Projects
Never Gonna Cease Our Wandering (Socks)
Dear Ann,
I’m a little daunted by the task of summing up the wonder of the MDK Wandering Socks Knitalong, which officially ended last week. It’s been a joyride, from start to finish, all the more fun for being as unexpected as that time my grandma Pearl picked me up to “go for a ride,” and we called my mom the next morning from St. Joseph, Missouri. (Hashtag: #momwasmad.)
I started off knitting socks for this knitalong because, darn it, we were knitting socks on this here website and I was going to Participate. I was curious to see what all the passionate sock knitters loved about knitting socks, but I wasn’t sure that sock knitting was going to be my thing.
Update: Knitting socks is totally my thing.
I’m on pair number 7, and just getting warmed up. Yarns (from Left): Neighborhood Fiber Company Studio Sock in Alice GAdzinsky, Lichen and Lace 80/20 sock in Coral, SPUD AND CHLOË FINE SOCK IN RED HOT AND CALYPSO, NEIGHBORHOOD FIBER COMPANY STUDIO SOCK IN SWOON, BARNYARD KNITS SOCK/FINGERING IN CAMPFIRE, Sock blank dyed by me at the mdk knitting getaway in june, and make.do hand-dyed sock yarn in the shade autumn.
I mean: look at my leftovers, just waiting to get themselves made into stripey socks inspired by Terhi Montonen’s magnificent dozen.
Thanks to the super robust Summer of Wandering Socks conversation in the MDK Lounge, and the Instagram hashtag #mdkwanderingsocks, I was in excellent company all summer long. Hundreds and hundreds of sock pictures kept me smiling and hitting the Like button.
This knitalong had legs. And also feet.
It was a struggle to pick the weekly prize winners. Knitters were so game, taking their socks-in-progress with them hither and yon, or just to the front porch.
The grand prize (15 balls of Rowan Cashmere Tweed, oh boy!) shipped out this week to Sue @smcarn, who went as far in the pursuit of sock fun as setting up an account for her hilarious mom. Sue’s mom, Jeannine, taught Sue and her sister how to knit, not knowing that when they grew up, they would drag her into foolishness like knitalongs and Instagram hashtags.
Sue’s caption (or is it Jeannine’s caption?): “These are socks for the #mdkwanderingsocks KAL I don’t know what that means but my daughter is making me do it.” regardless, we are on team jeannine. thanks for being so game.
Announcing: The #MDKmyfirstsock Winners
The #MDKmyfirstsock prize goes to: me. I knit my first-ever pair of adult socks on this knitalong! Where is my prize?
No? It can’t go to me? OK. I get it. And honestly, the fun of adding socks to my knitting menu is its own reward as far as I am concerned.
It was hard to choose, but I did it. Our sock-knitting debutant winners are:
Joni Perlette from the MDK Lounge, who bored the socks off her dog Murphy when she started her second sock.
Maybe murphy will be excited to learn that this photo won a prize. Or maybe not.
Our second winner is Ida Wallace:
Here we see a pooch with the proper attitude toward sock knitting. eyes on the prize!
Congrats to Joni and Ida. We’ll be in touch for your mailing addresses!
The Knitalong Is Over; Long Live the Knitalone
Here’s a thought: What if we just kept knitting socks? We’re the boss of our knitting, right? We don’t need no knitalongs! Let’s keep knitting socks. And let’s keep the hashtag going, so we can check in on each other.
It’s a knitalone, not a knitalong. But are we ever alone here on the internet, where there is always someone who wants to see a progress shot of our socks? Come to think of it, MDK itself is just a never-ending knitalong. Keep me company—I haven’t even knit the Seersucker pattern yet!
A Note of Thanks
Our eternal thanks go to Wendy Bernard for sharing her deep understanding of sock construction, her clear-eyed instructions, and her brilliant plug-and-play stitch patterns. Wendy’s streamlined approach makes it possible to knit socks endlessly, and in great variety, from a single small book. Thanks to Wendy, I now feel emboldened to sit at the table with a bunch of sock knitters when they start going on about the Eye of Partridge and the Fish Lips Kiss. I know how socks work—lay it on me!
