That was the theme in yesterday’s comments.
You know, I love socks. I love nice socks. I’ve wanted to knit myself numerous hand-knit socks. I have enough sock yarn to knit socks for months.
So why can’t I start a pair of socks?
I’ve literally sat down with needles and yarn and a sock pattern, stared at it for a minute, and then put it all away. And I’ve done this a number of times with no socks resulting. I don’t know why. I love socks. I like knitting socks. I WANT socks. But I think I suffer from some silly fear, like, thinking that I don’t have the right pattern for the yarn.
I think that’s it. I think I have too high an opinion of my sock yarn, and I’m waiting for the divine to intervene and tell me what is worthy enough for it.
Sound stupid? Of course it does. And believe me, I don’t have a collection of sock yarn to be envied. I have a few nice options, but hardly an extensive collection. And nothing out of the ordinary.
And it’s not for a lack of cool sock patterns either. I have this book, as well as years of Interweave Knits magazines that manage to find the most GORGEOUS sock patterns to publish, most of which I want to wear. And there’s some lovelies in this book as well, which I also own.
I also really like plain ol’ ribbed socks like the pretties I made for Grandma.
I’m just pathetic.
Here’s what we did last night.
I’ve always loved this Santa. He’s in the Alderwood mall, and he actually acts like Santa, talking to the kids, looking excited to see the line of them when he comes back from breaks, asking them what they want!!! Like a Santa is supposed to do. I don’t know why so many of them don’t anymore.
However, I think the set up this year is pretty lame. The super dark green chair, the gray “stone” background…. doesn’t make for a pretty picture. (I cropped most of it out, because it’s boring anyway). But I love the Santa. And I love the fact that we could afford pictures with him again this year. It’s been a couple years.
Poor Abby doesn’t even resemble herself. She’s going to hate that shot when she gets older.
December 8th, 2005 at 2:32 am
I have a making-socks-for-me phobia. I’ll make them for anyone else, no problem, but I have a hard to fit foot (wide, very high instep, and thick ankles). I loook at my wonderful sock yarn and the pretty patterns and go “what if” . . . they’re too small . . . too big . . . fit the foot but too small for the ankle . . . fit the ankle but no the foot . . . I spent all that time and wasted my pretty LL sock yarn . . . it just goes on and on.
So, I understand the sock hesitation.
December 8th, 2005 at 3:09 am
Darling ~ Those girls are just darling!
Three sock books I just love are:
Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch…Knit Socks by Betsy McCarthy and my new most favorite Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. The last one has all the heel and toe designs and the history is so fun to read about.
December 8th, 2005 at 4:44 am
I put Gathering of Lace on my Christmas list. That Santa definetely looks like the real thing – maybe I’ll have to take my kiddos there, although there’s a nice one at our Ben Franklin store as well.
December 8th, 2005 at 8:03 am
I’m scared of knitting socks. That’s why my 1st pair is still just about 4 inches if ribbing….
All the girls are adorable.
out of the 3 girls, Abby is the one that looks like a different person each time. I can spot O and V without a problem, but A always looks different.
December 8th, 2005 at 10:12 am
Maybe you should buy a really nice bit of sock yarn and make yourself knit it. It could break the cycle!
December 8th, 2005 at 5:46 pm
The gals look so cute!
Sock yarn?! I just bought some today and I’m gonna cast on a pair of size 12 for hubby! You’ve been warned 😛
December 8th, 2005 at 11:47 pm
I went through the same thing recently. I finally found the Cable Rib socks from Spring IK that calls for fingering weight. Hoping sportweight will create a man’s size sock. The pattern is simple but has a little extra every 4th row when you cross the 2 cables. There’s also a free lacy pdf pattern called Elfine’s socks that are toe up and use 2 skeins of slightly heftier fingering, like Koigu. Your simple rib socks are darling too! Just go for it! You can’t go wrong, even if they don’t end up perfect, especially if they’re just for you.
December 9th, 2005 at 4:20 am
They’re adorable! AND it is important to have a great Santa. PaPa has a suit ans makes a great Santa when he does personal appearances; with his charm, love, real white hair and beard he’s a natural, too. I love the reindeer horns. But then again, I am a Rudolph fan, what can I say?
December 9th, 2005 at 12:28 pm
I’ve got one skein of Fleece Artist sock yarn in my stash that I don’t dare touch because I haven’t the perfect pattern for it. So I know what you mean. Maybe you just need to get some plain-jane sock yarn and have at it…save your favourites for another day.
December 10th, 2005 at 3:13 am
I understand your feeling of hesitation. I went through it for quite a while, but it was about my stashette in general instead of just socks. I don’t have a proper yarn shop within a reasonable distance so I hesitate to knit certain yarns because it may take me a while to get more. For instance, my two local sources of yarn (Wal-Mart and Michaels) don’t carry fingering or DK yarns so I try to save what I already have for the “perfect” project. I don’t know why I do this; you would think that online ordering didn’t exist :-).
December 15th, 2005 at 1:35 am
Oh my god! You saw the real Santa!
December 30th, 2005 at 12:36 am
I was doing a google search for “cable rib socks” and found your site. I had to do a double take because that Santa was totally familiar – because it’s the same one we had last year at the Alderwood Mall! I’m with you on the lameness of the backdrop. It’s one of the reasons we didn’t go there this year. But the Santa is great! Such a cute picture!