Socks. 52 of them.

Hi.

My name’s Alice.

Erm. I’m not sure I’d class it as a ‘problem‘ as such, but…

I love socks.

I never saw it coming.

I knitted a sock once.

It was a lacy number, and it never ever EVER had a partner.

And I thought that was it. I thought I’d never knit another.

Fiddly little chuffers.

But…. somehow. Over these past few years (ack! Where did THAT time go??) I have been completely seduced.

I couldn’t even tell you how it happened. It snuck up on me.

Except, maybe, it began with the Beauteous Boot Socks, which I still knit and still wear daily, and in the winter at night, too. And then, gradually… well hey. If you’re prepared to knit a big sock on 5mm needles, why not take a little longer and knit smaller ones. On 3mm needles?

And, if you have ever walked in a hand-knitted sock, then you know. You know. It’s like walking on carpet. It’s a whole different experience.

And….. there I go. Into that nether-land of the yarnie. Into that world that only other yarn addicts really know. The land where, when I start talking, my family – as much as they love and want to support me – begin to glaze over and get that rabbit-in-the-headlights look, heads darting, surreptitious as can be, searching for an escape, ANY escape.

If you know, you know.

So, given the utter upside-downness of our insane-crazy world right now, I have set myself a challenge. 52 socks in 52 weeks. 26 pairs this year.

On top of which, I will look after my family, work my day job, finish some WIPs and design a few more lovely things.

Because, frankly, not keeping busy in this unrecognisable world is not an option. Am I right?

So without further ado, allow me to present socks #1 and #2 of 52 for this year, making my first lovely pair. (Hanging them on the wall isn’t weird, right?)

Knitted with Drops Fabel in Rose Mist Long Print on 3mm needles, with pale pink cuff and heel accents of Drops Nord, and grey toes of Happy Feet.

The pink heel is an afterthought heel or, more accurately, a peasants’ heel, since an afterthought heel traditionally is cut into the sock tube after knitting, whereas the peasants’ heel employs a piece of scrap yarn knitted across where you plan for your heel to go, slipped back across onto the working needle and then knitted over to continue the sock. After knitting, you unpick the scrap yarn, pick up the stitches and knit a heel.

If I were going to knit them again, I’d use the Happy Feet yarn for the toes AND the heels as, on 3mm needles, a much sturdier fabric is produced, which is pretty good for those hard-wearing spots, I reckon.

Right.

I have two more made, but not matching, so I’m going to finish a pair before posting the next two.

Happy knitting! x

Advertisement