I just finished socks for my husband Matt and they turned out lovely. They were a very belated 1st wedding anniversary gift (we were married Dec 31) that he received Easter morning. I knit them in our wedding colors and embroidered 1st on one of the legs.
Matt adores the knit items I’ve created for him. Why I don’t cover this man in more handknits is beyond me. He’s my biggest fan.
The socks took me FOREVER because during the first 4 months of my pregnancy, it made me nauseous to knit. It was like being out to sea with no land in sight! Awful. Thankfully my knitting mojo is back in full swing. Since I’m on a roll, I ought to cast on another pair. Right?
Matt has very thin, narrow feet. I’ve knit him socks before, but they just aren’t a perfect fit. They’re wearable, but I know I could do better. I knit the anniversary socks at a finer gauge and made the pattern up. They turned out great, but not ideal.
Just the other day, I remembered I took Anne’s Designing Off The Cuff class at Sock Camp a couple years ago. I went and dug out my notes and what a brilliant class that was. If only I put those techniques to use! That’s what Anne’s probably saying out loud as she reads this.
In the class we learned that successfully fitting socks really isn’t a mystery of the universe. It’s just a little math. I looked at her in disbelief, but she said, “don’t worry. I’ve written a pattern with a worksheet and all you do is take some measurements, fill in the blanks, and follow the right size all the way through.” Then she passed out The Sock Pattern to End All Sock Patterns. Why in the world did I never put this into practice? A class I paid good money for? What a waste. Wow, I sound like my mother.
Anywho, the pattern is brilliant and super easy to do. It even gives you creative freedom, if you choose, because you can plug a lot of knit and purl stitch patterns into her recipe and design your own sock.
Last night, I took measurements of Matt’s foot, knit swatches (yeah, that’s right. I do that too now.), and plugged all my info into the pattern. Piece of cake. Did I mention this pattern was brilliant? This time around, I didn’t feel like designing my own sock. I really wanted to take all this info I gathered and apply it to another knitspot sock pattern.
Stash diving I went…
I found some gems that Matt would love. I swatched a few and then went to the knitspot archives. Love my job!
Did you know Anne has written over 50 sock patterns? Incredible! Here are my contenders for the yarns above…
Tottering Cables – David’s fave. Very stretchy sock for an all-over-cable pattern.
It was hard to narrow my options down to just these! At least 30 knitspot socks are unisex designs, because Anne mostly knits socks for David. I called her about my discoveries and you know what she said,”you should blog about it.” I asked her a few questions about the designs before we hung up.
Anne said she essentially knits men’s socks that a woman would wear. Almost all her sock patterns are multi-sized. In SPEASP, there are 17 sizes! Anne said it’s a perfect pattern to knit if you live with someone who has a freakishly big or small foot. Also, there’s different sizes every four stitches, so you can really hone in on the perfect fit. From the cuff to the toe. Anne said people tell her all the time it’s the best-fitting sock they’ve made because of the heel area. The pattern has you knit a stockinette section after the leg and before the heel. Even if you have thick ankles, the sock will look great! Anne also swears this method makes your socks stay on your feet better.
I love all my choices, but at the last minute I found School Sock.
The pattern description says, top-down sock in four sizes features a knit/purl motif which extends down the leg and over the top of the foot, creating a fabric which resembles a “school plaid”. This was it! Matt & I both went to Catholic schools and he would find this very amusing. But I thought I would take the “school” theme a bit further. He is a die hard Michigan State University fan and years ago I bought Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in the MSU colorway.
Last Fall, Matt took me to my first Michigan State University football game and I could see what all the hype was about.
The game was a blast! After, I secretly bought patches from the souvenir shop for a future project. Isn’t this combo perfect?!
I’m off to knit MSU fan socks for Matt. I’ll let you know how my research/measurements/planning worked out along the way. Oh! How about a contest? Leave a comment about a sock knitting escapade (could be your’s or someone else’s) by 9 pm EST April 22 and I will give one lucky winner TWO sock patterns of their choice!
127 thoughts on “Vintage Knitspot – School Sock”
Some great socks there – I end up giving socks away becuase they don’t fit properly but I am slowly get it. So many sock yarns in my stash… so little time…
I don’t know if these count as sock knitting escapades, but how about the two (!) times I’ve stabbed myself with my dpns. In my dorm room there aren’t many places I can comfortably relax except for my bed. When I’m knitting socks, I tend to forget to put them somewhere else when I’ve finished. Then, they get all wrapped up in my nap blanket (which I made myself, thank you very much) and I don’t notice them when I jump back into bed. The first time I stabbed myself through the webbing on my hand, but luckily the dpn was bent, but still usable. The second time I stabbed myself in my elbow, and I somehow bent the first inch of my metal dpn to a 45 degree angle, making it really, really difficult to use. Luckily, I have very small feet and only need 4 needles out of my set of 5 to make a sock, and I was able to keep working on it. They were worth it.
Thanks for the pointers to all the great patterns! Off to browse them!
I usually knit and finish socks for my children before they outgrow them. Once, however, I was knitting a pair of dragon scale socks for my son when he was really into the Eragon book series. For some reason, I could never get into a rhythm with the pattern and it took forever to knit (about 3 years!). Needless to say, when I finished them, they no longer fit my son. Soooo, I tried them on and they fit like a dream. I ended up wearing them into the ground, they were so comfortable.
I love knitting socks but I’m not sure that I’ve had any escapades while knitting them! I’ve knitted 60 pairs so far and always have more people to knit them for so new patterns would be fun!
