Dear Kay,
This time of year, the light through the kitchen window hits a peak of glory around 6 pm. I keep an eye on the kitchen sun schedule the way a fisherman knows the tides. This late afternoon light? It looks like Jesus will come striding out of the cedars any minute. Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light, wishes his light looked like this light.
I had a slim window in which to get a picture of my latest sock-finishing effort. There was a piece of fish on the counter, an aged kale salad at the absolute edge of plausibility as a side dish, and some Trader Joe’s microwave rice from two days ago awaiting its second birth back in the microwave. Dinner? Or photos?
At about 5:45, Hubbo walked into the kitchen and found me slumped down in a chair, camera in hand, foot up on the table modeling a red sock. One thing I have noticed during the One-Sock Knitalong is that it is harder than you might think to get a good photo of handknit socks. They’re elusive. They don’t want to be caught. The look all floppy without a foot contained inside. At least the Golden Light would help make my sock less pitiable.
Hubbo took one look, grabbed a carrot out of the fridge, and wandered off without a word.
This unfinished sock project dates from at least 2008. It’s our pattern, Stephen Colbert Socks, named for our hero. The cables wander randomly as you knit from the cuff—you start with a 2 x 2 rib, then shift the two knit stitches one stitch to the right or left whenever you please, and eventually the knit stitches collide and twist and run over each other. After making a number of these socks, I find it interesting to see how little initial shifting is needed to send the two knit stitches on crazy rides. Of course, no two socks are alike.
The yarn is Colinette Jitterbug, colorway Vatican Pie. (What does this mean?) Also: I just learned that Colinette has dyed its last hank of yarn, so if you want any Jitterbug, get over there now.
We haven’t been able to give Stephen Colbert a pair of Stephen Colbert socks, but he really is a sock-loving guy. Proof? Here is a recent Pro-Am Sock Toss between Stephen Colbert and Stephen Curry, former Davidson College student. (OK, maybe he’s an NBA MVP, but my alma mater will not let him go even though he dropped out before his senior year.)
Be sure to see the glorious sock completions over at the Instagram hashtag #onesockKAL. And the Ravelry Modern Daily Knitters One-Sock Knitalong forum continues to be a place where old socks are reborn, sock yarns surprise and amuse, and everybody’s having a good time. The knitalong continues through May 31, at which point we will have a festive awards ceremony and bestowing of door prizes. If you’re game for such frolics, you’ll want to post a photo of your One-Sock Knitalong socks either on Ravelry or Instagram.
Love,
Ann
Photographing 3D textiles is a challenge for sure. I finished my onesockKAL project last night but it was too dark to take a picture; had to wait until the early morning fog cleared.
A few nights ago, my family ate with the lights off because it was the perfect light at the kitchen window for pictures of a prototype of a new design. Priorities, people! Also, I love the Stephen Colbert socks! Those will be my next pair.
Thanks for reminding me I need to wash the socks around here. We’ve gotten so much rain in the mid-Atlantic it’s hard to find a window of sock drying time. But with June well nigh upon us, that time has arrived!
What cats are to blocking, goats are to documenting. I suggest letting your goats get involved in your sock-photography endeavors. It happens around here quite often, and is fun for everyone – knitter, goats, rav project-perusers.
What? What’s that you say? You have no goats?
Good news…I can fix that!
Working on finishing my little sock for the current a4A campaign. Have been trying to figure out how to upload pictures from my Android. Not easy to figure out for a tech challenged Boomer like me. At any rate, I loved that Stephen Colbert sock and hope to soon try that cabling technique. Thanks for the reminder about the late Thomas Kinkade. There was great light in his work
which I sadly took for granted, thinking that it would always be there. I trust that his ultimate journey into the light was the most brilliant. R.I.P. Thom.
I did it! I posted a pic onto Instagram! It’s on my feed (not the the KAL) as I do not yet have a finished pair of socks. It’s the afghans made by my knitting group. Anyone who is on IG and would like to see it, my IG name is ohiostarr. The only problem is that I don’t know exactly what the final thing I did to get it fom my gallery to IG….
Hi,
How does one upload to the instagram feed? Is that the way to enter for KAL contest?
Thank you!
Yes, I believe that is correct. BTW, Diane, really like your name.
Yes, Diane, I think that’s it. BTW, I really like your name.
Your husband is very wise. Don’t say anything and just walk out of the room. Keys to a happy marriage.
So true.
I suspect I’ve given my neighbors plenty to talk about as I dash out of my front door, step just into the perfectly shady-yet-suntinged-spot, wearing a pair of socks with my jeans rolled up, and posing into awkward stances to get the best pictures of said socks. Or maybe they’re also knitters and get it. 😉
This is why I take all of my knit pix in the back yard (nice fence, attractive flora) or indoors (despite poor lighting). I don’t want the notoriety of being known as the weirdo who takes pictures of her own feet.
Gretchen, if you lived in Portland, OR, you would take pictures of your own feet every time you come home to PDX airport. The carpeting is unique and unmistakable. Then you would text that photo to friends and family to let them know that you got home safely. It’s a tradition around here. Hand knit socks optional.
I’ve never flown into Portland. Something special to look forward to!
Hubbo’s action reminds me of the story Ruth Bader Ginsburg tells about her mother-in-law — a woman Ruth always speaks about fondly. The mother in law gave her a set of wax earplugs before the wedding ceremony saying: “In every good marriage it pays sometimes to be a little deaf.”
Jane
Everyone knows good photo light wins over dinner prep. Lovely single sock shot! Nice glow.
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Even in total darkness, your Colbert socks would be jawdropping-ly gorgeous. That settles it, I am going to try your wild cable pattern for my next pair.
You too are a Davidson graduate? Class of ’85 here!
WHOA! Julie, we are classmates. I was Ann Meador back in the glory days.
Really!? I am floored and … drawing a complete blank. We’ve must have been in different circles (or eating houses).
The socks are beautiful. I am also a Colbert fan and am sorry he never took you up on the sock thing. (“Ravelympics” sullied the good name of the Olympic games? Humpf!) Also love your description of the beautiful light. “This late afternoon light? It looks like Jesus will come striding out of the cedars any minute.” And finally, I know that I don’t have context for your Hubbo-walking-away choice, but in our household that would have definitely been choice number 3. Choice 1 would have been to take a photo of your sock. Choice 2 would have been to start dinner himself! But perhaps he has the wisdom of Solomon…
Ann, are you wearing pajamas at 6 p.m.? Maybe that’s why Hubbo walked away without a word. Wise man.
Judy,
I can attest that those are not Ann’s pajamas. Those are her fancy pants.
Love the light, love the sock! I’m sorry to hear Collinette is closing. Do you or does anyone know why? They and Koigu are kind of the grandmothers of the whole hand-dyed sockyarn trend. boowah.
There was something about the random cables that unnerved me. I looked at my feet. Ah, yes. They looked like my veins. Ew. Guess I’ll do a different cable. Except for that detail, the socks are gorgeous!