the blue blog archives: tuesday is knitalong day

Another pair of sock savior socks to make us all feel good about knitters and swaps and things like that:

And a big thank you to whoever it was that sent me sock savior yarn from Maine (there wasn't a note in the package and I forgot who it was who was sending a yarn donation). The donated yarn has been sent out to two sock savior knitters to knit make up socks!

And I'll be making a pair of sock savior socks too. Just something I felt like I had to do. These are on the post-holiday to-knit list.

And an update on my race to finish the holiday knits. There is lots of holiday cheering, because one black/gray sock is done!

Unfortunately, there's also some holiday jeering, because it's just not right for the recipient. The size, the colors, the ribbing - they're all fine but not really for the person I had in mind. But I think they might work for another person whose socks were pushed from the Christmas to the hey-Hannukah's-after-Christmas-this-year list. So I'm ahead on his gift! That makes me 9 of 13 now. Thankfully, most of the remaining recipients don't mind getting their gifts with the needles still in them!

Check out more details on my progress and all the general holiday knitting madness at the knitalong!

posted by alison at 9:22 am | in holiday cheer , sockapaltwoza

Comments

My dad got a single wrapped sock one year and the matching sock the following Christmas. He didn't seem to mind either.

Posted by: Siri at December 20, 2005 10:44 AM

Oy, nothing like snags in the Christmas knitting, is there? Keep plugging - I hope you finish!

Posted by: Kathy at December 20, 2005 12:06 PM

I hear that "needles still in the knitting" thing. That's where several of my gifts will be this year. As well as single socks and "guess what - you get a custom knit pair of socks and here are the colors and patterns you get to choose from!" heh

Posted by: Laura at December 20, 2005 12:21 PM

Pssst. I'm 2 for 2 on Xmas knitting (it's easy to get a gold star when you aim small!), but I don't remember how to post to Blogger. If you have time, will you shoot me a line? If you're swamped, no worries. I can always post to my blog. Happy Holidays! xox,

Posted by: Julia at December 20, 2005 12:28 PM

I love the socks, and there's no shame in redirecting them to an unanticipated owner! On another note, if you have time to answer a question.... I'm a sock virgin, and would love to find a great pattern for my first pair. I haven't been able to find the pattern that you use as your standard, though - can you recommend a good starter pattern? I love ragg wool socks, and was thinking that chunky yarn wasn't a bad choice for a novice sock knitter who generally shies away from double-points to begin with! Any thoughts?

Thanks for the fantastic blog -

Posted by: Thea at December 20, 2005 1:50 PM

Ha, one sock each Christmas, I love it! ;0)

Thea, I would definitely recommend the Yankee Knitter Family Sock pattern. It is a great pattern with instructions for all sizes and in three different gauges. I'm sure you can find it online somewhere. If not, I know that Ann Norling has a good basic sock pattern. And then there's the sock pattern in Ann Budd's Handy Book of Patterns, which is also written for all sizes and multiple gauges.

I definitely think you should start on a thicker yarn than traditional sock yarn. I usually have my students use DK/sport weight yarn like Regia 6-ply or Idena Crazy yarn. You know, Opal makes a thicker weight sock yarn now too - it knits up super quick! And if you really hate the dpn's, you could try just starting off with magic loop instead of forcing yourself to do it the old fashioned way.

Best of luck getting started with sock knitting!

Posted by: alison at December 20, 2005 2:25 PM

When I visited the post office Saturday morning, there was a knitter sitting in the tiny lobby (small town) calmly knitting the thumb of a white mitten. This was mitten #2 (I asked) - mitten #1 was in the box on the counter waiting for its mate so they could be mailed. It was near closing time, but she was at the very tip, so I'm sure she made the deadline. Good luck to you and all the other knitters here on their projects!

Posted by: Sherilan at December 20, 2005 2:35 PM

I must be overstressed from holiday knitting, but I thought the last line said "DENIALS on my progress" and I thought, yeah, that sums it up for me too.

I finally finished some stuff! Will be posting over at the knitalong site later. Woot!

Posted by: Jenn at December 20, 2005 7:03 PM