I started my first pair of socks soon after starting knitting. On someones recommendation I picked a plain sock to start with. I got about an inch in and was bored silly. Thankfully i was still really intrigued by sock knitting. So instead of giving it all away I frogged the boring ones , picked a pattern covered all over with cables and, many socks later, haven’t looked back! I can even knit plain ones now without getting bored!
I make socks for my nieces for their birthday, a much loved gift for the girls who have everything!
yay! the anniversary socks are done!
The sock pattern to end all sock patterns is my favorite basic sock recipe. You can’t go wrong with that one!
I’ve been knitting socks at work recently, while waiting. It’s great to get something done will your waiting for other things to happen. I’m not really sure that counts as an escapade though.
I’ve been knitting socks for about two years. For a long time, I confess, I couldn’t imagine what all the fuss and fever was about handknit socks. Then…..I wore my first pair….and it’s true….you can never go back!
Aren’t Knitspot patterns lovely?
Since the first pair of socks I knit my mother, she’ll scarcely wear anything else. I have a hard time knitting enough of them to keep her feet covered in winter, because she wears them out regularly.
those will be some rocking socks. I love that you bought some yarn on the sly!
Does having many single socks and not very many pairs count as an escapade? I was in a yarn shop buying some sock yarn and a waiting husband near the cash register asked me what I was going to make and how long would it take. I told him I was going to knit socks and that the first one would take about a month, but the second one would take about 8 months.
I actually learned to knit socks from a knitspot pattern (Roger)! I played around with other patterns and techniques and youtube videos for a long time, but this pattern (and all of Anne’s patterns really) had precisely the right wording to it for me. It clicked! A few years later and a few dozen socks made, I’ve created a pretty high demand for handknit socks in my extended family. Especially the boys (er, young men).
Hmmm, not sure I have an escapade. I do get asked all the time what I’m knitting. When I say socks it never fails someone asks “can you knit me a pair”. Usually my reply is “I’m sorry I only knit socks for people I love”. :0)
I’m mim on Ravelry.
When I first started knitting socks I made them all from worsted weight yarn. I don’t think it ever occurred to me that I could knit them from finer yarn! I think the concept of all those tiny stitches turned me off and I went with ‘bigger is better’. Today, I will occassionally knit with worsted weight, but mostly for slipper type anklets or socks. I’m totally sold on fingering weight now for sock knitting.
Great idea for the comments – very fun reading! I am still working on the very first pair of socks I’ve ever made for ME – I sent a few pairs to Afghanistan as part of the ‘Socks for Soldiers’ campaign, but it has taken me – literally – years to finish mine. They are toe-up and I am on the ribbing on both socks . . . amazing, huh? Any suggestions on finding my finishing mojo will be appreciated!
I have been an avid sock knitter for 9 years, and do love Anne’s patterns…I have no particular escapades to relate because I really want to say…”GO BLUE”……..!!! my two youngest kids graduated from the University of Michigan, in 2004 and 2006…please don’t hate me…!…but Matt can if he chooses…continued good health to you…big smile!!!
I have been knitting for 30 years but had never knit socks. I thought the tiny needles would be too fiddly for me. I decided to knit my first pair of socks about two years ago. I used yarn that was so splitty, I thought I would go nuts. After that, I knit another pair in a different yarn and that is my favorite pair of socks. Then my husband requested a pair, and now my daughter, so new patterns would come in handy…
Every time my husband and I go somewhere that takes longer than 5 minutes to get to, I make him drive. One time when we were going to visit my parents I was working on the second sock of a pair of starflower socks made out of a fleece artist merino blend (forest faire) and somehow the first sock fell out of the bag and in between my seat and the car door. When we stopped for the night at a hotel, unbeknownst to me the sock fell to the ground. Did I mention that this was in January? In the mountains of southern BC? Thankfully I am like a magpie an shiny things and bright colours catch my eye and I saw the unseen tail poking out of the snow. My husband has not let me live this down, especially since he’s the one who always loses things (during this particular trip he lost a cashmere toque I made him- koolhaas pattern. Not impressed. I hope a homeless person got it and that it wasn’t thrown out…)
Still trying to get the perfect fit for my brother who has a size 12 foot. I’ve made him several pair and he’s given me some of them back! What am I supposed to do with his rejects??????
Honestly, I have a *devil* of a time getting socks to fit me. I have an old injury to my left foot, and one foot is actually larger than the other due to the damage/swelling/wonkiness. Of course, I didn’t realize that when I knit my first socks – I picked out the most perfect pattern, and got some mini-mochi yarn in a rainbow color that I adored (especially the vibrant blue!)…. and when I finished them, I was so excited to put them on, only to find that one was too tight. I was so sad and frogged them immediately, and I still haven’t used that yarn for anything else. I didn’t hear about the Sock Pattern to End All Sock Patterns until this blog post, so I’m going to have to pick it up!
I love to knit socks, and have knit several of Anne’s designs. I agree with the idea of knitting men’s socks for women. They are universally appealing. I tried DPNs early on, but quickly settled on knitting my socks on 2 circular needles. And I love knitting them two-at-a-time whenever possible. Anne’s designs allow me to do this, so it’s another reason to love her patterns! I would get all kinds of comments when knitting them out in public. I guess it looks kind of crazy to the uninitiated, but I love it. When I’m done, I’m DONE.
