My Latest Obsession: Socks

In this modern day, what is the use in knitting socks.  They often cost a minimum of eight dollars to make.  Isn’t that a lot of money for a sock when you can get a package of socks at the store for the same price?  They take time to make, often at least a week for a pair and require the knitter to get over the dreaded "second sock syndrome", or have a pile of single socks that don’t have a match.  There are some pretty cute socks out on the market too.  Yes, they cost more, but often cost less than the price for making a pair of socks.  They have some cute patters, cabling, or some kind of colorwork.  They’ve got their own kind of flash.  Plus, buying socks takes away all those hours of knitting.  That means you’ve got your sock right away, right when you need it, and don’t have to wait for the pair to be complete.

A whole wardrobe of socks is just a couple packages of socks away.  There’s also the option of cute, individually purchased pairs for some personality.  Even those are fairly cheap.  You can have all the flashy styles to suit your personality, and it all comes with the easy and convenient benefit of retail therapy.  In moments, you too can be wearing a pair of wonderful socks, freshly purchased at your local market.

However, knit socks come with their own range of benefits.  They’re incredibly personalized.  Like the pattern but don’t like the look of the heel?  Use a different heel pattern.  Want a different color?  No problem!  Just buy a different kind of yarn.  Have a difficult foot size to fit because you’ve got large or tiny feet?  You can make the sock to fit the length of your foot.  Everything about these socks can be custom made for you, from color to pattern to size.  You can even design your own pattern for a truly unique sock.  It’s the best way to make a statement with your feet!  If your socks receive complements, and someone asks where to buy them, you can look at them with a smile and say, "You can’t.  I knit them myself!"  How’s that for satisfaction?  There’s also the satisfaction of completing a useful item for yourself that you actually use!  There’s a real sense of accomplishment when you finish the first sock.  While the second isn’t nearly as impressive to finish, it means you’ve defeated the demon that is "second sock syndrome"!  Finally, nothing beats the satisfaction of the first time you wear those socks and actually get to use all those hours of hard work.  There’s something to be proud of there.  All of this comes complete with the satisfaction of retail therapy.  No, it might not be of the instant gratification kind, but there is still some value.  You can spend hours in a luxury yarn shop looking for the perfect color, feeling the yarns to find one that will be beautifully soft against your skin.  You can order online and indulge in the dreams of what your perfect sock yarn will look or feel like.  There’s a satisfaction all it’s own.

Unlike retail socks, hand knitted socks tend to last forever.  They’re of a higher quality.  Many knitters will take the time to darn their socks, rather then throwing them out when they’re damaged and worn.  Retail socks develop holes and just get trashed.  Hand-knit socks also comtain something that can’t be quantified.  There’s a feel good thing about knitting socks, both as the knitter and as the wearer.  Serious time and dedicaiton is spent on making these socks so that the wearer might enjoy them.  Often times there’s a huge personal element put on them, both through the making, and choosing the perfect pair for the wearer.  In the end, the value of hand-knit socks is endless!

But the making of hand-knit socks takes time.  I could be spending an entire year trying to make enough socks for my whole family.  I could make a pair of socks every week and still only have the two kids and myself covered, until their feet grow too much at least.  With my growing family I’m going to have another pair of feet to knit for.  Then there’s the addition to my family of Oz.    I still owe Caelan a pair of socks, though I’m inclined to let those wait until I’ve completed my projects for everyone else.  What about all the other people in my life that could use a wonderful knit gift, personalized just for them?  It seems I’ve got more hand-knits to do than I have time to do them all!  It really is too bad, because I would knit for the world if I could.

I suppose the need for knitted goods around this house will some day fade.  My kids will grow up, move out, and have lives of their own.  How many pairs of socks will they really need?  How many will they likely want?  In truth, my knitting for them will slow down.  I’ll have to focus on other things.  Maybe by then I’ll adventure into sweaters.  Perhaps I’ll focus on shawls or blankets.  Maybe I’ll try some truly and adventerous projects, including lace or Nordic color work.  Until then, I know I’ll always have socks to turn to, because you can never have too many beautiful socks!

~*~Rave~*~