll be because of a beautiful pair of socks...

Your friendship and those socks...priceless! Thanks for making my day.

All weepy here, too. What an absolutely beautiful gesture, Steph, and beyond that, socks worthy of being heirlooms! I'd faint if even one of those people had knit on my sock--but all of them? Wow! You are such a sweet friend, Stephanie, truly.

Still sniffly.

I know that you'd tell Tina "Wear them with love," but if I were Tina, I think I'd frame them beautifully and mount them on the wall. Whenever I was having a good day, a bad day, or a "Why am I here day?", I'd look at the framed socks and immediately be reassured that life is good, that I have friends and I've got the most rockin' pair of socks in the world. :D

What an absolutely fabulous gift!

Coolest socks ever! I hope that Tina wears them... although the desire to frame them, along with the story of their creation will probably be tempting too.

Socks are the best. I think I shall go and knit on some now.

Wow. That is just so cool. So so cool

There's a big lump in my throat, brought on by the sheer awesomeness of this gift.

A few days ago, a very important and inspirational woman in my own life received a gift that included many good wishes and contributions from her friends, woven through my handknitting.

http://tinyurl.com/qonetf

The recipient was my grandma on the occasion of her 90th b'day, so I know how good it feels to share such a gift with someone you adore. We give the gift to them to say thanks for all the gifts they've given us, and all hearts are full to bursting!

I feel like I'm intruding on something really personal. But that's what Sock Summit has been for you, isn't it? What a lovely and meaningful gift/keepsake/story you've compiled for your friend.

Hi Steph,

I heard you talk about that sock on Saturday in the lobby and though you were just brilliant and then reading this post made it even more touching. You guys really have become such role models. A few years ago I teased with my partner the idea and doing a fibre type festival here and although it never came to fruition, the whole summit and reading your posts and seeing you guys in action over the long weekend has made me realize that anything can happen. You guys have such a special bond and you live at opposite ends of the continent!

Thanks for the story - and again for the summit.

Wiping away tears...the best tribute to a friend I've ever read! When she reads this, the waves of love, sacrifice and awe of what was accomplished will fill her heart to the top.

It's how everyone I spoke to felt about it too. Truly, Sock Summit was just about more (adjective of choice) than words can express. Thanks to everyone.

Others have said it, but WOW!

(oh, and how cool)

Those are all the things that I have always wanted my best friend to know about her...only I don't have the knitting powerhouse that you do to help be the host of holies behind me. Thank you for putting into words for me what I have never been able to do for myself. I can truly understand the friend you have in Tina, only because I have a Tina, too.

Oh, man, maybe it's a good thing I couldn't come to the Summit. I'm a newbie knitter, but I've learned enough names that if that many of my knitting superheroes put stitches into one of my objects, I'd have probably keeled over dead with a smile.

Once again, one of your blog entries has moved me to tears. Friendship and memories, what better things can you combine, and in socks no less!

OK, so here's the thing - I. Don't. Cry. At least not in public! And here you've got me doing it again, for the umpteenth time in a week! What a blessing to have those kinds of friendships and opportunities...and even more, to be aware of & acknowledge it. And a blessing for those of us who you touch on the way. Thank you for setting such an awesome example - not just as a knitter, but as a darned fine Human Bean!

A M A Z I N G !! That is far more than a sock. :)

All I can say is WOW! That has got to be the most beautiful gift any knitter has ever received.

Tina's incredibly lucky to have a friend like you...And thank you for showing how fatigue can be soothed away, gently and with quiet, warm love.

ps. I've never knitted a sock because I've always been too intimidated. But this post somehow has soothed my fears away, and I think I'll finally try.

pps. "the blue heron that is [y]ours"? somehow that phrase really embodies the spirit of the love and the freedom that you always simultaneously convey to me. thank you for that image....

sniffle sniffle

such displays of tender love always get to me

Nicely done, Steph! There's something extremely special about having someone knit a pair of socks just for you. Congrats on the success of Sock Summit. I've heard nothing but good things about it from my Seattle knitting buds.

How awesome. All of those lovely knitters. I feel a tear escaping! Again.. awesome!

Thank you for that. A lovely post and a chance to put faces to names of knitters I have followed for years. I was unable to attend SS09 but, through your lovely words, have a very strong sense of all that was attained. Beautiful.

just beautiful - you are such a good friend, stephanie. crying here too. just beautiful.

Sheesh! Thanks for making me cry! I hate to cry! What a wonderful friend you are. Both of you are lucky to have each other!

This is a beautiful post. What friends you are. Thank you for sharing with us.

Wow, what an amazing gift. And so wonderful to read, too!

What a lovely, sweet post. You've done it again, Steph, made me cry with your words. What an amazing thing you've done, and gotten all of these "sock saints" to help you do for your friend.

Steph, that just breaks my heart - the way you show love for your friend by giving her a gift started and finished by you, but blessed by so many others along the way. Only you would think of that. I'm sorry I missed the summit, I hope I'll be able to participate another year. I live vicariously through you and the other wonderful sock knitters.

Karenlynne

That was an amazing post. Thank you for sharing it with all of us. :)

Ha! And I just finished telling my husband that I could tell what good friends you were just by seeing you together. It's a wonderful and precious gift!

Perfect. :) Goshdarnit, I thought I was done crying happy tears about Sock Summit!! <3 Well done.

I love the Lucy Neatby hole. I need to stop reading your blog at work however, since I keep getting teary-eyed by you huge heart and your posts.

Socks are a beautiful gift. This story to go along with them even more so......

Your friends and colleagues are so lucky!

Not only did you engineer the largest sock knittery for Guinness, but I bet you hold the record for touching so many hearts and getting so many folks weepy. Occular incontinence rules !!

You are so special.

Wonderful, wonderful. I think a handmade pair of socks made by a loving friend is just about the best gift one could get (or give)...which is exactly why I've got a lovely pair waiting for my autumn visit to my best friend. Lucky Tina, lucky Stephanie to have the friendship you have.

I have a new baby, so perhaps my hormones are contributing, but I am in tears over such a wonderful gift and it isn't even for me. Those are amazing socks.

Beautiful socks. Even more beautiful post. What a wonderful, thoughtful friend you are! Tina is lucky, and so are you.

