Dear Kay,
When you’re on a sock binge, you end up wandering the Internet in search of EVERYTHING SOCKULAR.
The image that haunts me today? The oldest knitted item in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London happens to be: a pair of socks. Apparently humans two millennia ago had two toes! I did not know this.
A sock binge also leads me to sock books. I keep thumbing through three that I have on hand.
Sometimes a bracing bit of history reminds us that these socks we make for fun have a long history of being made out of necessity. Folk Socks: The History and Techniques of Handknitted Footwear is a juicy combination of lore and patterns. Nancy Bush has been thinking, writing, and teaching about socks—and folk knitting—for decades; she’s one of the legends of the knitting world I would love to take a class from. Here’s her schedule for the rest of 2016.
Nancy’s Knitting Vintage Socks is the second sock book I bought, when I was learning to knit socks. I remember being so daunted by some of the intricate stitch patterns, having knit exactly one pair of socks at the time. Interesting to see how after time and a zillion stitches later, the impossible socks now seem like something fun to try.
Lucy Neatby’s Cool Socks, Warm Feet focuses on patterns that work well with wacky yarns. Heels and toes get special attention here (garter stitch toes? Get out!), and there’s even a thrilling Sideways Garter Stitch Cuff. I am not making this up. Truly, tons of superdetailed information in here—this deceptively small book is solid gold.
Clara Parkes rounds up some favorite sock books here, including high fives to Ann Budd, Charlene Schurch, and the editors of Vogue Knitting.
Finally, test your knitting knowledge with a quick sock quiz. I actually missed one. I blame poor wording, lack of coffee, the moth hovering over my desk who looks suspiciously happy, the full moon . . .
Love,
Ann
PS Cashmere congratulations to Lainie E., whose name was drawn at random from MDK newsletter subscribers to win six skeins of Jade Sapphire cashmere yarn. Wish we had cashmere for all! Including me! #slightlybitter #mostlyOKaboutit
The moth who looks suspiciously happy- genius! This is why I read your posts because lord knows I barely sit still to knit anymore these days. Love you both.
I scored 100% on the quiz, but now I want to try knitting a pair of i-cord socks.
Ha, same here. Just make them tube socks, and we won’t even have to figure out how to turn heels in i-cord.
“Ketchup stitch” LOL
100% pre caffeine ! Now, off to find my sock books And chec out Nancy Bush’s web site …..
looks to me like a pair of socks for a pampered camel.
The original camel toe?
I learned to make socks from Cool Socks Warm Feet by Lucy Neatby. It’s a classic, and must-have for any self-respecting sock knitter’s shelf. 😀 Great book!
100% on the fun quiz, pre-coffee!! hard to believe! LOL
My second sock is coming along well, too!
I aced the quiz and the distracters (technical term for wrong answers, I design training for a living) made me giggle. Especially the fake brands of sock yarn, lmao.
100% with morning. Latte half consumed
One request when you redesign the blog Remembering commenter like a login or something like blogger does. It’s kinda Pain have to put name and email everytime one posts. Especially on an iPad. Thanks
My name and email show up for me every time. Maybe it’s your browser? Or an iPad thing?
Dear Southern Gal, we can’t wait to show you the new site. Thank you for enduring this current blog–we’re so glad you put up with it. The new site is shaping up to be so functional and sleek. I really hope you like it.
Congrats to Luckie Lainie!
There is a six-skein-shaped hole in my knitter’s soul this morning, but the quiz cheered me up a bit and I think I’ll get an overdue haircut today which should make the entire world brighter because there will be no hair falling into my eyes. There may also be an eclair.
That’s right. I don’t mess with Mister InBetween.
Me too, Quinn, except my hair dresser is closed today and I was thinking “Napoleon” before you mentioned eclair. Hmm…
The ‘single needle technique’ described in the V and A description is actually nalbindung. Nancy Bush has written about and taught this technique. It is done with a threaded needle and is more like making a series of loosely connected knots which are strong and connected and flexible. Knitting wasn’t invented until later.
Agree.
I scored 100% on the quiz. Small consolation for not winning the cashmere yarn…
I’m mostly a sweater knitter but I was knitting socks as I sat vigil for 3 days last week as my brother was dying. I found knitting the socks instead of a sweater to be more calming. Thanks Ann and Kay for reminding about socks.
Lynn, I am so sorry about the loss of your brother. You must be feeling a lot of grief right now, but there will come a time when you feel a quiet sense of peace and satisfaction that you kept vigil with him at this important time in both of your lives. I think losing a sibling (which I have not, yet… but it will happen) must be one of the most difficult losses. You will cherish those socks.
So very sorry for your loss. Prayers for comfort and strength. Times like these are when knitting really is a great distraction and comfort. Take care.
Fun! I got them all right. Love multiple choice quizs.
Those Egyptian relics are sandal socks (aka tabi socks), Ann! (Though after all they weren’t knitted but made by the nalbinding technique – so disappointing).
Back at the turn of the millennium, I learned to knit socks straight from Nancy Bush’s Folk Socks book and recommend it highly. It walked me through my first pair of plain, classic socks (top down, heel-flap-and-gusset style), and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Aced the test. Nice way to start the day!
100%! I do love to knit socks – for me and my “knitworthy” friends.
Love you guys!!
Well, I’m supposed to have been in bed long before now, but you’ve sent me on a quest from one place to another in the internet world for making those ancient socks, which I learned is Nalebinding. (With a special little mark over the ‘a’). Facinating! I am going to have to try that technique of course in the future. Love me some socks and the process of knitting them!
You should take a Nancy Bush class. I still have the 4 sample heel styles we knit & tagged, so we would know which heels she had us try. I took a picture to show you but do not see how to insert in blog. I learned a lot from her Folk Socks workshop & was most surprised to realize that she put the date when she signed my book and it was 1996…where did 20 years go?
PS I like the Dutch heel