Thursday 19 January 2012

Socks are Hard

I’ve posted before about how much the world of blogging introduced me to projects and ideas that I’d never considered before. The most notable of these has to be socks... And as I have seen a few of my favourite bloggers venturing into the land of sock making recently, I got to thinking about them in probably more depth than is healthy *laughs*

My second ever pair of socks, and probably still my favourites!

I’m sad to say that I don’t recall the blog that first introduced me to the concept of hand knit socks, but from the moment I saw them I wanted to make my own pair. There was just a small snag; I was a beginner with only a scarf and a half under my belt. The blogs on which I saw these wonderful creations seemed to belong to wonderfully accomplished knitters who could no doubt knock up a pair of socks in a matter of moments while juggling a million other crafty and clever things. But for me, well, socks would be far too hard. Wouldn’t they?

The comments on the blogs I was reading supported this idea, saying how impressive the knitter was, how hard it was to knit socks, how the commenter daren’t try because it would be too tough.

I put the idea out of mind for a while, though not before I bought a beginner sock kit just in case (containing a ball of sock yarn, a set of DPNs and a pattern - incidentally, I still haven't actually used that yarn yet *laughs*). The kit scared me off somewhat, the pattern written with strange and unnerving techniques I had never heard of. I put it to one side, having confirmed my impression that socks are hard.

So as not to waste the kit, I actually used the double pointed needles, making a pair of fingerless mitts. Somehow the fact that I was successfully knitting in the round on 4 needles passed me by and I didn’t register that if I could do that, then surely I could knit socks.

As I got more confident in blogging, I started to comment on other blogs, often replicating the “wow, so clever, socks must be so hard” comments I’d seen so many times before. Yet the responses I got from the knitters always refuted this; telling me that they’re not that hard at all, use a beginner tutorial, take it one stitch at a time, watch youtube videos for the parts you don’t understand...

And then it clicked. I used all of those resources for everything else I wanted to knit, so why not socks? One of my first projects was a jumper, because it never occurred to me that I couldn’t do it. Yet somehow I had got caught into the idea that socks are hard.

So, I made a pair of socks *grins*

My very first socks - they're a bit tight and shorter than ideal, but they look and function like socks! Success *grins*

Guess what... They’re not that hard. Once I had made them, and my blog posts showing them off demonstrated just how excited I was to have managed it, I started to get the same comments on my blog that I’d seen before on others’... Socks are so hard.

I don’t know why socks in particular seem to inspire obsessive joy in those who can make them (I have had a sock on the go ever since I started my first one!) and terror in those who fear that they are too hard *ponders* If you can follow instructions, you can make socks!

Now, I absolutely do not consider myself anything beyond a beginner in the world of sock knitting. I am still awed and intimidated by some of the patterns that I see other bloggers making and how quickly some people can make them. I’ve made 6 pairs (I shan’t count the pair I've just cast on *laughs*). Some were done cuff down and some toe up, but all of them have been plain or ribbed, nothing fancy. One of my goals for this year is to branch out into more involved patterns, but the fact is anyone can make socks. Really *smiles encouragingly at those who want to try but haven't*

I even made man-sized socks, my first toe up pair and my first attempt at magic loop.

There’s a wealth of information online; through Ravelry, youtube, tutorials and the fabulous blogs out there. I used the ever popular Silver's Sock Class for my first (and many subsequent) pairs... It's wonderfully step by step, breaks it all down and has lots of pictures. 

So, if you're wavering about making socks, I encourage you to give it a try. Just be warned, you may get addicted *laughs* If you'd told me a couple of years ago that I would be handknitting socks, I would have thought you were crazy. Now I want an entire sock drawer of handmade, colourful socks! 

Wow, that turned into a bit of an essay, didn't it *laughs*

20 comments:

  1. I've only knit socks for my babes. I have trouble making two of something :-) And the length of time I need to have a finished project. But, it is something I would like to do this year for myself, as well as a sweater :-) The key for me is to make sure my needles are not anywhere near the kids. They like to take them out of my stitches and use them as swords...hmmm...

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  2. okaaaaay if you say so! I haven't done dpns before, so I guess that's the first thing I have to master. Lovely post!

