So far so good. I got hooked to it. Since last fall, I've made more than 5 pairs of socks and collected a few more skeins. Everything was going so well, carrying my little sock project with me everywhere, showing off my hand knit socks to everyone. Everything was good... until last night, when I discovered a BIG HOLE in my sock. What a SHOCK!!!
I have never, I repeat NEVER had a hole in my socks. In the 34 years of my life, like NEVER!!! My lifestyle doesn't involve a lot of walking, I did everything right, washed them in warm water, air dried them and still? I take really good care of my feet too. Apply a nice foot cream every night! Have been doing that forever. So I don't understand how this happened?
Now lets talk about the yarn. I bought it in Germany... paid a hefty sum for it too. I am told this is the finest merino wool sock yarn you can find. Now when I got into sock knitting I ASSUMED that you can actually wear 'em after you are done. Apparently not! It's not even been a year since I started wearing them. I am sorry for going on and on about this but I need to vent!
I am DONE! Soooo DONE with knitting. At least socks. I will of course finish the pair on my needles right now and eventually finish the stash of sock yarn but basically the honeymoon is over.
You see, unlike most sewing projects, knitting is a big time investment! Even if you took the most challenging of sewing projects, you could still whip it up much quicker than a pair of socks.
As for these socks, I do have some yarn left over so hopefully I can find a solution to mend them but right now its too painful to look at. So I hopped into my car and gladly paid FIVE dollars for a wool sock so my feet won't be cold :)
There is one good thing these socks did though, got me out of my blog slump :) I just needed to vent! Thanks for reading and if you have any suggestions for me, PLEASE do post.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I must retire to my sewing room to whip up a Jalie sweetheart top. I do have 45 minutes on me right now ;-)
December 15th OK Its a new day and I've calmed down a bit. So I admit I won't give up knitting altogether but I'll make a wiser choice with yarns now. Tini recommended a sock yarn with nylon in it, so that's what I am going to knit with now. And ajkmama recommended this method to fix these socks which I have to say is PRETTY COOL! I might actually do that. Thanks!!! Good thing I have sock yarn left over.
15 comments:
Uh oh...not a pretty sight is it? Unfortunately, I don't have a solution for your sock problem. I wanted to let you know that you have been a wonderful knitting enabler for me this year. I enjoy your posts. I hope you find a solution real soon. :)
mmh.... maybe should should stick with sock yarn with nylon in it? I still have the fist pair of socks I've ever knitted and that was uhm 13 or 14 yrs. ago! I wash my Wollmeise socks by hand though. And actually wool without nylon will wear out but you can darn them!
If you really love your socks you could try reknitting the hole-y portion (like in this link)
http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog/2008/11/when-darning-isnt-enough.html
Don't give up on sock knitting altogether :)!!!
It's so good to see you back blogging.....don't worry, there will be more socks, more projects, and yes, more holes, but hey, there's always a project of some kind lurking behind the corner......welcome back.
Dee, don't give up knitting - there are lots of other fun stuff you can make, that don't get holes.. Have a look a Ravelry.
I still prefer sewing to make fast t-shirts and spendning a few hours working on a project - but knitting has the advantages of being portable - And I love that I can knit and talk and knit and watch tv...
Hi Deepika,
I like to switch between crafts.
Knitting is more of a process thing. I am reminded of keepsakes and long-wearing items with it. So don't mind putting in the time for that special something once in a while. Don't give up knitting altogether even though socks may seem a lot less than long wearing right now. Since the yarn is special, darn them and wear them for that extra bit of lovingly made warmth.
I sew for function and style, more of things I like wearing and to express my fashion sense. So just follow your heart and create where it inspires.
Thanks for such comforting comments you all. I really do appreciate it. I will not give up knitting. I will just get wiser when choosing yarns and leave special yarns for special occasions only. In fact right now I am working hard on completing two more socks. One is for gifting and the other one is for me (embossed leaves! )
Dee, I'm so impressed you were making socks your FIRST year of knitting! Also, this brings to mind the issue of darning. I was going to teach someone how to darn, then I thought 'why bother. socks are cheap. what are you going to darn.' but, if I knit a pair of socks I would do everything to save them!
the problem is merino is too soft and delicate for socks. It is fine for the leg of the sock but will not do for the foot. Stick to yarns with nylon in them for the foot, then you can use those special merino yarns on the leg.
That is a good tip. I will be more careful choosing yarn from now on. I do have to first knit up the ones I already have but those socks will not be used in daily wear. Or maybe I should make them into mittens or scarves (yuck!) instead.
I was so into crocheting my socks- I have a love of above-the-knee socks and they haven't been too easy find. And then suddenly every store I visited had too cute thigh high socks - for half the price of my yarn. I'm sticking to crocheting hats and scarves for now :)
ps it's nice to read you again ;)
It looks like you did some intricate work on these socks. I agree that knitting takes a lot of time. In fact, I don't know if I've ever completed a knitting project other than a hat or scarf. I think crochet is faster, but nothing beats sewing!
-E, I know what you mean. I know that the yarn prices are sort of justified because most of them are independent dyers doing this at home but its not affordable for me. So thats why I got into sock knitting because its only one skein.
Nancy, YAY for sewing!!!
What great socks -- I feel your pain. After all that work it's hard to find a hole. Do you know about Elizabeth Zimmermann? She was a knitting goddess, inventing and describing many wonderful and practical techniques. One of the best is the "afterthought heel," which allows one to easily replace a worn heel. Her daughter shows this heel in a blog post here: http://www.schoolhousepress.com/christmasstocking.htm
Happy knitting!
I'm with you Deepika and I've been knitting since the last century. Just this year, when all the socks I made for myself, my husband and son sprouted BIG potatoes, I realized it's a losing proposition. It hasn't mattered that I used sock specific yarn with nylon content or used a pricey German sock yarn, ending with a $15.00 pair of socks. I'm already using a size 0 needle on sock yarn, knowing that the tighter the yarn is knit, the stronger the knit fabric will be.
I'm wondering whether a reinforced heel pattern might be the answer, rather than putting that stitch on the back of the heel I'll put it on the bottom where we wear out the sock; that's if I can bring myself to get back into it.
Happy New Year,
Bananaoil (Anna Rich)
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