Those are the specialest socks in the entire universe.

And OMG, you got a picture of ABBY FRANQUEMONT knitting a SOCK. It must be the only such photo in existence. Cherish it!

You're pretty special too, YH.

Delurking to suggest that this post should come with a Two Hanky warning...

The sheer amount of good karma in those socks will carry her through whatever trouble she faces for the rest of her life. If I wasn't wearing them, I'd be carrying them around with me like a security blanket.

What wonderful gifts you have -- your way with words, your humor, your relationships. But it's not just the gifts you've been given, it's what you've done with them - how you've nurtured them with hard work, perseverance, and love - that are so inspiring to me. I'm so glad to have been able to participate in the Sock Summit and to help with it in my own small way. Thank you -- for everything.

Lucky Tina!

Absolutely beautiful!! What a wonder full post and tribute to your friend! You brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.

Stephanie, you have so clearly illustrated how knitting is empowering. I'm so proud to be a member of this community and a proud knitter.

You've just illustrated all that is wonderful about knitting and about knitting for friends. Thank you.

That is one freakin' hell of a gift. If that doesn't make a person plotz, I don't know what will.

Wow. This brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eyes. What a wonderful, special, tribute of a pair of socks!

very cool

Lovely socks! They've been made even more beautiful by the story of each stitch and they got there.

Thanks for the inspiration.

That is truly amazing.

This? Is made of awesomeness. You are the Best. Friend. Ever. !!

Wow...that is all I can say. Now I want a skein of ST-1.

Wow, that is one amazing pair of socks. And so much love in one pair of socks...I don't think I would ever be able to convince myself to wash them.

Oh, this is so awesome! I can't get over how amazing an idea and gesture this was.

I'm crying; that's beautiful. I feel that "beautiful" is an understatement. Perhaps I mean... awesome, and as Eddie Izzard says, all I can do is gasp and point. It's ... numinous, even.

You are such a wonderful writer and gift giver. I can't think of a better gift or way to remember a historic event.Wish I had been there.

OMG! This post made tear up. You are so full of awesomeness Steph!

like so many others--tearing up and beyond words. you, and all the knitters everywhere, are just fabulous! fabulous!

Best socks ever!

I am a regular reader, but I gotta break out of lurker mode to say: This is one of the coolest, best, nicest, most memorable, most appropriate, most friggin' AWESOME things anyone has ever done for someone else.

With so much talent and love knit into those socks I think I'd frane or bronze them rather than wear them. You are a good friend, what a remarkable gift!

What a wonderful pair of socks to treasure for always. So many memories bound up in every single stitch! Knitting brings so many people together.

A wonderful post! Thoroughly enjoyed putting faces to names that I've heard over the years :))))

That is the most beautiful post and thank you to a friend I've ever seen.

Okay, I admit it! I got to the end of the post and I cried...

Ah, now I have to find my tissues! Those are TRULY Socks that Rock! And both you and Tina rock, too. :)

This post made me cry. What an amazing thing to do. Those have to be the most special socks on the planet.

Can I say again how much you, Tina, and the entire crew of SS09 ROCK?? Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings, and channeling them out via your socks for Tina. *Bunny hugs* =:8

You get so many comments that I'd stopped commenting awhile back. But I just have to say that you made me laugh with this post about all the knitters and the summit and wow - great photos!

Love the sock too. All in all this makes me wish I'd gone to the sock summit but large crowds tend to make me a little crazy, so I passed. Looks like you all had such an amazing time. Great memories!

And I love the socks. You do knit lovely socks!

Oh, Stephanie... I thought I had finished with Sock Summit tears, but you did it again. Everything you say or do seems to make me well up and either get misty or just downright bawl like a baby. Sobs this time, a two-tissue entry. Thank you!

Wow, what a beautiful idea. You brought tears to my eyes and gave me goosebumps. Such an amazing tribute.

You said there would be a finished project for us today and boy did you deliver. Lovely to see the photos of all the luminaries adding their stitches.

Please copy me on the 'Lucy Nearby hole' story.

Love to you all.

For about a million reasons, those might be the best pair of socks ever. Where they were knitted, why they were knitted, by whom they were knitted, and certainly not least, for whom they were knitted. The whole package of all of that inspires awe.

How wonderful a gift! Both physically and emotionally...

I'm sobbing. What a great story about the socks.

THAT IS SO AWESOME.

The best gifts say something about the giver, too, and this one surely does. Stephanie, your spirit shines through brilliantly in your blog and in the larger world. You're a lovely person. (And you're also a wonderful demonstration of Canadian values! Sez this American.)

I've been weepy since last Thursday night - and this put me over again! :-)

During the opening ceremony it struck me that love was the fuel that that was making Sock Summit an event of such awesomeness. I felt it through the whole weekend.

Today it struck me that the willingness to share that love is just as major.

Thank you for sharing with us all.

Awwww!!

Okay, weepy-eyed now...

Again with the goosebumps, Stephanie! Lovely tribute to Tina. I'm thrilled, as always, by the awesomeness of knitters.

tissue, please.

Wow. This is just so sweet it made me cry.

And THAT is what it's all about. Awesome.

I heart you both! Such a lovely gift! I can feel the crocodile tears :)

I've been reading for some time. Many of your blogs have stood out and have things I remember. This one blew me away - what an awesome package (blog and socks) for your friend.

Steph! Again! You have a gift, my friend and it is for words and music in this piece and with this pair of socks. A perfect ending to a perfect event.

Aww, one of the greatest gifts ever given! I wish I could have knit on it too - Tina and you deserve the best life can give... Hugs to you both!!!

Oh Gosh!
That brings tears to my eyes..And too think, I saw you knitting them during the Lum. Panel..
A special bond you 2 have..And you sure know how to 'Build A Summit'
Thanks once again~

Wow. Tears in my eyes, wow.

I may just cry now - that is one of the lovliest posts I've ever read :-)

Blubbering here.

Great post and an amazing idea to have everyone take part. The only problem is that those socks can never be washed. When my youngest was around 8, I washed her favourite stuffed animal "HoneyBear" and she was devastated. She told me that I had "washed all of the love off". Tina will just have to put them on, feel all the love and take them off again!

Sending virtual Kleenex to Tina, 'cause she's probably still crying...in a good way.