Socks tend to be my ever-mindless project, so I usually stick to something simple that I can do with no attention. I’ve knit hundreds, and think of them as the knitting equivalent of a sorbet course when I’ve got other more demanding projects on the needles. Nevertheless, you’ve inspired me to get out of my rut and try some of the great patterns Anne has been producing. I have to say that I’m having extreme envy of this month’s Bare Naked project, and wish I didn’t have to wait a year for that one.
When the Montreal Knitting Guild had the owner of TanisFiber Arts come in to talk to us about her yarns and how she got started, I asked about her cashmere sock yarn…
” so Tanis, being cashmere are you saying these socks should only be for special occasions, in bed?” BUT THE COMMA WAS ONLY IN MY HEAD. What the guild and Tanis heard was “for special occasions in bed”. Needless to say the guild wants to know when the socks for my husband in Tanis’ cashmere sock yarn will be completed. Not sure I’ll keep them posted 😉
Cheers, Barbie O.
(and of course the pattern for the socks is Anne’s Cinder Block Sock!)
I love Anne’s sock patterns! I’ve knit several for both myself and my husband. In fact, Longjohns is one of the only patterns I’ve ever knit more than once (the other is Oktober Zest mitts).
I made a pair of School Socks for my husband about a year after we’d been married. If not the first pair, they were early on in his handknit sock life. They turned out beautifully, but he is pretty hard on socks. The bottoms have felted into one big piece, and they’re almost stiff enough to stand up by themselves. He still loves them though and wears them to work all the time. I’m currently knitting him a pair of black Gridirons to add into the work rotation.
You might want to consider adding a spoiler warning at the top of this post for those in the club not wanting to find out what the pattern is before they get their yarn. Lots of people wait to see the pattern until they have the yarn and I think some Canadians are still waiting.
You do have the coolest job!! I love how you’re going through the older patterns too because I learned about Anne more recently. Your yarn choice is fabulous – he will love them with the patches – how fun!!
Now, back to the business at hand! Socks were one of the first things I ever knit for some odd reason. I’ve made many pairs of socks. Even for my brother and his feet are HUGE!
The first time I ever knit socks was when my son, who was about 9 at the time, had to memorize a poem for school and illustrate his poem with visual aids. I had just picked up knitting again (after many years away) and thought I could give him a sock that I was knitting to use as a prop. The poem said something about “knitting Dad a pair of socks.” Anyhow….I was using DPN’s so I had to put about a million rubberbands around the ends of the needles to keep the stitches from sliding off while he used my sock…He did well on his poem and I got to knit my first pair of socks!!!
I don’t really have a sock escapade yet, but I’d love to win a couple of patterns (I have had my eye on a couple for a little while). I haven’t knit too many pairs of socks, but of the ones that I have knit, some are big and some are small…one pair is pretty perfect. I look forward to many more perfect pairs!
When self striping yarn first became available I was giftet a skein. My first pair of socks were a simple 2×2 ribbed pattern and they were too big and slouched down through my birks but since I LOVED them (they were in a rainbow colourway afterall) I wore them all the time for 6 years. By that time I was a much more adventurous knitter and decided to make a pair of socks that fit so I UNRAVELED the 2×2’s and cast on for a pair of Monkey socks. I wore these for another 2 years but the pattern was obscured by the crazy striping of the wool. Not to be outdone by this yarn that I UNRAVELED the yarn one last time and made a pair of plain “vanilla” socks. I decided that if this pattern didn’t work then nothing would and I would finally toss the yarn. I’m pleased to say
that I love them and still wear them in regular rotation. Funny enough, I just saw a book The Sock Knitter’s Workshop with a photo of a very similar yarn (if not the same…)
I like to bring socks to knit with me when I go on a trip. You bring 2 balls or 1 skein, knit whenever you’re travelling or waiting and, voila, when you’re back home you have a new pair of socks. And I give the socks the name of the place I went. So, my husband has a pair of Barcelona socks from last fall, will be getting Green Mexican socks next week (sorry, a little delay in the second sock due to an emergency swatching with cast-on on a new cardigan) and he also has the Basketball Tournament socks and Bavarian socks. My FIL received Whistler socks after Christmas ski vacations. More travel ahead so new patterns from Anne would be wonderful…
I had this pair of socks I had made for myself–not the first socks I made, maybe the fifth or sixth pair. I’d wear them and when I’d take my shoes off, I’d look at the toe and wonder how it always got so twisted while I was wearing it. The decreases went right up the center of my toes instead of along the sides. One day I looked at them closely–whaddaya know–I had knit the toe on the sock sideways. They still fit great.
Not really an escapade… but I taught myself to knit socks for my grandmother. She came to visit and had this really neat pair of socks and when I said I liked them she made me keep them! So I decided to knit her a pair in return. I bought some sock yarn and found a free pattern, and got to it. I managed to figure out all the shaping but by the time I finished that first sock, it was massive! I kind of stalled out on knitting socks for a while, and when I did I knit lots of other socks before finally knitting her a pair (took me a few years too lol). I picked the Roger socks and she loved them so much!
My dad believes that itchy wool is warmer than non-itchy wool. I am not sure I believe him, and since I really don’t like itchy wool I refuse to test it out. Anyway, I decided to knit a pair of socks for my size 13 dad. And to do it in itchy wool. So, I went around Sock Summit ’09 asking for itchy wool. Vendor after vendor fervently assured my that their wool was not itchy. I never did find any that would admit to it.
But, two years later, when asked, Felicia at Sweet Georgia confidently told me that her BFL was, if not itchy, at least a little more earthy. My dad was very pleased.
