Welcome to my Sock Hop!

I have been to the temple of socks and I have seen the light. I love to knit, love to wear my hand knit socks, have even managed a yarn store, but I will admit - I used to kinda laugh at the sock enthusiasts. They seemed a breed apart, putting incredible stitchwork on teeny,tiny needles that only people inches from the floor or someone with a foot fetish would every fully get to appreciate.

Those who laugh first fall the hardest. I now love socks - they are the best part about winter and boot season, the reason I buy my footwear a size big so that they can accommodate my knitted and warm treasures. I feel the need to go beyond the sock basics and add some new grooves to my sock repertoire.

As I explore the realms of blogging, little did I know that I would fall down the rabbit hole of knitting, much less sock blogs. I thought I would keep that extra time not reading such blogs for, well, knitting. I have been knitting for 30 years, and not doing to shabbily at it, and so I thought (oh so wrongly!) that I just wouldn't need to go there. I am such a fool.
Here is my present collection of socks that I have made and kept for myself - minus a couple pairs, because I was simply getting too out of hand with the whole sock still life. The others are out in the world covering other people's feet and journeying somewhere else in the universe.

The top photo is my Trekking (XXL) that I bought for my birthday over a year ago and just unearthed. My favorite ebony needles from Suzanne, a German manufacturer using remnant wood from musical instruments, are patiently waiting my ministrations.

For this pair of socks I plan to use the Basketweave Ribbing Sock Pattern that Marguerite of Stitches of Violet has so loving provided.

The green socks were made from some lovely hand dyed yarn from my very own Renton,WA. This gal also provides contrasting heel yarn for the soft merino wool yarn that she specializes in - Duet Sock Yarns, and here's her store.
These orange and olive socks are double stranded with a strand of Fortissima sock yarn and a strand of machine washable wool sport weight yarn - thick, boot weight socks for my Doc Marten's - yeah baby!

The grey socks are my all time favorites and they have the wear on them to prove it - these are knit from a desperately dwindling stash of Anny Blatt #4 - the best med weight sock yarn ever. It never gives up - sorta like Rocky Balboa, "Yo, Adrianne!!".

My footnote (giggle!) goes out to my new blog friend, Kathryn, of nuttinbutknittin blog, who has awesome sock skills and inspired me through her mere presence and really nice emails to consider making more audacious sock plans!