Today, it seems strange that I find it perfectly normal to regularly read a blog entitled sock p0rn.

Moving on.

I have lots of things to share with you for Socktoberfest. I have finished 3 pairs of socks. That's right - PAIRS. And several single socks. My favorite of them all, and my most favorite I've ever knit, for that matter, are a pair of plain, stockinette socks made from a very bold colorway of Schaeffer Anne. I finished them on Saturday and wore them for the first time yesterday, it wearing them made the day just that much better. They were the perfect thing to wear while having fun carving punkins (that's right, "punkins") outside with my Boo.

So, in an effort to be a better blogger, I'll finally crank out the digital camera and take pictures of all of these socks, my stash, and everything else I've thought about posting but never did. Maybe tonight. We'll see.

Take this gift?

So, it's that time of year when we're all supposed to be generous and knit for everybody but ourselves. But I just don't want to. At all.

Oh, I've knitted things for people before, and it has led to horror, disgust, and only a tiny bit of pleasure. I had one friend lose a scarf that I had made for her. Oh, she felt horrid about it, but I'm sure that wasn't matched at all by the pain I felt for spending all that time making it. There's no telling who is having the pleasure of wearing that lovely scarf now. That same Christmas, I knit one of my cousins a lovely, mohair scarf, and she didn't seem to like it when she opened it. In fact, she even said something a few minutes later about how it didn't really match anything she had. The problem is, I almost kept it for myself. Again, the pain continues.

That year, I also knit two other scarves - one for my sister, and one for my friend, Amy, and they both wore those scarves to shreds. So, that was time well spent, but I'm just not sure it was as much fun as I would have had if I had been knitting for ME. I even knit a pair of bright yellow "underpants" for a friend as a joke. For a silly joke, those things took longer than hell. The joke was duly appreciated, but shit.

Now, this all sounds selfish, I'm sure, but if I knit for myself, I can be sure that I'm going to like the finished product, and be proud to wear it. And probably not lose it. I can't guarantee that with any of the rest of you. Plus, I just don't have the time, with all the things that I'm knitting for myself right now. Haha.

Last year, I knit some armwarmers for a very dear co-worker, and he seemed to really enjoy them, but they took a long time to finish, because it was my first time trying intarsia. Oh, I don't regret making them, and it's not that it wasn't time well spent, but I'm not going to say they weren't a pain in the ass. I'm just saying maybe I wouldn't have felt that way if I had been knitting, say, socks for ME.

Oh, I am a terrible person. *sigh*

In the upcoming months, I do have some things I need to knit for people. I am going to make these socks, once the fall issue of Interweave Knits comes out, for my boss for Christmas, since I promised her some slippers last year and failed to deliver on that promise:



Yes, yes, they're very nice. And I'm sure they'll take a lot longer than I want them to. At least she has requested that they be brightly-colored.

I'd also like to make one of these for one of my other co-workers, since I had jokingly said I was going to make her one one time, and I totally lied:



Very dorky, I know. I'd like to surprise her by actually making it.

I also "owe" my mother a pair of socks for her birthday, which is coming up on November 13th. We'll see if I can do that or not. If I don't end up making some for her, I'll feel like a giant terd, because as she pointed out, she knit me a beautiful cabled sweater to wear last winter.

For the record, I love giving people things. But dang. This whole knitting for everyone you know thing is overrated.

I also have a friend who recently requested that I duplicate this sweater for him:



He said, "Make sure it's done in time for the Superbowl." And, no, he wasn't even kidding. Unbelievable. It would take forever to knit a load of navy stockinette. I told him I didn't want to. I told him that if he could find a plain, navy blue sweater, I'd try swiss darning the logo on top of it. He didn't seem too thrilled about that.

I don't really know what I'm getting at here. All I have to say is that I must be a somewhat of a decent knitter if people keep asking me to knit things for them!!! I just...kinda wish they would stop.

Mmm. Chocolate.

I have some friends who are chocolate snobs, which I always thought was somewhat ridiculous, since I don't think I've ever really had terrible chocolate. They're always ordering organic chocolate bars and chocolates from companies you and I have never heard of, which, until today, I thought was a little silly. But really, this company makes a sea salt chocolate bar:



I want one.

Public Service Announcement in honor of Socktoberfest

Am I the last to hear about this online sock yarn shop?:

Yarn4Socks

While I'm at it, here are the rest of my faves:

Simply Socks Yarn Company

Pure Knits

Little Knits

The Knitting Zone

kpixie

Red Bird Knits

Blue Moon Fiber Arts

Etsy

The Loopy Ewe

The Sweet Sheep

Pick Up Sticks

sKNITches

Hello Yarn

The Knitter

Crown Mountain Farms

Loop

Libertina Yarns

That is all. Please continue doing whatever it is you were doing.

A tiny quiz.

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting and do it all the time. While finishing a piece is the plan, you still love the process, and can't imagine a day going by without giving some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation involves leaving ample space for the stash and supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn ends and you begin.http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!








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My sock history

Here are my answers for the Socktoberfest history questions:

1. When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

I started making socks after being inspired by seeing a purple pair knit by Carrieoke. She used the free pattern available on Bonne Marie's blog, and so I did the same. I taught myself! I have also learned a great deal from the Sensational Knitted Socks book.

2. What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?

My first *pair* ever finished was this one, made with some superwash self-patterning yarn purchased at the Haus of Yarn in Nashville.



I haven't really worn them that much (though I am wearing them today), because they are honestly a little bit hard to pull on!! They've held up fairly well over time...they're a bit fuzzy in the expected areas.

3. What would you have done differently?

Those socks were knit on size 1s (addis), and instead of casting on 68 stitches, I would probably have cast on 72, or gone up to a size 2. These are very thick socks, and again, difficult to get on.

4. What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

I am a sock yarn whore. There really aren't too many I don't like, but I love Fleece Artist merino, Lorna's Laces shepherd sock, Mountain Colors Bearfoot, Socks That Rock, Sweet Georgia, All Things Heather, Black Bunny Fiber Arts, Regia, Great Adirondacks, and Schaeffer Anne. Though the colors are marvelous and I keep buying it, I'm not 100% sold on Koigu for socks, and was not terribly impressed with the colors I got with Kroy. I also think Opal is overrated (it feels like straw to me sometimes, and I'm over the patterning, I think).

5. Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

I've tried everything except crochet, I think. I'm not a huge fan of DPNs, but I like a 12" addi circular, an addi or INOX circular for Magic Loop, and 2 24" addis for the 2 circulars method. I also have a few 12" pairs of Clovers and Balenes (made by Boye?) in size 3 for sport weight yarns that are fun to use, as well. I sorted through my needles the other day, and I officially have too many, I think. One day I will run out of yarn to put on them, and then I'll have to go out and buy more. What a sad day that will be...NOT.

6. Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

I just tried a short-row heel the other day, and it was not as scary as I thought it might be, and it looks cool as shit. I haven't tried on a sock with a short-row heel yet, so I'll reserve judgement until then. Normally, I make a flap heel, with a garter ridge edge.

7. How many pairs have you made?

Pairs? Well, I just finished the 3rd pair, made with All Things Heather sport weight. I have yet to post pictures, but I will eventually. I have a terrible, terrible case of SSS, and hope to finish more complete pairs, instead of single socks, as a part of Socktoberfest.