Thanks also to you, dear readers, for supporting MDK Field Guide No. 11 with all of your heart and sole. (Sorry, last one.) We are especially grateful to you for recommending it to your LYSes as a beginner guide to socks. We’ve heard from so many knitters and shops that the book is a handy and approachable primer on socks.
It means the world to us to think of all the sock knitters—new hatchlings and old hands—out there loving on this wee tome. Your purchases of the book and beautiful hand-dyed sock yarns from the MDK Shop have supported the costs of bringing knitters daily content from our dazzling contributors. You keep us keeping on, for which we’re grateful every day.
From the bottom of our feet, thank you. May you never cease your wandering.
Love,
Kay
Wait…did you knit both your Shakerag socks from one single-knit blank? So what are you going to do with the other lovely one?
It’s all one blank! I have a section left over.
So much going on this summer so while I’ve not yet posted my socks I have been here in the netherspace knitting away whilst watching my 20 month old grandson several days a week while his Msma returns to college!!!
What is the pattern you used for the sock done in spud and Chloë in red hot and calypso? It is a very fine stripe with solid heel,toe and band
It’s a plain stockinette sock with one row stripes using the Helical Stripes technique from A Year of Techniques. You can find the video on how to do it in our How To section, under the category A Year of Techniques. It’s so fun to do.No jogs at the color changes of the stripes!
But for the basic sock instructions I followed the Cuff-Down Socks pattern in Field Guide No. 11.
Grandchildren are the best excuse for staying off the internet!
I’m dying to hear more about Grandma Pearl too!
Wow! Kay you are the DWJ of socks! Congratulations! You are amazing!
That is high praise, I am not worthy!
I missed the Sockalong, but was wondering if you would share the name of Wendy Bernard’s book? Or was it only available digitally?
It is the MDK Field Guide No. 11 Wanderlust. You can order it here and get the book AND a digital edition.
Congrats to the winners! I (once again) was not timely with joining the KAL but it was so fun to see everyone’s socks.
It was super fun to watch all the socks and especially your progress and enthusiasm! I had not knit socks for a long time, and never a short row heel, so I knit another pair and learned something at the same time! Thanks so much!
Socks are addicting to say the least. While you have been knitting all of those I have knit on a pair of the Roundabout socks and a pair of the baby socks and worked almost full time.Second roundabout sock well on its way to being done. while the Foxtrot sweater waits.
As a [very] seasoned sockster I know what’s gonna’ fit so that’s the type of sock I’ve knit for something like 10 yrs. I bought this book! It is awesome in its simplicity. Very handy timing as, after allll this time, my 80+ mother & her friends have caught on to the fabulousnosity of hand made (no elastic/ no seam) socks.
It means a lot to hear this from a veteran sock knitter! I’m now excited to learn different heels and things like that, but the simplicity really helped me get a leg up on socks. (Sorry….)
On my. It can’t be over. Oh no. I have been a sock knitter for a long time (see the photo of my sock drawer!) But for a while now, I had only been knitting a pair or two here and there. This Kal totally kicked me back into overdrive! I rediscovered my love of sock knitting and don’t plan to stop. I loved the little book (I am primarily a toe up sock knitter, so thanks for including that option) and seeing everyone’s socks. Now to clean out another drawer for the new socks, maybe a drawer just for gift socks!
I am goingto knit socks for Christmas presents for my grandsons. I’ll have to knit fast because they keep growing! But first I’m going to knit a pair of mittens for a young friend. Mittens are as much fun as socks!
My grandma used to knit all us grandchildren a pair of welly socks every year! Sadly she has altzheimers now so she can’t knit anymore but I always think about her when I’m working on socks.
