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Socktoberfest

If you’re not a sock knitter, just skip over this post.  If you’re a wannabe sock knitter, you might want to continue reading.  If you are already a sock knitter, you probably know about Soctoberfest.  It’s basically a celebration of sock knitting for the entire month of October.  We are encouraged to set goals for how many socks we think we can knit, or we choose a pattern we’ve been really wanting to knit and commit to doing it, or decide to knit up that special yarn we’ve been holding onto forever . . saving for something special.

October is a busy month for me as I have three long trips to make but my goals for Soctoberfest are:

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  1. Finish dark blue socks
  2. Finish turqouise socks
  3. Finish blue/pink striped socks
  4. Make a pair of socks from some older yarn (lime)
  5. Make a pair of socks from some new yarn (dark pink — as in just bought last week)

Now, what about you who are wanting to knit socks.  I hear it all the time . . you’re really wanting to learn to knit socks.  I was right there with you for years . . wanting to knit socks but never would try it.  Finally Susan sent me yarn, needles and a pattern and I got started and haven’t stopped knitting.  It was October 5, 2006 when I cast on my first pair of socks.

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In this drawer are 20 pairs of hand knitted socks.  There are at least 5 pairs in the laundry.  I hand wash them all so they kinda stack up in the dirty sock bucket!  TMI?  I can think of at least 10 pairs that I’ve given away.  That’s almost 1 pair a month . . . doesn’t see possible because I know it’s been forever since I finished a pair.

Here’s my challenge to you:

  • If you’re a sock knitter and you have time to participate in Socktoberfest, set a goal for yourself and get it done! It can be to finish one pair of socks or whatever works for you.
  • If you’re a wannabe sock knitter, make a commitment to either take lessons or have a friend teach you to knit socks and get started during October, 2009.  No time like the present and if you don’ take that first step and do it, it’s never going to happen.

Share your goals or don’t but just do something that makes you happy!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I love to quilt and crochet and sew and knit…. Sock knitting is my very favorite! I love it!

  2. Well, Judy, I’ve got you to thank for my Kindle and now for sock knitting! I took a class this summer – it was a ‘how to knit a pair of socks together on a circular needle’ class. In retrospect I should have taken the basic ‘one sock at a time’ class first. I’m an experienced knitter but this was a whole new avenue for me. I ended up finishing my socks one at a time. I bought yarn for another pair and two or three ‘how to’ books but haven’t started them yet. I will join the Soctoberfest so I can get a pair done and move on. I know I’ll love it as soon as I really get the hang of what I’m doing – I’m a sucker for anything that has to do with fiber, be it fabric, yarn, thread etc. Any pointers will be gladly accepted. Do you knit with double point or circular needles?

    • I started out using DPN’s and even though I’ve tried circular needles, I go back to the DPN’s. I see the advantage of using circular needles but for now, I”ll stick with the DPN’s.

  3. I knit, but never a pair of socks. Mittens, hats, sweaters, but haven’t tried socks. Is there an on-line pattern I can start with?

    • There are many patterns online, though I’ve only used Cookie A’s Monkey pattern and I’m not sure I’d recommend that one as a first pattern. Try a google search and see what you can come up with.

  4. Wow, what a beautiful collection of hand-knit socks Judy! I am just about to cast on a pair of mittens for my son, but when I get those done – I will join in the sock fun – I just might be a bit behind everyone else! Winter is coming and my boy definately needs mittens! Cheers! Evelyn

  5. I have a second sock to make in what I refer to as clown colored yarn and 1 1/2 socks to make in a teal, tan and salmon varigated yarn. These are for Christmas presents so I am signing up for this. I also want to knit a hat to go with the teal , salmon, and tan socks. I finished a hat for the clown colored yarn.

    Judy, it was your sock posts that got me started. I took a class and the teacher was not very good so I bought some books and sat down for two months and figured it out. The free video’s on utube helped me alot. I knit them the magic loop way. One sock at a time on one circular needle.

  6. Judy: I asked you for assistance and ordered the sock pattern that you make. I have my sock yarn and am ready to start~~so, I’m in for the Socktoberfest! Learning how to knit socks has been on my list for years and my time is NOW. Thanks for your support (and I wish you were closer to help if I get stuck!)

  7. I have two SINGLE socks that need to have a partner, one brown stipes and one pastels. Then I have the OTHER balls of yarn that are intended for socks.

    Soooo, my goal is to finish the two more single socks and ONE additional pair of socks. Hmmmm, which color shall I choose? Black&White stripe? Blue&Green stripe? All the mixed up left-over yarns? [Someone told me she saw a pair like that for sale for a BIG price!]

    Oh, No! I just found another SINGLE sock, red, white, and blue stripes. Darn, I had better not start another PAIR until I get all the single socks paired up!

    Guess my plan is to finish FOUR single socks, which will finish up all three unfinished pairs, and make one of a new pair.

  8. Oh, yes…why do you wash your socks by hand? I was told this Super Wool can go right through the wasahing machine and then the dryer. So that’s what I do, and they haven’t shrunk at all. I do wash them inside out, to keep the growing fuzziness less visible.

    • Not all the yarn I use is superwash. It’s just easier to hand wash them all than to separate the machine washable vs. hand washable socks. I hang most everything on the line anyway.

