Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Sock-it To Me

For several days I've been re-reading books, contacting designers, writing instructions and organizing and printing materials for a major sock class. It wasn't part of the original plan but when the planned instructor dropped the bomb and backed out at the pre-class meeting what's a girl to do?

I find it rather amusing how things have a way of working themselves out. Last year I began exploring various techniques for knitting the heels and toes of hand knit socks. I started with toe-up techniques and had progressed through the Figure-Eight, Magic and Easy Toe cast-ons. In the heel department I learned Judy Gibson's standard heel, PGR's Short-row heel and a modified no-wrap short-row heel with gusset. (No clue as to its' proper name if there is one.) Over the next 3-4 months I'll have the pleasure of imparting these skills to my fellow guild members.

I don't think I'll ever reach the point where I'll want to stop learning or sharing what I learn. There have been many occasions where fun has been made of the sometimes pointless facts and bizarre info stored in my brain. Usually the jokes end when someone realizes that I probably know the info they're looking for and if I don't I can direct them to the most likely source. There have also been times when I've found it to be a bane to my existence. I can't get out what I really want to use but the useless info flows out just as freely as it flows in.

At this moment I am a student of the sock. Fully engrossed in all the minute details that go into manufacturing what many people see as a useless knitting process. Anyone who knows the luxury of wearing a perfect fitting, beautifully designed and knitted pair of socks would howl with laughter at the absurdity of such thoughts and the nerve of people to speak them.

Tonight I went to sock heaven.

The German Twisted Cast-On took me there.

Why did it take so long?

1 comment:

kathy b said...

To Student of the Sock,

Keep teaching and learning. It is inspiring. Hand knit socks are such a treat. I always wear mine to work. I wear backless clogs with my nursing scrubs, so they show up nicely in an otherwise generic outfit! And they cannot be beat for comfort when you are on your feet all day.