I'm crying along with everyone else. How many people could get 200 or so people to cry over socks. Then again, what a gift. The last time anyone received footwear with that kind of power, she just wanted to go home to Kansas.

Steve better get home soon with the back-up kleenex. I'm just about out.

great, now I am crying...

I have to wonder what non-knitting Portlanders and visitors thought driving by that sign. WTH is a Sock Summit? Some kind of boxing event?

I have tears welling in my eyes - these socks are truly an incredibly considerate special, one-of-a-kind gift...

And, in the case of these socks, I don't believe the love can be washed away, the love was KNIT into the socks...and based upon who knit, that knitting is very powerful...

The universe is a better place for having you in it! Carry on!

Just when I thought I've read the best thing you've written, you write something better. This was so nice.

The convention center staff gave you cookies?!

Totally awesome! No other words are necessary.

Wow. Another lurker coming out of the wood-works here.

The gift of friendship is truly priceless, and you've been so generous to share your story in words and pictures. It's wonderful to think how many awesome people contributed - downright Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" happy.

Seriously, I can't wait til next year, I hope I get to go!!! (I really, REALLY hope!)

What an awesome gift. And how perfect that your recipient will totally "get" how meaningful it is.

Oh, and, Barbara Walker's sweater?!? Do you have any more pictures of that??

BEST.
POST.
EVER.
ANYWHERE.

I think you were able to put something into words that I have never even been able to wrap my head around. Each stitch has meaning. Even if they had been knit soley by you (I say that like its a bad thing) those stock tell a story with meaning and memories. Having the knitting all star team knit on them too makes them even more special. I hope Tina will still feel like she can put them on her feet.

You have such a gift with words. And I love it when people break your heart with awesomeness.

Now go relax some more.

Beautiful.

Husband enters room..."what!!!???" General alarm tones ringing in his head.
Me choke, gasp, waves at monitor. He reads...nods.."wow"
Beautiful Steph

That was such a beautiful post. What a tribute to a friendship! :-)

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Knitters are just wonderful!
Thanks for sharing that -- and all the sharing you do.

Oh, hell, I might just have to start knitting socks if you're going to be so damned poetical with them and all.

Also, and just so you know, you and your team get my vote for World Leaders - clearly, you'd run it right!

Thankyou Stephanie for writing this tribute to Tina. What a wonderful friendship you have and seeing how much you cherish it is lovely. I am almost crying here at my desk, it would not be good to be choked up and have to answer the 911 phone, but I want to be just like you guys when I grow up..

Your blog has been a life changing event for me, although that probably wasn't in your plan. Rediscovering knitting has been a lifesaver for me, hopefully we will get to meet someday. I will be in Toronto at the end of the month..hint, hint!!

What can I say, I cried, I laughed, and cried again. Thank you for sharing you gift with the rest of us.

WOW!!!! I just explained the whole concept to my husband (Mr. Non-Knitter) and how amazing it is with all the AMAZING knitters contributing... His response: 'Wow, sounds like knitters are a really neat group of people.'
Uh... YEAHH!!!!

Congrats on a fabulous Sock Summit!

What a lovely tribute to a loved friend.

ack again I am weepy over your blog post. never has so much love been passed around the convention center in POrtland Oregon. Thank you again.

BELLISIMA!!! what beautiful things said.

Just this unforgettable song for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmGIPdJ4AA0
(no spam, just "Friends will be friends" from Queen Wembley 86 ;-) )
Love your spirit, Stephanie!

I knew I couldn't be the only person sitting here crying.

It's amazing that something so small as a pair of socks could hold so much knitterly love.

I've never been brought to tears before over socks... But here I am, with tears streaming down my face. Beautiful, the socks, the meaning, and the heart that thought to make them reality. Stephanie, you are one amazing woman, and I wished I had a friend like you.

Awwww....how incredibly sweet. What a great friend you are to Tina -- but she probably knows that already.

I have tears in my eyes!! Thanks for taking us deeper into everything that you got to do and all of the incredible people you got to be with! AWESOMENESS!!!

Wow, what an honor to witness such a gift, knitterly and verbally. You both are blessed to be in each other's lives.

Wow, fantastic socks.

For Tina, the knowlede that all of these people have contributed to the knitting of these socks, not to mention all the work you have done on them and the love that has been knit into them is such a beautiful gift and sure to be more than appreciated. There are bound to be tears.

For you, to have had the experience of meeting, greeting, chatting and knitting with all of these fabulous people all in one place at one time is bound to be a lifetime experience. It's been a first and oh how much of a fantastic first!

Congratulations on a successful Sock Summit, all of the reports around here and there are not only positive but ecstatic and joyous and between you and Tina and your helpers you did it. Here's to the power of knitting socks for drawing the knitters of the world together!

And as an inadvertent side-benefit, you've improved my opinion of myself. Yesterday's photos didn't really indicate who was at the retreat; when I got to Meg Swansen and realized you'd arranged for ALL the teachers to have time together afterward I was so pleased -- and so impressed with your forethought and empathy. Then I realized that it hadn't occurred to me to be envious, and my self-esteem knew no bounds. (We're not talking second or third thoughts, but still.) Now for God's sake go home and check into Intensive Care and have them put you into one of those induced comas which allow people to heal before surfacing...

A lovely, lovely post. Thank you Steph.

Who knew a pair of socks could make me cry? And I see I'm not the only one with tears running down my cheeks.

Well done, all of you!

Those poor socks... no pressure... so much greatness to hold onto and release over the years.

Will Tina wear them or just frame them and stroke them now and again when she needs some knitting magic?

That is the loveliest tribute to a friend I have ever read or seen. You both are lucky, lucky, friends.

Tearing up over this one... so moving.... Socks with super power for Tina; incredible photo documentary for us!

I hope Tina cried when she got these socks. It's about all you could do when you get a gift so meaningful.

Wow, this post made me a little verklempt! It sums up sock summit so wonderfully.

Dear Stephanie,
One of the most wonderful things I have ever read - I'm crying over the beauty of it - your gesture of friendship to Tina - and that all the stars of the knitterly galaxy added stitches (I am including you, of course).
To be part of the knitting community has never felt better

Ok, so, I teared up and thought, "Dang, I'm hormonal obviously, socks are making me cry, at least, that's what I'll say." but then I read other people teared up too, so I don't need to use a lame excuse.

