Sock Lessons

Socks are so perfect for learning new skills and techniques. I have completed a couple of lace patterned socks and I have learned so much from them. I can now read the stitches and determine which is a SL1 KTOG PSSO, or an SSK, or a YO. This is so important if you have to rip back and place stitches back onto the needles in the proper order. Socks allow you to practice skills over a small number of stitches then move on to something larger like a shawl or capelet with confidence. Cuff Ribbing, whether it be K2 P2, or KTBL P1 will have you ready for the cuff of sleeves, collars or hems of a sweater in no time. Picking up gusset stitches is the same skill you will need for picking up collar stitches or button bands on a cardigan. All of that knowledge packed into one tiny project. Pretty cool. The best thing of all may be the sense of accomplishment. Sweaters, shawls, blankets and accessories can take a long time to knit. But a portable sock project can take less time and you feel like you have really done something grand when you finish.

The perfect gift - a sock is. After months and months of knitting the sweater you lovingly gift to someone may be out of style, not a color they like, have a terrible fit, be to scratchy for their sensitive skin, be too bulky, too light weight, or WHATEVER :{. But a sock, hey if they have a foot they can wear it. The color, size and fit are not going to be a huge dilemma. If they don't like them they wear them with sneakers or shoes that completely cover them. If they love them they can find just the right shoe to show them off. The point is they will probably wear them whether they like them or not and your time has not been wasted. Not to mention the cost of the yarn required for a sweater or large garment.

That is another thing about socks, they can cost so much less. Those of us who collect hand painted super fine merino silk blends - well hey that's on us. But your basic wool and nylon sock yarn is pretty darned inexpensive and you can buy tons and make loads of socks. If you want to learn new pattern stitches or see what a color combination looks like, you can seam your swatch up the side and have a tube sock. Or you can go ahead and intentionally knit a sock, in the pattern stitch or color combinations of a larger project, just to see what it looks like or if your hands can stand P3TOG. Socks can save you money, time and sanity.

Most importantly any experienced knitter will tell you, sock yarn does not count as stash - SO if all you have is sock yarn - - - you don't have a stash!!!!