Once upon a sock, December 2018

I’m brand new to the “Once upon a sock” posts, but as an avid sock knitter, I’m thrilled to join in the fun.

This year for Christmas my mother requested knee socks. Actually, I had to coerce her into it. You’d never meet someone less enthusiastic about receiving hand-knit socks than my mother. She’s an extremely thrifty, practical person, and the fact that she doesn’t technically *need* any socks means that she’s reluctant to have me knit them for her. I’ve tried to explain that need doesn’t even enter into it. Hand-knit socks are a luxury, and if someone offers to make some for you, you should say, without hesitation, “Yes please, and thank you!”

I’m also brand new at knitting toe-up socks, which I thought would be the best-suited method for knee socks. And I’ve also recently discovered how fun it is to do socks two at a time on two circular needles. I love practicing new-to-me techniques, so I’ve been on a sock kick lately. However, being that I’m still practicing, I found that the first pair of toe-up two-at-a-time knee socks I started were too big for my mother, so I’m now in a mad dash to finish another pair by Christmas that will hopefully fit better.

I’m making that first pair with leftovers from my Find Your Fade shawl, and the smaller pair is coming together with Bis Sock by Biscotte Yarns. Luckily the larger ones should fit me, but now I’m concerned that the second pair may be a little too small for my mom. I do have a tendency to overcompensate when I’m having a hard time getting sizing right. But a very well-timed post by Katherine at Fiber and Sustenance has put my mind at ease somewhat. I think blocking will get that smaller pair to just the right size to fit my cute little mom’s cute little feet.

And just an aside, those petals you see in the photo above are from this plant called the Euphorbia milli or Crown of Thorns:

It puts out these lovely blooms year round, but its stem is what makes it live up to its name:

The cats and I have learned to admire, but don’t touch!