That totally made me cry. That's wonderful. <3

Everything... Just beautiful.

I haven't cried this much since the last time I watched "It's a Wonderful Life"!

Speechless. (I am.)
And Tina will be, too.
(((Hugs)))

Oh my - this was the most touching thing I have read in awhile. What a wonderful gift that you can give to Tina.

You all rock! Sock Summit was so fabulous. For me it was life-changing. Thank you for all of your hard work.

I don't know that I've ever before been moved to tears by a tale of socks.

I'm just going to have to change my name to Tina. Either that, or you're just going to have to adopt me. Your choice..... We all ♥ you!

I think this is the first time a sock has made me cry. Wait...no. Just the first time they've been happy tears.

Thank you for being such a great knitter and for giving me photos of all those great knitters...

So cool. When I grow up I want friends like yours :)

And that 'lil 'ole thing called the Sock Summit. Well it was FREAKIN AWESOME! You, your dear friends, your families - thank you to all - that event was something I will never forget.

Very cool present for a very nice person!

What can I say? I can hardly see to type. You've got me weeping all over my computer keyboard again!!!!!! Those socks need to be framed with appropriate signage. They need to be in the sock museum of the next Sock Summit. Stephanie, you blow me away!!! Cheers, Hazel.

That is some good mojo in those socks!

Whoa! Did you ever imagine that there were so many who would 'get' knitting and you? I am so glad you chose to take this path - what an awesome friend you are. The rest of us would do well to have a friend so thoughtful and generous of spirit.

Brava Harlot! Viva SPM!

How lovely !!
What a star studded pair of socks. And what a fantastic and touching idea.
Wow....WOW !!!

It's probably hormones... but I teared up through that!

I love this post, because that's exactly how I look at the gifts I knit for people. And the yarn I've knit or spun myself, all the memories and general goodness is permanently attached.

Lovely.

Holy shit, I'm crying over a damn sock. And not in frustration or anger.

Never thought I'd see the day.

As I watched you knitting on those socks throughout the sock summit, it didn't occur to me that they might be for Tina. I imagined they were your own personal souvenier of what you had accomplished. I feel like I shared in something very special having seen the actual sock you were knitting on. I believe I even have a picture of you knitting on it at the Luminary panel. I would imagine Tina can't even talk about it with out crying. A friendship like yours is so very rare and it was so obvious at all of the events that you and Tina have something many of us will never experience. Thanks for sharing and THANK YOU both for giving so much of yourselves for all of us.

Wow..

I won't repeat what everybody said. But I can tell you I felt the same way when I gave my friend Lucie a pair of socks (Froot Loops from Knitty.com with Cherry Tree Hill yarn) and I believe that we infuse our knitted gift with our souls... (Although mine didn't have as many souls than yours !!) Cheers and be the recipients of our knitted gifts as glad to receive them as we are in making them !!

gulp...

i can't imagine how tina feels right now. i feel it to the depth of my soul, and the socks aren't mine. she's so lucky to have you stephanie. you are amazing.

beautiful. powerful. reading this post just made the world make sense.

this one made me cry, steph. congrats to you & tina on a great success. :)

Wow. Just. Wow.

I was truly moved to tears by your post. Congratulations to all of you on the Sock Summit and all of its success! You deserve it!

wow just wow - what an amazing gift from so many people

And now I'm crying again. Awesome.

So much love to you all.

What a wonderful entry, so full of love and respect. It also contains something I aspire to and never quite achieve. You describe Barbara Walker as a graceful lady and I have no doubt that she is. I so want to be described that way someday. Thanks for the great read.

Every minute counts.

Awesome socks!

Wow, that was such a wonderful journey and proves that socks and knitting are more than wool and motion.

Wow...the socks and the story that goes along with them! You are truly and inspiration for all knitters.

*waaaahhh*

That is all.

Wonderful! And here I thought I was at a point where my face had stopped hurting from all the smiling:))))

What a wonderful post about a wonderful friendship between two exceptional individuals. Add to that the love and affection of so many people putting their stamp of love into the knitting of a special pair of socks and you have a heartfelt gift. Congrats on a stupendous job.

While we love our families, for the most part, and our significant others, for the most part, there is nothing IMHO that can take the place of a true friend. And to be able to give your good friend something so special and symbolic of that friendship is just so wonderful. You just take the cake, don't you?! How long did you plan this?

all those wonderful knitters on one pair of socks! the most awesome gift! and so moving....

WHAT A GREAT THING TO DO. So simple, yet so meaningful. I said it before the Summit even happened, that you two had already achieved what they said was "impossible", and then Tina went and called me and took it further!

After meeting both of you at SS, I was blown away, both by your obvious caring for every single person there, and for each other and your entire team... I had a fabulous time, loved what time I had with both of you, and heart you and Tina FOREVER. I can't wait to do it again, when we've all recovered. I cannot imagine how the two of you survived it: you surely must have been carrying each other. I HEART HEART HEART you both!

I wondered who the recipient of those socks would be... but now, how much more will they mean, having been knit on by all the glitterati of the Summit? And Abby knitting on a sock? Okay, so she didn't actually make a pair of socks, but still... (you know I heart you, Abby, if you see this)

Geez, so much more I want to say, but the tearing up is making it hard to see. I had to wait for an hour or so before I could even write THIS.

You both ROCK. You DID climb the Mt. Everest of knit gatherings, and wow, we set records, and it will be impossible for anyone else to top the accomplishments of the SS Team!!!

Oh yeah, and Steph, thanks for telling me that "the next time you see me, I'm yours"... so I could get some extra help with the lever knitting thing. It didn't happen, which was totally understandable under the circumstances. I'm still working on it, on my own, and I'll get it figured out. Forgive me, please! I should never have asked you when you were so worn out already... Love and hugs til we meet again!

Beyond sweet.

Best gift ever.

OK...great looking socks....where do I get the pattern??? :-)

This is one of the most beautiful posts I've ever read. Thank you for sharing this with us all.

Wow, that is SOME pair of socks!

Steph - just saw the finished "blanket" from July - where can I get the pattern for that?