The closest I cam come to an escapade is to knit whenever I’m stuck in waiting rooms or in lines or on planes. Mostly I knit socks since they’re small and portable. Lately I’ve been knitting my sister rather bright colored and sometimes non-matching socks.
I tend to lose dpns and tiny black rubber markers everywhere as I always have a sock on the go. After finding some of these items in his suv my husband coined the phrase”knit droppings”.
Not entirely an escapade in sock knitting, but I decided I would see what all the hype was about and signed up for a sock class at my LYS. I was skeptical when we were making the sock with DK weight yarn, but plugged along. Alas, the teacher and I did not see eye-to-eye and where I had questions I got answers that made me feel like an idiot, but still not sure of the answer. I ended up with most of a single sock that fit poorly and the absolute conviction not to take another class from that teacher even if it was “The 100% Guaranteed Way to Win a Million Bucks”. You did remind me that I purchased Anne’s SPTEASP and should dig it out. Maybe 2012 is the year of the sock at my house. Well, preferrably ‘socks’, as in plural. Off to look for that pattern….
Wow – Great Post. I adore knitting socks, and I always have at least a simple pair going for “travel knitting” – meaning the one that I carry with me all the time. Mostly I don’t have too much trouble getting socks to fit – but I have to admit to one pair that has such a tight, twisty pattern, with a tight twisty yarn that I can barely get it on over my heel. It’s the only pair that I actually have to put on the sock blockers after I wash them. Then there is another pair made from the softest, lushest, MOST wonderful yarn, that is just too big. Would I give them away? NEVER! LOL I wear them anyway. Lately I finally began READING my sock books and gaining a lot of knowledge about matching the yarn to the pattern. Who knew, Right? I love the journey that knitting gives us. I think the MSU socks are going to be great! Please share when you get them going.
The first fingering weight socks I knit were a little too large for me – but my mom has feet a few sizes larger so I gave them to her, she’s a knitter too so I figured that she’d be good with non-superwash yarn and super appreciative (she was). I warned her about the handwashing requirement – you can see where this is going. She shrunk the socks and they now fit me, though they are a little thick.
A friend asked me to make her mom a pair. I owed her many favors so I made them. Her mom had a friend over one day that complained her feet were cold. “Mom” borrowed her the handmade pair because she knew they were especially warm. But as she gave them to her, she told her that she would HAVE to give them back before she left. I thought that was cute.
You’re a good wife! It took me about a year and a half to make a pair of socks for my husband’s huge feet. (Brown yarn on wood size 1 needles; what was I thinking?!) But baby socks are quick and easy and great for using up scraps of yarn. Best of luck to you and your little one on the way!
My first knitting project was mitts when I was 10 years old in school. The next year it was socks, I managed ok but didn’t knit any more until I met my husband, he liked handknitted socks. It was hard to find good wool then, it was mostly acrylic. I mostly made ones in DK 100% wool. Then I had 3 kids in quick succession and the knitting stopped.
I started again because I saw some wonderful fingerless mitts in a magazine and then I started knitting socks, some in wonderful colours, some in self striping yarn. In a year I made at least 12. I love it since they are so portable, I knit on the plane, on tour buses when i travel or in waiting rooms.
One of my mother’s aunts loved to knit socks from scrap yarn. They were thick woolly boot socks with stripes in every colour on the wheel. She would send us boxes of socks and we children chose our favourites and wore them happily.
Only problem was that the cast on always was so tight that it cut into the legs… We had to fold down the tops to be able to wear the socks comfortably, but wear them we did!
The first sock I ever made – and it remains an only sock – I made without reference to measurements of any kind at all. I’m still amazed that I got to the end without realising that there was no way it was going to fit any human foot! It’s now a Christmas stocking!
Hi 🙂
loving your MSU sock yarn, they will be adored !!
I have just cast on my first dpn project… tricky little things…
I am doing your last classic knitspot pattern, the cloverleaf lace mitts.
take care
M
The timing of this blog is perfect! The day before yesterday I proudly cast off my bright yellow Gridiron socks – my first knitspot pattern, although not my first socks. I folded them carefully and put them on my bedside table ready for the morning. Yesterday I leapt up and showered, threw on my clothes and then excitedly picked up my Gridirons. As I pulled the first one on, there was an almighty crack from my back and I completely seized up, with one leg in mid-air and a sock dangling from one toe! I have thrown my back out, and spent the last two days completely rigid with pain. However luckily my husband was home at the time so he pulled my socks on for me. It’s too painful to reach down to my feet, so I am still in my Gridirons. Good job I love the pattern so much! My husband has done sterling service looking after me, so I would love a new sock pattern or two to make him a pair as a reward.
I’ve decided that I refuse to make anymore socks for the hubs (he never wears them). I will however make socks for the son ( he will wear them but has a size 13 foot). The socks designs are quite beautiful.
The first sock I ever made was at my 6 yr old son’s request for batman socks. I had never done intarsia or stranding. It was quite the learning experience!
Not sure I have any sock knitting ‘escapades’, unless you count knitting socks after Thanksgiving dinner with my family. They are firmly in the why-don’t-you-just-buy-socks-at-the-store camp, so there were some…interesting discussions about what I was doing and why on Earth I was doing it.
Where did you get that MSU yarn? I NEED some, I really do.
Spartan socks?!? Lol. A true fan. We bleed ND blue and gold, but please don’t hold that against me. I don’t have a sock story but, have a game day visual. I live on a cul-de-sac with 11 houses. On Saturday’s in the fall, all the team flags come out and you would think we are having a parade. Afterward the game we all come out with drinks in hand and talk game trash for the next weekend. I love my neighborhood.
