I need socks

I have wanted to knit socks for a long time now. I did have a go many years ago, but due to the double ended needles confusion and trying not to drop them out of my knitting, I gave up after only a few pairs.

Now, after having joined Ravelry, I have learned that I don't know as much about knitting as I once thought. I actually feel like an advanced idiot in some cases.

But, now I know how to knit using one circular needle and the magic loop method, I love making socks. I made myself a pair of 8ply (DK) Socks from a pattern in a magazine, because the weather is so much colder here than I am used to and my feet were freezing. I didn't like to take the precious time I have making something from 4ply that would take forever and I needed them NOW.
Here they are, boring but functional.

While I was making my socks, they caused a great deal of excitement amonsgst the shorter members of the family, who took great joy trying on my socks as they grew on the needles.

When they were finished and the urgency wasn't so great, I started looking to try and find a pattern for more socks. That was how I discovered you could make socks from the toe up. I couldn't find a pattern I was looking for so I just cast on for my toes and started knitting. I have fairly sensitive toes so I started out with the bumps on the outside so my toes would have the smooth side of the knitting.

Then I wanted something different, so I started with a textured sole, hoping that would cusion some of the impact. I am on my feet quite a lot and I wear socks constantly all through winter. I read a pattern that had a different type of heel, I don't really like the flap heel, and discovered the wrap & turn heel. I couldn't get the wrap to knit up with the stitches easily, so I just left them and with the texture & the 8ply, it didn't matter, there were no holes in my heels. Then I just picked a ribby type pattern from my stitch dictionary and I was away. All good until I ran out of yarn on the top half of my second sock with only about 10 rows to go. I had to wait til our next trip to town.

But when I got to wear them, those socks were so comfy on the floor, very slippery to start with, but ohhhhh so squishy on the bottom, I didn't want to take them off, so I made another pair.

Then it started, all the kids wanted some. But that's another story......