Harlot: I am not going to be able to add anything that hasn't already been said, but this tribute was awesome. I have tears coming down my face. Sista hood - - that is what it is all about.

Terrific post! That's one busy pair of socks!

Wow, socks made of 100% awesomeness!

Um...gross ocean stuff?

What a wonderful tribute to your friend. And what a novel solution to SSS...!

Absolutely lovely! Beautiful, meaningful, poignant, and lovely.

This was such a powerful and meaningful entry in your blog. It brought tears to my eyes that you care about your friend so much that you had other wonderful people contribute to the knitting of the socks. Those socks are positively magic.

Wow. Reading this was such a wonderful way to end my day.

I have tears in my eyes, as well. Lovely post. I'm so glad you and Tina and friends were able to conceive and produce such a magical gathering despite all challenges.

Absolutely lovely. I can't stand knitting socks, ands now, I want to make some, I am so inspired. How awesome to have all that mojo on one pair of sox.

And Tina, if you are ever broke and down on your luck (unlikely I know, but...) you now have a nest egg, a treasure for which you could pretty well name your price lol! Those socks have the most knitterly mojo imagineable.

Oh boy. A great knitter. A great writer. A great friend. You've got it all, kiddo!

Making dreams come true; that, is how you've affected so many.

Your gift is perfect. (I'm sure.)

A Knitter's Salute to you!

An utterly poignant, perfect tribute to your friend.

They are special "Memory Socks" and a wonderful memento of a memorable occasion. What a thoughtful present for a dear friend. I'm sure she'll cherish them.

Liz E.

This post made me feel like a warm shawl on a brisk autumn day does. You are all lucky to have each other. We aren't often surrounded by benevolent comprehension.

omg wow. there just are no words for how awesome those socks are. just wow

i had to blow my nose after that one.

Wow.

What a wonderful way to thank her.

I only had the chance to talk to Tina only a few times . . . and I think she's one of the sweetest, most kind-hearted women I've ever met. (My favorite was when she tried to usher me into a classroom in Hall C when I was on my way to get a drink of water. I flashed my green badge at her, and we had a good laugh. :o)

Stephanie, this isn't the first time one of your posts has made me cry like a baby...but I think it's my favorite. This is so unbelievably beautiful I can't even see the screen.

What a wonderful thing the two of you (and your crew) gave the world. Congratulations and well done.

Beautifully said and done.

You made me cry. This is a good thing. Thank you.

oh,.. i am moved to tears, so much love, so dear,
you are so dear.thanks

I am #351, comment-wise, so I know you'll never read this, but I just have to say that Tina is one lucky lady to have a friend like you. And to be a sock knitter!

Those socks rock - 'nuff said.

Wow. This post is about Knitting with a capital K.

Wow, Stephanie, what a work of love. Tina, you deserve those. Then again, so does Stephanie. Thank you for everything SS09 was. It couldn't have been better. Snugs, Mikki

That (the sock & the sentiment) is beautiful. Well done.

What a loving, friendship-blessed post.
Thank you for sharing!

I cried happy tears, too. What a wonderful journey story!

Brilliant. Putting on a spectacular weekend, knitting the socks for tina, getting all of those special people to contribute... brilliant. Well done.

what a loving tribute to friendship - and all the hard won success.
I think they need to be framed (along with a copy of this post and photos. )Those socks are stellar.

The. . .best. . .ever!

Brilliant!!
I can't believe I'm teary over a pair of socks...and on the other hand, I totally can!

Those are the most amazing socks I have ever seen. Absolutely stunning to think how much love and talent went into them!

those are beautiful socks!

i'm working a scarf right now for a wonderful friend who is having a not-so-wonderful few weeks. and now i will ask all of the other wonderful people we both care an awful lot about to each add (at least) one slim row of lace so that we can infuse it with love and community. because why shouldn't yarn and a simple (or not so simple) yarn project reflect all of the love we have to give?

thank you for sharing yourself with so much grace with all of us strangers--it makes a difference.

A beautiful reinforcement of the special kind and loving person I have seen you be.

Whenever we are creating a garment of any type for someone else, we infuse some of ourselves into the project. Good luck, best wishes, prayers for healing -- these are all common ways for us to feel that we are helping and sharing in the blessings. However, you have taken it even farther, with these socks filled with extra-special love from so many fantastic people. Thank you for being the loving, caring person that you are! And once again, thanks for a wonderful time in Portland!

Those are the BEST socks EVER!!!

Wow! Truly an amazing group of people are part of the fiber arts community This loving gesture is yet another example. Thanks for sharing the special meaning to these wonderful socks.

This is so touching and beautiful. I'm crying.

I've read your blog and bought yarn from Tina. But I fell in love with both of you when you chaired the Luminary Panel.
You two women symbolize to me everything that was wonderful about SS and about knitting itself.

WAY TOO COOL!!!!! Those socks are so special that wearing them will be like having everyone you love and look up to hugging you (and especially your feet) all at the same time!!! It's so cool and inspiring that I think I'm going to do something similar for a friend of mine who has terminal cancer. He's the most amazing and awesome lace knitter I have ever met and he'll love it! Best of all, it will give all the other knitters who love him a way to express their love and appreciation of him. I've already designed the colorway just for him and had planned on knitting him a pair of socks myself, but now after reading this I know he would really get a kick out of having a pair of socks that everyone worked on. Thanks so much for sharing your brilliant idea! Your gift to Tina has already inspired another gift and I bet it will inspire many, many more!

Beautiful intentions, words, and actions. Well done and thanks for sharing.

teared up, but also cheered up by such love between fiber friends.

I'm pretty sure those are the most amazing and magical socks that have ever existed. Tina will treasure them always.

Only another knitter would truly know what a wonderful gift you are giving to Tina!

But, if she ever wants to sell them, she needs to do an auction on Ravelry - can you imagine how much they'd go for?!?!?!

Wow.

I'd never wear them, just put them in one of those shadowbox frames with a print out of this blog entry.

Wow.