Then she will be with you as she used to be.
I love mittens too!
It’s been such fun to follow this knitalong in the Lounge; oh the places y’all go, the sights you’ve all shared!!! And the number of posts to this topic is almost at 1,000! Wow awesome
Oh My Socks! Murphy…Murphy…wake up! We won!
Oh he’s asleep again.
Thank you! (At least I’m excited.)
I wish I knew your Grandma Pearl!
Wow. Kay has completed 6 pairs of socks. Pretty good for someone who is a beginning sock knitter. Can she keep going? Will there be field guides to “Advanced Wandering Socks,” “More Advanced Wandering Socks,” and “Wandering Pantyhose”? Stay tuned….
This summer was insane! I have finally settled down and am back to my knitting which has languished for the most part. The result of all this–my sock is not done (not even one) but the sock yarn I pulled out before chaos ensued this summer is all at the ready to become gifts for family and friends. I can usually bang out a pair a week if I pay attention but not this year. My sister used to make fun of me for making my own socks so I made her a pair and created a monster. Now she and both my nieces throw me serious shade if they don’t get them for Christmas (that’s what we celebrate as a family) so I still have plenty or work to do. I just put a lovely skein of Neighborhood Fiber Co. yarn (which I don’t need one bit but I want it) in my shopping cart which will wait there patiently until Book 12 comes out tomorrow. A dozen “Little Golden Books of Knitting” makes me very happy!
P.S. No cause for alarm over the chaos. Just a break up that should have happened two years ago. Tore the house apart and did a major purge and reorganization after he moved out. I’m pleased to say that we are both much happier!
Well hello Kay…my name is Linda and I accidentally fell upon your page of BEAUTIFUL socks and yarn…I am an artist and a crocheter. I’ve had a strong desire to make socks. You have totally convinced me, by reading your words of how phenomenal it is making socks I’m going for it. Living in Boston Massachusetts, and with winter just around the corner… I would love knitting all types of Socks and stockings. Definitely ordering the MARVELOUS yarn that you have suggested. So could you suggest to me what would be a good pair of double pointed needles to invest in.. I’m really excited about this and wanted to share this with you and I’m looking forward to making socks socks socks take care and have a wonderful day. Thank you for sharing and hope to hear from you❤
I love my Addi Flexi Flips! They have 2 different points on them, & I love how they’re like flexible dpns! And they stay put! You don’t have to worry about them falling out! I have rosewood & bamboo dpns, too, but I can tell the Addi’s are going to be my favorite!
you ladies also spin a darn good yarn. merci tout plein
First thanks for your joy and your capacity to understand my sad english. Every day it is a smile when I see MDK on my box mail. and the question what’s new today ? your socks challenge was funny but not for me. Perhaps I try this winter and I need precision what sort of needle I need ? Four shorts or a little round ? For the yarn , I have a lot of ideas !!! My level ? Shawls and fair isle and Lopi.
thanks you and good knitting to everyone. CBS
Leftover sock yarn always makes me think of that blanket called Barn-Raising Quilt. I forgot the name of the book where I first saw it. I think it’s called “Knit Along”. However, it is also in Ravelry. I always thought that I could use leftover sock yarn to make some of the squares, with a solid color to finish off the square which could also be used for the border. Maybe I’ll do it someday. My shoulder issues have persisted and I’m doing less knitting these days; hopefully that will turn around soon.
Barn Raising is such a good pattern, which I never made because I didn’t knit small things in the round. WHICH I NOW DO.
Laughed out loud at the syrypy strings on Johnny’s arrangement. I am almost done, second helix sock, they are lesson in color theory. Using your book for beginner sock knitters is a most excellent idea. (Teaching a sock intro class soon.)
OMG, MDK! I received my prize for the #Myfirstsock Summer of Wandering Socks Knitalong. BEAUTIFUL. Thank you sooooo much! I will let you know what I turn it into. (Murphy wants two pairs of socks.)