Socks - It's always about the socks

I had never knit socks before...never even thought about socks. But, New Hampshire winters can be cold and my poor feet freeze! And, if my feet are cold - then the rest of me is cold. I told Scarlett "I have to learn how to knit socks!"

Found a wonderful homey looking knitting store called Country Woolens up in Lebanon, New Hampshire - about 20 miles from home and decided I would sign up for a class. The cost was nominal. The class lasted four weeks and there were several students signed up.

I was all excited and arrived in plenty of time to pick out my yarn and get my needles. And, class began! Our instructor was a guy named Ed and we were all green with envy as we looked at the beautiful socks he knit. His samples had us all drooling and dreaming that one day we would be able to knit socks like that.

I can tell you I have never cussed, cried, or felt so darn inadequate as I did trying to use those blasted four needles to knit socks! Finally, the needles won!!! And, I sort of tossed it all down on the table and gave up.

But, my instructor - bless his heart - came up with another solution...and taught me how to knit socks on a circular needle using something called "the magic loop".

Now I can knit socks! I knit a pair for myself first - a lovely shade of lavender and blues. Then it was a pair for Scarlett - thought the yarn was brown but it turned out to be a purple. And, now I am knitting a red pair for Tammy.

To say that I have discovered socks is one thing - but the real issue is that I have discovered sock YARN! I probably have enough to knit quite a few pair of socks for everyone I know...there is the bright yellow yarn, the red, the purple...well, you get the idea.

But, even better, I have discovered that the small amounts of yarn that are left when one finishes a pair of socks can be used to do heels and toes, or toes and heels, or stripes, or tops to the ribbing...

the possibilities are endless...