I can barely see my screen to type these words. The tears that brought to my eyes! Steph, Tina, although I wasn't able to attend the Summit, I have been reading blog posts from people who did from the time they decided to go up until they got back and from one knitter to another...thank you! Thank you for touching the lives of my friends. Tina, if you read this...wear those socks in good health. And Steph, may you continue to knit in good health for many years, my dear, and may you continue to inspire the knitters in us all.

it's so funny that just last evening i read the passage in your "Things I've Learned From Knitting" about the diced hose for the undeserving bagpiper and all the bad karma that ended up in that project which was passed on to him and now this morning i see this passage of love, friendship and sock creation which entwines the complete opposite of the above mentioned pair! for tina, a project touched and woven with all the goodwill imaginable... super-karma power socks to be worn out boldly into a sometimes unfriendly world, providing a buffer of love between her and all that awaits.

This...this actually brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing tribute.

I can only second all the posts before me, this did fill my eyes with tears, what a wonderful friendship, you are so lucky to have each other. May the next 50 years be filled with the warmth, caring and love you have for each other. Thanks for sharing the saga of the socks, I hope Tina wears them in good health and frames them after they are all worn out.

Stephanie, you have me tearing up and as I type it's difficult to see through the tears of happiness and joy that this post has instilled in me. What a wonderful gift (the socks) and fitting tribute to your SS09 partner in crime. You are an amazing person and friend. Tina is not only gifted and talented, but incredibly fortunate to be your friend and SS partner. It is apparent from your post that you truly love this sister of your heart. Kudos to you both for what I have read and heard was a fanstastic event and I hope I can be there for the next SS.

What a wonderful offering to your friendship. Tina, how are you ever going to wear those socks? I think I'd have them framed...

Wow - that is some amazing wonderfulness! And what a community of contributors...a true testament of loving friendship.

WOW! What more can you say, that is one incredible gift!

Again, I am close to tears. Lovely, simply lovely. What a wonderful gift.

I wish I had a friend who was thoughtful enough to knit me a pair of socks like that. What a wonderful gift! Tina is one lucky friend. And here I was all excited that Anna Zilboorg touched the book she autographed for me and Tina gets socks that she knit on!

These socks are priceless...Only a real friend can put all this into a pair of socks.

Aren't good friends an amazing gift.!! And I am sure she feels the same way about you...

That's one awesome pair of socks!

OK, there's a seriously funny side to all this (as well as the incredibly moving side): around the world, knitters are sitting at their computers (in living rooms, offices, parks, wherever they read this blog) crying (come on, you know you are too) over how beautifully Stephanie thanks Tina. There are so many electronically generated mass phenomena in the world nowadays--it's nice to imagine this kind of generous emotion propagating outwards over the wires...

What an amazing sock journey, and yes, it brough a tear to my ey too !!

Oh, I'm crying. That was beautiful, Stephanie. You are such a good friend, and all of those women are so lucky to have you, too. I hope when you write your book about the first Sock Summit (you have to, you know), you include this letter as the last chapter, pictures and all.

When does the video come out? And what is the background music (because we all know Tina has some tume for this one)? What a great "closing" to your awesome sock summit!

What a wonderful memento for you of a special time. I really wanted to go to sock summit, but I was very content to start my first teaching job last week!

Getting people to sniffle over a pair of socks = excellent writing. So glad you have the oomph to post again--it hasn't been the same without you!

Steph, you made me cry!! Absolutely lovely writing. If that were me, I would frame those socks and put them on the wall, but I guess the most perfect tribute would be to wear them as they were meant to be worn.

Again, congratulations on an outstanding success.

Now how am I supposed to read your post and eat my lunch while I'm blubbering over here? Beautiful post. I wish I could have attended the Summit. Thank you for all you do.

How sweet! A friendship like that only happens once in a "Blue moon" (no pun intended). Cherish it.

What a beautiful gift you have given to Tina and to all of us, too. I hope that someone special to you has made you a beautiful gift, as well. You so deserve it -- Your wonderful humor and joie de vivre was all over SS09, and made it sing. I am still glowing from it. Thanks again.

how very sweet!
it's like the sisterhood of the traveling sock
you knit on and you look like alexis bledel!

i actually just started reading your blog and i started in the archives but the photos of this post caught my eye. i'm going back to the archives now - i'm in feb 2004. so i'll read this again sometime in 2013 and it will be just like the first time!

I can't wait!!

what a lovely, loving tribute. i am all choked up. that kind of friendship is truly a blessing!

That's one of the loveliest things I've read in a good, long while. You both are blessed to have each other. And a kick-ass pair of socks.

Oh man, I just am gonna need to put a box of Kleenex by my computer whenever I read your blog. Wow, I would never take them off! Enjoy.
Jody

I've been telling everyone how wonderful it was to witness your friendship right there in front of all of us.
So this post sort of doesn't surprise me at all!

Wow! These are like the best mojo socks of all time, d'ya think?

Now Tina needs to wear them while watching her favourite SG-1 episodes just to christen them even more.

[Of course, she may just want to put them on stretchers and display them on the wall where she can look at them and smile!]

the love in those socks is amazing

Okay, you made me cry. Admitidly not difficult to do, but still, that was very beautiful. What a good friend you are.

Thank you all for a great time!

All that coolness and inspiration, all knit up into a pair of socks. I am so hoping that you do SS next year - I would love to attend.

What a wonderful gift. All those wonderful people adding in that little something extra to your already thoughtful, sensational gift. If I were Tina, I'd have a hard time deciding whether to wear them, or frame them.

This is so beautiful. (((tears!)))

What a wonderful tribute and gift for such a great friend. I was touched by your ability to get all those wonderful guest knitters to participate in your secret.

You can be my friend any time.

I'm crying too. What a wonderful tribute to a true friend.

Moved me to tears. What a truly thoughtful gift. You're all lucky to be part of one another's lives.

What an incredible gift to be treasured forever! Yarn Harlot, you did a good one on this gift.

That did it; my mascara's running.

This was so touching and beautiful, it made me cry. I hope to one day have a friend as awesome as you are to Tina.

I wondered what that little "goober" was on Tina's beautiful sock (first picture). Now that I know it's a Neatby Goober, I want to put one in every sock I knit :)

When you're tired of them, Tina, the Smithsonian should be about ready to open up a Knitting Wing and they can have pride of place in it.

Thanks for sharing and for being you!

Just wow!

WOW - what a great gift!

You made me cry. What a beautiful post.

you made tina cry. Nice going girlfriend.