Always love a new sock pattern
I’ve been knitting for years but only recently(about 2 years ago) started knitting socks. My sister-in-law, a brand new knitter, wanted me to teach her even though we live 4 hours apart. I had about half a day to take her through the whole process using a very vanilla sock pattern. The heel & gusset tripped her up but didn’t stop her. She just kept casting on more socks & knitting to the heel & stopping there until she had 6 pair started. A knitting class took her through the rest of the process & she is now finishing up all the socks she started. Sock knitting is very,very addictive!
My mother promised my father I would make him a pair of socks for Christmas. She made this comment about two weeks before the holiday not comprehending how long socks can take to make, the other projects racing against the clock to be given as gifts or the fact that I’d never made socks for a man. So I had my father measure his feet, picked out some worsted weight yarn, found a generic sock pattern and cast on. Along the way a knitter shared that the trick to men’s socks was to add an extra inch towards the toe. So I did this and come Christmas morning the socks were a hit but one inch too long. I ripped back each sock two inches and reknit the toe decreases and voila, a perfect fit.
How about a BOOK featuring those yummy patterns plus Ann’s gems of knowledge?!! I bet it would sell like hot cakes!
I was knitting a pair of socks for my husband (size 13) and not once but twice one of my dogs got ahold of my bamboo dpns and chewed them to bits–along with the yarn that was on the needles. I now only knit with metal dpns for socks.
You may be my salvation!! I’ve knit socks twice for my husband and they’ve both been disasters. I would so much love to knit him a pair that he loves to wear. Last year he wore a pair that I knit. They were so itchy he left the house wearing them then changed them at work!! I love all the pictures you’ve posted!
I *need* some manly sock patterns! I haven’t knit socks for the hubby in years. He always had me knit big heavy wool socks which he loved but know he says he doesn’t need any wool socks. I think he is thinking about
the big heavy ones, and doesn’t realize the lovely light weight wool socks I could knit him!
I have watched a Spartan game from that very vantage point, when we played against O J Simpson (now I’m dating myself). DH was in graduate school, and I had faculty/staff tickets. Thanks for the memories!
Anne is a wizard with the socks and has great patterns for men! I have knitted 3 pairs of socks for my husband and he loves them. One special pair is for when we go to Appalachian State Univ football games, he calls them his “App” socks. I would love a few more manly patterns and maybe one for me to add to my collection. Good luck on the MSU socks.
My m-i-l asked me to knit her best friend a pair of socks for Christmas. Her bff has a size 10.5 foot! I found a chart that told me how many centimeters the foot should be, and it worked out really well. I received a very sweet thank you note from the recipient. She was thrilled to have a pair of socks that really fit her!
Love all the socks but have not attempted any yet myself. But I had to let you know it’s a shame you had to buy those hideous green and white patches and couldn’t find some gorgeous maize and blue ones! Go blue! (Just kidding!) (Not about the Go Blue part, though! I love them so much that I even had my stem cell transplant done at the U of M Hospital! Now that’s loyalty, eh? Not an alum, just a fan.)
After successfully finishing one pair of socks, I had no plans to knit anymore socks until I saw self-striping watermelon yarn, which I had to have. Cast on sock, got down to the heel, and there it sat for a year. On a road trip, with rookie driver Daughter driving, on bumpy roads and with size one needles, I turned the heel, picked up gusset stitches and gave driving instruction all at the same time. I no longer fear heels and picking up stitches – if I could achieve a sock under those circumstances, I could do anything! Since then have knitted two more pair, have a third pair on the needles, and more sock yarn waiting. Now I never want to wear anything but handknit socks!
I have a good friend who used to knit and then asked me to re-teach her how to knit. Of course, the first thing she wanted to knit was a pair of socks! She persevered and next thing I knew, she had two pair of socks on needles at the same time. She just jumped into it whole hog and loved it. I believe she also has some of that green and while sock yarn to make socks for her husband.
When I was first making socks I wanted to make a pair for my nephew. He had huge feet and I didn’t figure that into the yardage and didn’t buy enough yarn and couldn’t locate another skein in the same colorway. Of course I didn’t figure it out until I was to the toe of the second sock….
Oh my…have a man with size 15 feet…would love new patterns to help with a better fitting sock…
For years I wanted to learn to knit socks. I bought patterns, books, and too much yarn to mention here. All just sat on a shelf. I finally took a class at my LYS. This was my first experience with DPNs, so I had lots to learn. I worked very hard to learn the process. Finally on the day I finished the first sock, I was in class as usual. For some reason tears started to flow down my cheeks. I was overwhelmed that I had finally learned to do something I’d wanted to do for years. I still wear my first pair of socks.
Oh MAN! When is that Waffle Cream sock pattern going to be available to us losers who didn’t sign up for Anne’s club? I’m kicking myself. I knit a pair of socks for a friend of a friend who was in intensive care waiting for a lung transplant. Her feet were always cold and the wool socks did the trick. This was about 3 weeks before Christmas and everyone in her family loved the socks so much that they all wanted me to knit ‘2 or 3’ pair to give as gifts. In 3 weeks! Needless to say none of them knit. I had to be very polite and come up with a nice way to say ‘are you nuts’? By the way, the girl got her lung transplant at the last minute and today is in great shape.
Love the pattern you chose! I’m jealous of all these ladies whose husbands actually want knit socks. I’m wearing him down slowly though…
I have my first pair of socks on the needles now, Anne’s Movie Night Socks. Can’t believe how great they are for knitting when I’m sitting in the car waiting on my DD!