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  3. YAY!! Socks being hard is one of the biggest myths in knitting. The only difficult part is knitting the second one and really that can happen with mitts, gloves or even sleeves. I can't wait to see what "hard" thing you tackle next.

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  4. I love it, you inspire such confidence in helping people believe that they to can do it. I this week have just cast on my first pair of socks...I've always looked at them and said as soon as I had time I'd to them and this week was that time. Like you I use blogs, Ravelry and U tube and if that dosne't work I'll ask someone who does know, I'm determined not to let them defeat me...ok I'm starting off with a baby pair of socks for my youngest but socks are socks and if I'm successful I've lots more that will want a pair!

    Ruth
    http://ruthsrunningstitch.blogspot.com/

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  5. YAY!!!! I find socks to be like everything else in knitting. The seem hard until you try them and find a method that works for you. Congrats :)

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  6. I used Silver's Sock Class, too. And the Yarn Harlot has a great chapter about socks in Knitting Rules (I think that was her first book?). She really breaks it down so that you can see how SIMPLE they are.

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  7. I experienced the exact same feelings. Socks look so hard at first, but they're made one stitch at a time, like everything else. And they ARE addictive. :-)

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  8. I agree with the comment above, socks are seriously addictive! I kind of just plunged into a basic ribbed sock pattern without even thinking about the difficultly level at all and it went amazingly well. Also, I really love the yarn you used for your first pair, it is so fun!

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  9. Hooray! The truth about handknit socks, love them. I have about a billion patterns favourited on Rav for socks and can't wait to make more this year. The patterned socks are not really harder than plain socks, it is just the same thing of follow the pattern one stitch at a time

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  10. I am still not convinced that socks are easy! I love all of your socks.

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  11. Socks for everyone! They're not hard! Just do it! :)

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  12. Thanks for speaking out for sock knitting. It took me 10 years to conquer sock knitting because I was so sure they were too hard, and that only the most accomplished knitters could knit them. I kept coming back to try again and again. This was before the days of YouTube and a yarn store was miles away. Finally I conquered socks! Today wannabe sock knitters should find all the help they need with the click of a mouse.

    By the way I've invested my retirement funds in sock yarn rather than the stock market.

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  13. Your socks are beautiful, and while I'm sure they were not "easy", SOCKS ARE DOABLE! =) To encourage you to try more complicated socks, my second pair ever were Pomatomus! (http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTpomatomus.html) YOU CAN DO IT! =)

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  14. You're so right! Socks seem to be so intimidating! I'm a crocheter and venturing into the world of knitting with my first pair of socks! I've knitted a few gauge swatches before and a dishcloth, so I figured it was now or never!

    You make some lovely things!

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  15. I'm working on my second pair of socks ever! And they're fine and dandy! I'll blog about it soon... I just turned the heel on the second sock (I think we already agreed how satisfying that is!!) Kat x

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  16. My first pair of socks were a set of beaded mystery socks. They came out too big, but they were constructed properly, and I can still wear them. People are flabbergasted that those are my first socks. But I'd be SO BORED trying to knit a pair of stockinette socks, and it wasn't very hard to make a pair from pieces of a pattern released gradually, either.

    That pair is called Moonchild, by the way. Someday I'll make them again. :)

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  17. I have to agree. I avoided socks for quite a while because they seemed beyond my skill level... because there's so much going on in such a small space.

    I use 2 circulars... I still think that knitting socks on a set of dpns is awesome. I will sit mezmerized during knit night as one of my comrades tells great stories and knits socks on dpns like nothing is going on. :-)

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  18. I was the same way. After knitting a pair of fingerless mitts, I had the same thought. Funny. I am getting ready to cast on my third pair. I think the hard part for me is the tiny needles. Maybe I should make a pair of hiking socks...naw! I love that lightweight yarn and now have a tub full begging to be made into socks.

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  19. Hurrah for socks! I learned to knit specifically so I could knit socks - and I used Silver's Sock Class too - and I'm so glad I did it. It's just as much fun as I hoped it'd be.

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  20. I LOVE the bright colours of your first pair of socks...the toes and everything look striped. I've only knit one pair of socks (last winter, not even a year ago)...and am proud of that. Orange alpaca yarn my sister gave me... I hope to make another pair! They are intimidating!!!

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