All that's missing is a good picture of Tina herself. You guys did something wonderful together and that bond will last forever, even if the socks don't. (But they are beyond beautiful and filled with love). Thanks for sharing.

still crying...

All I can say is, you and Tina are both very blessed women.

Steph,

What a beautiful post. You made me cry again. *sniffle* What wonderful mojo in those socks. I'm awed by the love and respect that was knit into those socks. I am also one of those who feel that the emotions and intentions you have are knit into the garment (that's why I never knit mad). What wonderful women you, Tina and all of your cohorts are. Makes me proud to be a woman who knits socks.

Much rest to you.

That is the BEST gift ever. And thank you for SockSummit it was beyond awesome!!!

I would just like to touch them and think about the people who have worked on them!!!

These can't be worn! They need to be centre stage in a photo montage of all the wonderful knitters who put in a few stitches.

For some reason, the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour started running thru my head when I read this post. If those aren't goosebump inducing socks then I don't know what are!

What a lovely tribute. They should go on the sock timeline and go down in sock history. But they should be worn.

What you've created here is a knitting mojo containment grid. If the power were ever to be turned off, there would be a mojo release of epic proportions.

What a wonderful gift...to all of us. Thanks for capturing the love that goes into a handmade gift. I heart you.

This is what is special about knitting. Thank you.

Speaking of socks....
If you *really* love socks as much as I know most of us reading your blog do love socks, please see a handmade sock in action:

http://www.youtube.com/user/digsisland

I just love handmade socks, and this particular one was well darned before it started an acting career.
Best, and love this blog, Jen

What an absolutely beautiful gift. You are awesome Stephanie!

I want this yarn...please tell me where in the world can I buy some?

OMG - I am all choked up and grabbing a Kleenex. What a wonderful, wonderful gift.

Those SOCKS truely ROCK - and so do you, Steph!

You Steph are an Awesome Woman!
I am Inspired by you and your work!
Thank You!!!

I think my knitterly soul just exploded with the awesomness and love stitched into those socks.

Well done and well said.

I just added an additional invisible stitch.

Thanks for sharing.

OMG, if I would ever receive a pair of socks like that...I would never dare to wear it... I would most probably frame it and hang it onm my wall...

Such a beautiful tribute to a friend! Curse my preggo hormones as I sob in appreciation.

THAT is probably one of the best love letters I have read and to have a friend who would write such a letter is one of the greatest treasures in life. Tina is very fortunate.
Steph, know that your knitterly friends have an invisible pair going and it will have to do until we can all get together and do YOUR socks...for you are also loved!

Wow, that made me teary. What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful friend. And what a fabulous gift to remember the amazing time you both had. Thanks for sharing it.

Dear Stephanie,
I would give every pair of socks I have ever made to have a friend like you, and I have made a few. Consider moving out to the Pacific Northwest--great music scene for Joe and few killer winters or summers. True, Canada has it over the US in a few things but we're not so bad. I recommend Olympia although here in Tacoma we have the fabulous Mount Rainier.

The work you did on the Summit, the memories you helped to create, THE SOCK, all priceless.
Wish I were there.

How could she help but love them? A beautiful tribute to a beautiful friend.

What an absolutely wonderful gift for your colleague, Stephanie! And how thoughtful of you to have enlisted so many iconic knitters to take part in their creation. I think I might not want to wear them, but rather frame them... and I love Lucy Neatby's 'hole'!

Beautiful Stephanie, just beautiful. And the view of Port L. behind the socks gorgeous too. Thanks to the luminaries for letting us share their wind-down time via your wonderful photos and lucky Tina to have this tangible tribute of love and friendship. Great job, both of you.

An incredible gift of love - you two are a force to be reckoned with. "empowering, strengthening, mighty, fierce, humbling", that is how I regard the knitting community.

Damn, honey! Those socks all but glow with greatness! A great gift indeed!

Hard to believe that there are people out there who would ever have anything bad to say about you...shame on them, you are obviously a loving and thoughtful friend!!!

Sigh. Thank you so much for just simply getting it and being able to express it so well. I'm not one for tears, but you just brought one to my eye.

that's just so lovely!

Wow, that made me cry. Wonderful friends :)

That may be one of the sweetest blog posts I've ever read, anywhere. It brought tears to my eyes and made me feel so honored to have gotten to be at sock summit, surrounded by such amazing people.

all that talent, in a pair of socks! lucky Tina-- thanks for sharing!

Lovely. The story of a sock...

Love surpasses all and brings us all together. Bless you and Tina. And those beautiful beautiful socks.

Awwwwwwwwww. :)

Wow Steph, what a friend you are....

That's so touching. Love it.

Wow. Socks with the power of love and friendship knit right in. As the Yarn Harlot would say, those socks have superpowers. Who would think you could touch so many people's lives with a small item that keeps your feet warm? Socks that fit just right and are as big as eternity. It was an honor to read that.

Oh. My. Gosh. Further proof that hand knit socks are never "just socks". Wish I could have been there for all of the fun, but considering the reports I've been hearing ALL OVER THE INTERNET about how awesome it was, you guys did a great thing! :-)

Wow... beautiful,and very special socks, for a very special friend... Wow...

Those socks should be framed!!

Wow, now that's what I call a pair of socks!
Congrats to you both on pulling off what sounds like an amazing time. Wish I could have been there.

What an impressive, and dare I say overwhelmingly sweet, gesture to show one's love.

I'm tearing up.

One commenter said that you, Steph, make her want to be a better person, and I concur wholeheartedly. Your sensitivity to others, your genuine kindness, and your spirit make the world a better place. We are all lucky you share a bit of yourself with us. Thank you.

Great. Now you've made me cry first thing on a Monday morning.

A wonderful homage to a great friend, and the power of knitting to bring us all together.

Holy Crow! Astoundingly beautiful, Stephanie. And what a great gift to all of us who read your blog to see the pictures of all of those amazing, inspirational, talented, giving, smart, independent people that I've read and only know by the pictures on the back cover of their books.

Thank YOU!

Steph, that was awesome. Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to get others to knit and get the pix. (As if you had nothing else to do!)

That made me all teary and weepy. :)

You are such an amazing woman, it brings tears to my eyes.