  9. I too have always wanted to knit socks. I love any types of fiber and have knitted and crochet over the years. I recently looked at patterns but do not know what to use. Judy, please post the pattern you use. I am traveling for the next 6 months and this would be good to do in the truck as we travel down the road!! I quilt when we are set up for a week or two!! Thanks.

  10. I too have always wanted to knit socks. I recently looked at patterns but do not know what to use. Judy, please post the pattern you use. I am traveling for the next 6 months and this would be good to do in the truck as we travel down the road!! I quilt when we are set up for a week or two!! Thanks.

  11. This is the first I have heard about Socktober, but that may just be the perfect motivation: 2 lonely socks need a partner and I still need to finish the toe part of a 3rd pair.
    This may be all I can commit to, although I too have some more yarn on hand that would just make another pair of beautiful socks…

  12. I am going to try to knit one pair of socks this month. I will have to dig out my knitting needles.

  14. That is one lovely colorful sock drawer! I did finish a pair last weekend and was good and started on the mate to one that’s done rather than pulling out one of the other lovely new yarns sitting in the basket. Will have to take a look in that basket and see what I shall commit to finishing . :–)

  15. Judy, I would love to learn to knit soft wool socks. Can you tell me what pattern would be easy for a beginner and what type of yarn. I am not a very accomplished knitter, but I love doing it. If you remember, throw in a pair when you come to do your workshop in October in MO. I’d love to see what they look like in person. Your sock drawer looks beautiful. Darlene

  16. I am a self-taught knitter and so do everything different, and SLOWLY. I started knitting socks this year because it is something that was small and I “thought” quickly finished—wrong! I have finished 1 1/2 pair of socks. I love it as well, but it is slow going and if I get in trouble I don’t know how to fix it, so I rip and start over. I am committing to finishing the other sock and starting and finishing another pair! Wish me luck!!!

    Patricia in TN

    BTW— Trish is my guild sister!

  17. Judy-I’v to;d you begore how much I want to knit socks-The urge is still there, but more so now that I’m having to be kinda “laid” back for a while. Antway, I had started knitting a sock on a circular needle and after I got the heel turned -it all went in a jumpled mess in my mind. I have yarn for 3 or 4 pair of socks-hane the double pointed needles -everything to get going-I’m going to try and find your pattern and get going. I’ve had a passion for doing thid for a long, long time. You get me going on a bunch of stuff-I’ve even got hooked on the basil-tomatoe salad!!! Thanks and Big Hugs, Bobbie

  18. Judy, your sock knitting and my need for wool socks inspired me last Thanksgiving to learn to knit my own socks. Thank you!! I’ll have to think about what I would like to accomplish during Socktoberfest. This week, I have finished the second of a pair of Pom Pom Peds and the second sock done with a soy/wool blend (Natural Berry color) and an alpaca (Ebony color). I’ve gotten several new, pretty yarns I want to work with, but I’m making myself finish up the ‘partials’ before I start new ones. LOL!

    I started a pair last winter/early spring using the “knit 2-at-a-time on circular needles” method, but it isn’t for me. Rather than rip them, screaming, off of the circular needles, I just transferred them and wil complete them one-at-a-time on the DPNs. It took me about 3 hours to get the instructions re-translated, so that I can do them on the DPNs, but it was worth it. I’ll start on completing this pair today. Think I can finish both socks before next Wednesday, so that I can play with new yarns and patterns in October?? LOL!! Eve

  19. You can knit a pair of socks in a month? Even more in a month? I started a pair (2 socks, 1 needle) about a year ago and I’m just turning the heel. Am I slow or what?

  20. I too became a sock maker wannabe reading all your posts about knitting and now looking at that sock drawer and the pull of a “Soctoberfest” challenge are going to send me over the top!

    I already have some DPNs (from my mother’s needle stash) and a couple of “learn how” books which I’ll review in these last few days leading up to October. Hopefully I can get some sock yarn this weekend.

    I’m going to make the plunge!

  21. My daughter, sister and I went to Joann Fabrics today and I picked up this in the book aisle, The Little Box of Socks patterns by Charlene Schurch and Beth Parrott. The socks are knitted from cuff down. Each sock pattern is sized from child to men so you can make any of them to fit anyone in your family.

    I bought The Little Box of Hat, Scarves and Gloves book during the summer and knitted a hat from it.

    I’m heading to my favorite chair to look at the sock patterns that came in the box. Hopefully in a few years my sock drawer will look as pretty as Judy’s.

    Quilterbee

  22. I love, love, love knitting socks, though I never would have thought I’d say that just a year ago! I went to a shop in the OBX while on a quilt retreat with some friends and bought the yarn, needles and a pattern, determined I was going to get over my “sock making fear.” It took me a while to get the hang of working with those tiny needles (I’m a self-taught knitter and have only been knitting easy things – mostly scarves – for a few years), but once I got the hang of it, I was totally hooked! For the month of October, I’m going to commit to making a pair of socks for my mom for Christmas, a pair for myself and a pair for my new granddaughter – Taeya Naomi – due Christmas Eve. Thanks for the inspiration, Judy!

  23. Goodness, time sure goes by when you are having fun. I had no idea it was that long ago that you started knitting socks.

    I am glad you enjoy knitting socks. They are so portable and easy to make. As I always say, “anything with a needle”.

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