When it comes to socks, The Master is 100% Anne. I’ve always got socks on the needles and the patterns are always Knitspot. I took a class a couple of years ago, and walked out of the class not knowing how to make socks. I picked up Anne’s, The Sock to End All Sock patterns and I’m a crazy knitting sock machine. That pattern is the best to learn how to make socks. It’s like Anne is sitting right next to you helping you along. Love, love, love sock knitting.
SOCKS!!! Love Anne’s socks…..
My husband and son are very accepting of the fact that I mostly knit socks for myself, although my son (10 y.o.) looks forward to the new pair I knit him every year. Since he’s still growing, he gets one new pair a year and can usually wear the previous year’s as well.
before I started knitting socks, I spent probably a year reading about it!
My first pair of socks for my husband was one of my very first pair of socks (and one of my first knitting projects altogether). So I knew nothing about gauge, or the right yarn for the right project. I figured since he has such big feet, I would use a worsted weight yarn and larger needles. They came out big and soft, and my husband LOVES them, but they totally have not worn well. I knit him some nice dress socks afterward, which he also likes, but evidently nothing compares to those huge, worn, floppy slipper-like socks. I’m not sure I’ll ever get him to part with them!
I’m not sure any of my sock adventures would be considered an escapade. But I certainly have learned new things with each pair I’ve knit. The pattern I had the most trouble with was Nautilus Socks. It’s a great pattern, but just isn’t the right size for my foot. I knit an entire sock 3 times with 3 different needles and still couldn’t get a good fit. I tried different yarns too. I finally just finished the pair and moved on. They look lovely in my sock drawer. Ha ha. Thanks for the great giveaway. I love Anne’s patterns.
I just love Anne’s sock patterns, but have to admit that all the ones you have shown here I haven’t even noticed before. My current favourite is the Roger sock pattern. I won’t let my husband sort the washing out now – one day he thought he was being super helpful and emptied the washbasket into the washing machine. When I emptied it out after the wash was done, imagine the look on my face when I pulled out a pair of pixie sized throroughly felted alpaca socks!!!!
My father turned 70 on July 7, 2007, so I decided to celebrate I should knit him 7 pairs of socks. I decided this at the beginning of May and I’m not the world’s fastest knitter, so for the next 2 months it was all socks, all the time. I finished the last sock at his birthday party.
I’ve been gradually coming to the realization and especially with the latest pair of socks that I’ve knitted – I am a loose knitter! I need to drop at least one needle size for the next pair I make. I love my knitted socks – but they are a bit droopy…
I remember Patternworks had declared 1996 as the Year of the Sock. I decided to see what all the fuss was about, so I ordered some yarn and got a free pattern. I made the first sock just fine, but apparently used a different needle size on the second sock because it was WAY off.
Not put off by that encounter, I moved on to other socks. I’ve been knitting socks ever since, but that first pair is still two-sized. Maybe this will be the year I actually rip them out and make them match. 🙂
In preparation for Sock Summit 2011 I decided to knit one of each sock out of all the yarn I bought at Sock Summit 2009 so I knew what to re-visit. Therefore, I have about 9 single socks to knit to have complete pairs. I am considering just wearing the mismatched ones until I get through the backlog.
I have large feet for a woman and set about to make myself socks. Really funky self striping socks. At first I tried basic everyday stockinet socks, but that never got beyond a few inches in several months. One day after a pair of lace arm warmers flew off my needles, I had a epiphany. Socks would go faster if they were less boring. I have cast on two socks to be two different pairs in two different lace patterns, and have made it halfway through the toe half of each sock in a few weeks. ( I have limited knitting time) I am now loving knitting socks.
Anne’s patterns are so well written and a pleasure to knit.
I wish my husband could/would wear knit items. Living in Texas and having a person internal combustion engine… no chance I could get him to wear knit wear. But I do!!!
I love Anne’s sock patterns. Tesserae is my current favorite. My sister is a woman who has everything and needs nothing, but she always, always appreciates a pair of my handknit socks. Next up, Waffle Creams for everyone!
My husband does not want fingering weight hand knit socks….he lists several reasons, which change each time I ask him! What he DOES love, however, are worsted weight wool socks that he wears OVER his store-bought socks inside his hunting boots. He will faithfully hand wash each pair himself after coming home from a hunting trip!
I took Anne’s designing off the cuff class at Sock Summit! It was great, especially the segment on swatching (I’ve been working on her to do a video, so I’ll get in another lick). I’d love to win the patterns–thanks for this contest.
P.S. Is MSU Michigan State. I’m a Husker and just beginning to learn about a new set of teams!
You should really try Gridiron. That is my favorite of Anne’s patterns for socks. I’ve made several for my husband. It is just entertaining enough to keep you interested but mindless enough to not have to pay total attention.
A few years ago a friend and i went to new york- it was my first trip. We hit something like 15 yarn stores in 6 days. At one little shop the woman their kept saying “you don’t knit sweater?” we were like no not really. Finally she said “well what do you knit” like sweater are the only thing knit! When we said socks I though she would fall over “well thats like knitting half a sweater! Why not just knit a sweater!” She never did understand we wanted to knit SOCKS! Not a sweater! Poor thing.
That’s a great story. I’ve tried thrice to knit socks using a particular skein of Cascade Heritage Sock; it’s a lovely color, and I guess the skein’s durability has been tested adequately because I’ve frogged as much as half a sock and reknit. In each case, once I got going on a pattern, I realized it had a feature I found tedious (lots of psso, e.g.). I’d love to try one of Anne’s elegantly understated patterns.
