Thoughts of my upcoming Rhinebeck trip have me dreaming of house socks — as is normal anyway for this time of year — for two reasons. One, I’m a little preoccupied with flannel pajama pants and thick socks for wearing around our rental house, which in my imagination is apparently quite drafty. And two, I need a small-scale project to take with me. I’m envisioning myself standing in the long unmoving lines — waiting for a falafel or an autograph — knitting out of the giant pocket of one of my beloved smocks. (I don’t even know what I’m wearing yet, but this is the persistent image in my head!) If it’s a sock I’m working on in that moment, I obviously haven’t made them in time for lounging around le chalet, and really my plan is to be starting a Cline sleeve by then. But regardless of any of that, I am sorely tempted by Andrea Mowry’s lightly textured Marluks (bottom left) while craving the cables of Irina Dmitrieva’s Hot Chocolate Socks (bottom right) and yet actually very close to casting on Purl Soho’s old-school Seamed Socks (free pattern) up top. Minus the fiddliness and plus the trip-worthiness, I can imagine actually completing a pair. The yarn is even sitting quietly in my stash …
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Made a couple pairs a few years ago. I gave them as gifts and the recipients were thrilled. Great Christmas giving.
Socks and hats are great projects for waiting – and if you start now, you might be finishing the pair as you wait in line, so can wear them that evening. But I hope your house isn’t cold and drafty!
There’s a woman in my knitting group that just knits socks. No cowls, no hats, no sweaters, just socks, all for her grandchildren. She gets a pair finished in no time. I think I need an instant gratification project. Starting a pair of socks today. Thanks for the post.
House socks are brilliant, and a staple here in Canada, where it’s the custom to ditch ones shoes at the door. Perhaps it’s because of our mucky weather for so much of the year. It’s why I came up with my Urban Rustic Socks. I also wear them with rubber boots and inside clogs. A couple of things to keep in mind: first, worsted weight socks knit up incredibly quickly–I can knit one sock in a day in between other activities without breaking a sweat, and second, even house socks benefit from a bit of nylon in the mix (Sandnesgarn’s “Perfect” is manufactured with socks in mind).
Last year it was cold, but this year it could be warm – you never know in New England!
I’m hoping for mild!
It’s been super warm — like insanely warm — in the northeast lately. Just a warning!
I just heard on the news that the weather forecasts are for a colder-than-usual winter across the U.S., and more snow than usual.
Which y’all in New England and up north don’t need, but it’s an excuse to knit socks, maybe?
Those Hot Chocolates use a 5 needle. She suggests knitting two at a time. Is that difficult to do?
I’ve never done it!
It’s not difficult! There’s a little bit of setup, and some ongoing yarn management, since you’re using two balls at once, but no more so than for a two-color project. And some attention to the pattern is necessary at first, since you wind up knitting the first half of the stitches for a round twice, followed by the second half of the stitches for the round, twice. But in my experience, that quickly starts to “click”.
And that’s just the two-at-a-time-on-one-needle-set method. You can also knit two at a time more informally, the same way Karen knits her sweater parts, going back and forth between the socks in small chunks, keeping everything in sync.
I’ve been knitting mostly hats and scarfs. I’ve been a little apprehensive about starting a sock project, but after this post, I’ll take the plunge this fall! Thank you!
How have your house slippers held up? My LYS just started carrying BT yarns and slippers in Shelter seem like a great universal xmas gift for some folks on my list this year.
I’d recommend something much sturdier, like Heirloom Romney from Fancy Tiger.
Meghan i used Cascade 220 for a BT pattern. Was a good choice for the sock pattern i used
I want to knit all of these! As the temperatures start to cool off, I, too, have been looking at heavy socks. Like the simple ones Purl Soho just posted. (free) Yes! Sock knitting! I haven’t done it for far too long and these are inspiring me to dig into my stash today..
I love knitting socks, but haven’t done it in a while. I do have a pair planned. I have two sweaters on the needles, a large afghan and scarves for a charity project. So…socks will have to wait. I usually knit hats, many hats, but at the moment other projects have to take priority. I love your socks-they will be so cozy-whether the floor is cold or not. Happy Knitting
I love wearing knitted socks but I hate small yarn on small circumference and darning socks lol
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