New Socks Revisited....

It was this past Monday that I actually wore the first pair of socks I ever made. I must admit to being childishly excited, too. I did indeed finish them, but as with a first attempt at any new thing, they are not perfect. Wearable? Yes, they are wearable. Would I give them as a gift to someone? No.

Let me first say that I did enjoy knitting them. In fact, I found it fun and extremely relaxing. I am grateful to Karl who helped me turn my first heel. He was very patient. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, but I would have struggled without his help.

The socks really have 2 problems. First, they turned out about a size too big for my feet. My gauge was very close. I used the size 2 needles found in the pattern, but my feet are rather narrow. I honestly didn't consider my narrow feet. The solution: I washed them in hot water and threw them in a hot dryer. As Karl stated, "It is washable wool. It is not necessary dryable wool."  They shrunk just enough to be a better fit.

Kitchener Stitch found in 
Folk Socks by Nancy Bush

The second problem was in the finishing. The pattern called for the toes to be closed with the Kitchener Stitch. This stitch is essentially the process of seamlessly grafting two raw edges of knitting together. I haven't used the Kitchener Stitch in a few years and never did use it much. I did not do it very well. I found the directions confusing. I have since found a better set of directions in the book by Nancy Bush titled Folk Socks. I will try this stitch again on my second pair of socks.

Yes, I am knitting a second pair of modern socks. I have already turned a heel without any help. The sock pattern I have used is from a how-to book published by Coats & Clark.  The book had been reprinted from the 1940s through part of the 1960s. I am using size 1 needles, and so far, they look to be a better fit. I love the ease of the pattern and enjoy the process of knitting a sock. I find the repetitiveness to be relaxing after a long day. Knitting a pair of socks is a small thing, but it was a lesson certainly worth learning.

Nancy Bush, Folk Socks, (Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 1994), 58.

Learn How Book, (USA: Coats & Clark, 1941).