I enjoy your blog so much and I just think you're awesome.

Love,

Ashley

I'm just glad I'm not the only person who cried over this post. Truly beautiful. And the fact that during all the noise and confusion you were able to get all of those people to contribute to this wonderful gift is a testament to your determination and your thoughtfulness. An absolute treasure!

I love how every single knitter who worked on Tina's sock with you, has the a beatific, satisfied look on their face. A testament to the power of not just knitting--but knitting a pair of socks out of love for a friend.

That's a freakin' awesome tribute! Stephanie, you remind me that there are yet people of goodness on this mud ball. Thank you!

*sniffle* That's the most beautiful tribute I've ever read. Well done!

Coolest Socks Ever!!!!

Those just might be the most powerful socks in the entire universe!

I totally forgot to ask earlier, were you wearing clean pants when you met Barbara Walker?
Talk about sock MOJO! I agree with Andrea at 1:40 (8-17), those just might be the most powerful socks in the Universe!

Oh my. That is possibly the most fromantic* thing I have ever read!! I almost teared up but then I started to hyperventilate at all the awesome knit folk that you got to hang out with on Retreat.
*(Friend + Romance = Fromance...the love and devotion of friends. Not to be mistaken for the love and decvotion to curly curly hair.)

What a perfect gift for your friend! I'm sure she will treasure them forever.

Those socks are almost too special to wear!

Stephanie, that is quite possibly the most moving thing I've ever seen. You silly woman, you've made me cry and I don't do that very often. What a precious thing to do for another human being. All with some darned string and some sticks. Incredible.

Great KARMA sox
&
Friendships this good are gold in this world.

What a beautiful present. This post was so touching it made me tear up!

Wow. I'd soooooo want to keep them! You are a good friend to a good friend.

What an amazingly love-filled pair of socks, and what a joyful and brilliant bit of the best sort of mischief-making to make them -- and enlist so many beloved friends to help -- right under her nose!

Thankyou for giving us glimpses of what Sock Summit has meant to you. I'm glad you got time with some of your heroes. Lovely.

And that is Knitting Magic of the very best kind. :o)

So powerful.

I enjoyed seeing the hand positions used by the various knitters who knit on the sock.

For the inordinately and unqualifiedly stupendously wonderful Sock Summit and this blog and your books and all

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Nan

Wow ! That pair of socks sure packs a hellava punch in the Mojo department. Wear them in peace, love, prosperity, and as kick-ass Sock Summit TOTEMS!!! Love ya Both~

This post probably captures everything that I find so engaging about your writing and blogging. You have energy and enthusiasm and are all about the creating and the joy and the living.

Thank you for taking the time to write for us. I really appreciate you sharing your passions.

That is one fantatsic post. That is what knitting is all about. Lovely.

beautiful & perfect. :)

What an AMAZING gift and post!

Stephanie, You are so gifted with words... but here you are also gifted with heart. Only people with heart are surrounded with such loving folks, and only you could make such a gift and write about it so perfectly.

The Sock Summit was a peak moment in my own life. Thank you for the best party, ever. It was powerful, full of relationship, and emphasized all the best things about being female.

My passion is ethnic/Turkish socks. I spent 4.5 hours with Deb Robson, Priscilla Gibson-Roberts, Nelda Davis, and had dinner with those fine women plus Anna Zilboorg. We talked ethnic socks and inspected a few pairs I own, until we could not stay awake.

I might never have met PGR without this event. I can not tell you how big that is for me. Her book changed my career, and I was able to thank her for that.

I didn't knit you socks in thanks, but now I wish I had.

My life is different now. Thank you.

LynnH, again in Lansing, Mich.

*awe, just in awe*

Sniff Sniff.

Magical socks from a special lady to her partner in all things wonderful! You guys rock ....and deserve a good rest up before the next spectacular gathering. Hope I am lucky enough to be there, too.

That is the single most awesome knitting blog post I've ever read. My head is spinning at the knitting luminaries you got to knit on your friend's sock! Traveling to Sock Summit was just a dream for me but your post made me feel--just a little--like I was there. Thanks for the feeling!

Beautiful. The socks, and the story.

I think these socks are possibly the greatest handmade gift ever...all of those good thoughts and knitting mojo and incredible experiences knit into two socks...just unbelievable. And the story behind them is just as wonderful.

I didn't make it to the Sock Summit because of work issues, but these posts make me feel like I was there in some small way. What you and Tina and ST-2 did was nothing short of amazing and will go down in knitting history. Thank you for that.

oh gah.. Harlot- you made me cry over socks.

you're amazing. that is all.

oh gah.. Harlot- you made me cry over socks.

you're amazing. that is all.

What a wonderful idea. I loved the pictures and the watching the socks pass through the trip was just incredible! But then, that's how you are!

that's amazingly cool.

Dear Steph:
I was not there. I am trying to continue to be okay with that - I had trouble enrolling at the beginning, for at least 2 days. It never happened for me and since (at that chronological point) my available time was short, my mental attitude could not be short due to professional constraints, and the heaping amount of organization it would have taken to pull off a trip at the time the summit was occasioned, I decided I would let it go -- not come (this time, hoping there would be another one), and that would be that.
Well, it's not so true for me anymore. I really regret not coming.
I have looked at your post, and other posts, and photos, and at the faces and connecting names, and for that alone, the experience would have been well worth it, since there are many shrines in my home to these people.
Thanks for enlightenment.

I really enjoyed this post. That was a very clever idea, and so thoughtful. Your ideas seem to expand into universe shattering events..from small acorns oak trees grow. Let me just say I was hoping you were entertaining the idea of an East Coast Sock Summit (Boston?) because if you do, I know it will happen beyond my wildest dreams and perhaps even yours.

Stephanie - What a beautiful thought for your friend. The whole story brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing this we all of your fans.
Sock Summit was such a fabulous event!!! I cannot thank you and Tina enough for bringing this event to life. The time, effort, stress and hard work by eveyone was so appreciated.
SS09 will be remembered for a VERY long time!!!!

I just read this through again. And it made me cry. Again. Turns out Barbara Walker was the kicker both times, but adding in awesome Anne H. made me make scary emotional noises.

One of these days, I'll do something close to this awesome for both of my best friends. And my mother. You're proof it can be done!