My first pair of socks were ENORMOUS and practically fell off my feet when I walked in them. However, that didn’t stop me from planning to make five pairs of socks for Christmas…in October! I finished both socks for my son in time (the yarn had an interesting design when knit up, but probably looked better on smaller feet), but the other four received “a sock and a promise” on Christmas. And then I had to take the four single socks back so I could make a matching sock! I have since learned to a) record details, such as number of rows knit, so I can make the second sock match (because counting all those rows…especially on the solid black socks…made me a little dizzy) and b) start sooner!
I absolutely adore Anne`s sock patterns; she is one of the very few designers that I will actually purchase sock patterns from rather than choose free designs.
My escapade involved me finding the perfect pattern (Anne`s Tesserae socks) and purchasing my very favourite sock yarn (String Theory Caper) in my very favourite colour (spring green) and going to town. My socks had been coming out just a teeny bit big, not enough negative ease, so I decided to go down a size because I really wanted these to be perfect. Unfortunately, my mother now owns `my`very perfect favourite socks.
Never doubt the measurements!
I like your blog today! Thanks.
My first sock I knitted it out of a variegated cotton. Because I didn’t swatch, it ended up to be almost big enough for an “Easter stocking”- pastels and all. I did knit my socks and they fit okay. After that I used a pattern from anne.
Great choice. I have a bunch of Anne’s sock patterns and they are so well written. I have the SPEASP and didn’t even think of plugging in a stitch pattern. Must did that pattern out now. Can’t wait to see your socks.
When I first started knitting again, I asked my husband if he wanted me to knit him something. He shrugged and said no. Ok, fine, then. I went ahead and knit my kids boot socks and myself some nice wool knee socks. Along the way, he caught the bug and asked for a pair of thick socks. I happily knit him a pair out of worsted weight wool, which he put through the washer and dryer. he now says they fit better (they were a little loose). All’s well that ends well…
I don’t have any sock stories but I’d love to have some nice sock patterns. Thank you for the opportunity to win a few.
One of my New Years Resolutions was to teach myself Socks…I’m pleased to say I have 1 pair under me but would LOVE to knit some of Anne’s designs. Another reslution is to make more Knitspot patterns 🙂
p.s. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Shepherd’s Wool!! Maybe one day I will make it up North to visit the Mill for myself.
I couple of years ago for mother’s day I decided I’ll knit my mom and sister(who at that time recently became I mom) socks as gifts. I start knitting my sister socks first since her feet were longer than my moms. I knit the socks using the magic loop method top-down and made a mistake measuring the foot of the socks and they wound-up being an inch too short. I gave the socks to my mom(not as her gift) since I didn’t want to take out the toe.
I got new yarn for my sister’s socks and made the second pair of socks the right size for her feet. I even made little socks for my baby niece at the time. The socks that were a gift to my mom were the quickest fingering weight socks I ever made at the time, the pair took me less than a week. Of course when I got to my mom’s socks I was crunched for time in getting them done.
My mother is crafty — quilting (NOT machine, by hand), paints, tats, crochets, knits. She does everything. EXCEPT knitting socks. I am working on her Mother’s Day socks — plain vanilla, but would love a KnitSpot pattern for her birthday pair!
I read this and thought, hey, I was just blogging about my very first sock experiences this week. The first sock was just one, I never did make it a mate. It never did really fit anyone. But hey it makes and awesome Christmas stocking 25 + years later. I’ve got better, honestly.
If you want the full story read this:
http://www.knitographical.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/sock-story.html
We don’t need as many socks here in the AZ desert as those in colder climes–but my son is moving to upstate NY and I plan to make the most of this opportunity. I knit up a thick, warm pair of handspun socks for good luck on his grad school interview trip last month…sadly, there wasn’t any snow so I don’t think he needed them. There’s always next winter, right?
It turns out to be really helpful to knit socks tighter and a bit longer than I’d think–too bad it took several not-so-well-fitting pairs for this to sink in!
I love Anne’s sock patterns! None of the men in my life wanted socks, they thought wool would be itchy, so I thought ‘no problem, more for me’. But, I decided to make them all slippers for Christmas. I made 3 pairs of bootie slippers. They ALL love them! And we’re so surprised that wool is not itchy! Now one son wants a sweater. This is the one that always was too hot for sweaters! I think socks for his size 13 feet are in order first! Waffle Cream will be perfect!
I’ve had such a fear of making such big socks and having them not fit. But once I make the first pair, I’m sure it will be easier. Especially with the inspiration you have given me!
I always love seeing the socks made for David. I know that I should knit socks for my father for Father’s Day, but I’m too nervous about making ones that fit. This post may give me the courage for it!
The first pair of socks I ever made was for my mother. A while after this I had taught her to knit so when she came bugging me for her to knit her another pair of socks I bought her some Koigu sock yarn in her favourite colour (bright orange) and some needles and told her I was going to teach her to make her own. She did a little swatch on the needles and I made a little custom sock pattern for her written out in the plainest english I could. It is still the only sock pattern she uses.
I make socks for my sister, she is a Doctor and wears them with her scrubs, they are her fashion accessory!
I LOVE knitting socks!!! I admit it I’m obsessed and Anne’s patterns are to die for!
