Making socks a different way

[altivo]

I've been busy making socks. Why not just buy them? Because when I make my own I get what I want, not what mass producers want to sell. For instance, I wanted some nice heavy and warm socks to wear inside my rubber work boots for barn stuff in winter.

So here are the socks in progress. This is a super-bulky or "chunky" yarn, wool and acrylic blend. Though I am quite proficient at knitting socks in the conventional manner on double pointed needles, I'm doing these on a knitting frame (called a "loom" these days but I reserve that term for actual weaving equipment.) There are two reasons for that. The first one is that this rather stiff yarn calls for large diameter needles that I find clumsy to manipulate.

The second reason is more subjective. My husband has wanted to learn to knit for some time now, but has had little success with it. He finds the small precise motions involved difficult to execute in a consistent manner, even though he is quite proficient with a sewing machine or even a crochet hook. I keep reassuring him that it takes practice but he is impatient.

He asked for a sock loom for Christmas, so I got him the one he requested. It has a much finer gauge than the 24-pin hoop shown in the photo here, since it is designed for real sock yarn (about 1/32 inch in diameter as opposed to the 1/4 inch diameter of this chunky yarn.) He was having some difficulty getting started with it, so I pulled out my set of plastic hoop frames and suggested he try those first. The blue frame shown here is the smallest of the set of four, and he started with the next size up which has 28 pins. He produced a very attractive and evenly knitted scarf on that, a good seven feet long. It only took him about 3 days of working in odd moments.

As he was doing this I realized that even though I have taught knitting classes specifically on socks, I had no idea how to make a sock using a frame instead of needles. I figured I'd better learn before he went back to the sock loom and started asking questions. That's why I took the smallest frame and made a sock on it using some scrap worsted yarn. It worked, and only took about a day. The resulting sock is the right shape, but the stitch gauge was too loose for practical wear. These plastic hoops are really sized for bulky weight yarn.

That's when I remembered that I really wanted some heavy weight socks, so why not? I went to the craft store, bought a couple of balls of cheap bulky yarn, and here it is. The second sock is not yet finished, but I have turned the heel since taking this photo and will probably reach the toe sometime tomorrow if I have a loose hour or two. The one completed sock fits and will serve my purpose. It remains to be seen how durable they are, but at $4 for the yarn compared with almost $20 for any commercial product that even approaches what I want, it's worth the attempt. And yes, I'm now prepared to guide the novice frame knitter through the sock shaping process too.

Comments

[murakozi]

Knitting is one of those skills that I've thought about trying to learn for years. Heck, I was just thinking about it last night after watching the old Cary Grant movie Mister Lucky. I've just never gotten up the gumption to try it. I've been told that it takes a lot of time and practice to become even mediocre at it.

[altivo]

Well, yes and no. If you learn manual tasks readily, or are practiced in similar work that requires small precise movements of the hands, it might come to you easily. Many people find crochet easier to learn than knitting, but as one who does both, I don't see much difference.

The knitting loom, as it is called today, has been around for centuries. It allows you to produce textiles with the same structure as traditional needle knitting, but requires somewhat less dexterity. I think it is often used as physical or occupational therapy for that reason. Certainly the technique makes it easy to create simple items like scarves or afghans quickly and easily. Garments like mittens, socks, or sweaters require more shaping so there is rather more skill and planning needed but all are possible.

I suspect the main problem most people have with knitting is the fact that you are required to do a lot of small, repetitive actions in order to get results. It takes time, and may seem tedious. However, it can be done simultaneously with other activities, such as conversation or watching television. I often listen to an audiobook while knitting or spinning. My former boss and I used to knit while attending work-related meetings (which infuriates some people for reasons I don't quite understand, but since she persisted I felt perfectly comfortable doing the same.) Now that we are both retired, we no longer have that sort of fun.

Loom knitting is almost as portable as the regular needle knitting, at least when you are using a small loom. The larger looms for sweaters and blankets take up quite a bit of space.

[murakozi]

I've always figured that once one really got the hang of it, knitting was sort of an autopilot thing so it was something that could be done while doing something else, like you said. At least, I think that'd be the case for non-complex things.

[altivo]

Exactly. I can't do lacework or Aran cables and lattices without using my full attention. But a plain scarf or the foot of a sock is usually just a single stitch repeated hundreds of times. That can be done almost without looking. In fact, it *is* done without looking by visually handicapped and even blind knitters.

[murakozi]

One of the reasons that I've never tried to learn to knit is that I think I'd probably just do while trying to relax/disonnect and just end up with a 40 foot long 'scarf' or something. Or I might just end up poking at it for a bit, then stop, and end up with supplies sitting around in a closet forever.

[altivo]

If you have an interest, you never know whether you'll like it unless you try. A ball of yarn and a pair of needles is probably a $5 or $6 investment, perhaps less. You can find beginner instructions on the web, with diagrams or video, but it's usually best if you have someone to show you how to get started. In fact, an enthusiastic knitter willing to help a beginner might well give you some yarn and needles. (We all accumulate those over the years.) Alas, I'm too far away to offer hands on help, but surely someone nearby would do so.

[murakozi]

I don't know anyone locally who knits. I'd have to try to teach myself. I'm still half tempted to find a craft store and see if there are any starter kits or guides.

[altivo]

There are indeed any number of starter kits and beginning books. Probably DVD instruction too. I don't know what craft or hobby chains are near you, but here you would find them at Michael's, JoAnn's, or Hobby Lobby (though I boycott the last one for serious political reasons.) You can probably find a beginning class at one of these at least at certain times of the year. Also check your yellow pages under "Yarn" to find locally run shops, where you can often find classes and teachers.

Facebook has at least one group of "Men Who Knit." (I'm not a Facebook user, but my husband is so I know about it.) The Ravelry website is also a good place to find instruction and advice as well as groups for men in particular.

A word of warning: Knitting is addictive to some of us. But it is also productive and soothing both. :D