I was living in Philadelphia a few years ago and traveling to work on the commuter train. One particularly snowy die there were several of us knitters knitting away on the longer than usual commute with an older gentleman walked by and found our projects quite amusing – he then coined the term “socks on the train!” This was just after the “Snakes on the Plane” moving came out. So from then on out we were known as the socks on the train knitting group!
My husband has ENORMOUS feet, and he’s always wanted me to make him a pair of socks. Sadly, I’ve always been far too nervous about making a pair that would fit him to try. It would just be so much sock to rip out if they didn’t fit! I think that with one of Anne’s lovely patterns, I would finally give it a shot!
I’ve only worked with two of Anne’s patterns, but I know from this limited experience that her sock patterns would be pure pleasure to work with. For my first pair of socks, I avoided DPN’s and went for magic loop and circs. The video tutorial I was using wasn’t entirely clear on how to hold the needles at the beginning of each round and of course I got things going a little backwards. My socks either grew from the top of the needles or were inside out. So I had to start all over and figure out how to knit then the right way round. I’ve only ever knit plain stockinette stitch socks and I’m dying to try something patterned.
I have a sock story! I was in my LYS about 6 months ago, and fell in love with this beautiful BFL sock yarn, dyed in coral, hot pink, and chocolate brown. I put back the yarn I actually came for (and needed for Christmas Socks! LOL) It has so much depth, and was dyed by a local indie dyer. I’ve started and frogged several times, still in search for the perfect sock pattern, and have been so far unsuccessful. Still waiting for the perfect pattern, I guess….
When I went to grade school in Denmark, many years ago, we were taught to knit socks in grade 3! I had been knitting since I was 4, so that was not the problem, but THE Heel !! I remember knitting the first part of the sock so slow in the hope that I would never get to the heel part. Well, eventually it had to be done, and it wasn’t so bad after all. Many socks have been off the needles since !
I’m so glad to hear that I’m not alone in pregnancy knitting nausea! I’ve been forcing myself to knit for classes I’m helping teach and it’s been rough. Strangely, the only thing I’ve been interested in making are crocheted doilies. I’m hoping some knitting nesting instinct kicks in soon, I’ve got shower gifts to knit!
On the sock knitting, my husband only likes to wear thin socks, and the heels on the last pair I made him were a little funky (afterthought heels, possibly too many rounds) so I think he’s only worn them a few times. In a way it works out though, I’d rather knit lace!
I really enjoy knitting socks, but tend to always stick with the plain vanilla style. I love it when I see my kids (adult aged) wear the socks I’ve knit for them. Would love to branch out and knit some of the cool styles that Ann has designed. Thanks for the ideas and inspiration!
It’s more a sock-washing escapade, but I have recently accidentally felted one of the only hand-knit pair of socks I ever knit for my husband (large feet=unwillingness to do any more). On the other hand, if I stick the other one through the machine too, I’ll have a pair of felty socks that will fit me! (I can completely understand that you might not think I’m worthy of being gifted sock patterns…)
I’ve never knit adult socks, only infant socks. All of Anne’s patterns are so beautiful that I feel the urge to break out my DPN’s. Thank you for the inspiration!
OMG! Your journalism degree is showing. What a humorous writer you are with practicality. I am sooooo ready to make some sox for Bob. I made him a pair last Father’s Day and he wears them every Sat. I can’t wait to explore and find the pattern you are talking about and start a new pair or three. I am inspired by you, Erica!
oh Erica what a great post! ( I’m just catching up after two full days of classes, go you!)
omg, when I saw those patches I nearly fell off my seat; they will be fantstic on your school socks!
hopefully, these will be done for Christmas because the colors will be perfect for a stocking stuffer . . .
I struggle with the “math works” approach to knitting socks. I followed this theory when first knitting socks for DH and me. Both attempts failed at fit. I went trial-and-error from there, experimenting with needle size and number of stitches cast-on. third set of socks and I have a pair that fits him well. They required multiple try-ons, but I managed it. Someday, I’d like to knit a pair of socks without restarting them 2 or 3 times.
Sizing is my big issue. I am really good at overestimating the size needed. It is only an adventure if you like wearing socks on your head! I will have to check out Anne’s Sock Pattern to End All Sock Patterns. I need help!
I love it all – except that I’m a OSU Buckeye fan. I hope you don’t hold it against me.
I’ve just been asked to knit some sock for a male friend. It’s a surprise from his wife so trying them on as I go isn’t an option but she can send me measurements so this post answered a burning question of how to make them work. Thank you!
Sock worthiness is my big story…good thing my brother is a relative mor he would never get socks again. He recently complained that my socks didn’t wear well…had big holds in them…after 5 years of wear…off to darn!
I don’t really knit socks – but – do have a cousin who became a Michigan State fan via her husband …. and she loves that shade of green!
Great blog post, looking forward to seeing the Sparty socks! Would love to choose a couple of sock patterns.
We kid my husband about his habit of taking new clothing gifts and “aging” them. When I made socks for my sons about five years ago, hubby begged for a pair and I made him a pair. So far, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him wear them! But, if I win patterns, I think I’ll make him another pair.
Thank you for this great give away. I ruined my hands on a pair of socks. I spent 4 hours knitting on US 1’s trying to find a stitch pattern to do justice to a beautiful, high-contrast, varigated yarn. Imagine my surprise the next day when I couldn’t press my thumb and forefinger together. It was months before I knitted again. Yes, I finished the socks and I love them. But what craziness. A year from first swatch to first wear.
Well someday soon i hope to be the proud knitter of the perfect fitting sock, so far they all have been made for, obviously, somebody else’s feet! Great blog post, Mama!