“SOCK: from the latin word *soccus*
which was a type of low-heeled loose-fitting shoe or slipper
used by the Greeks and also by Roman comedians”
Unbelievable, the thrill I feel when I get to this point. I am ready to turn the heel on this sock. It’s going to happen, it’s going to be a sock, it’s not a tube…
Somehow, it feels like the biggest invention of all time is about to take place. Everytime I do it, it’s like the very first time. I cannot get over it.
ALL HAIL!
WHOEVER INVENTED
THE TURNING OF THE HEEL!
This is the second sock of the World Series Championship Socks – I am knitting it with a 24″ Inox #1 circular needle. This is unseemly. All the Loop info out there recommends a 40″ needle – after wrestling with some new-cable Addis, I abandoned that advice and just went for what felt good to me. This needle folds up on itself – the cable is *soft* and the hard needles are short and really pointed. Perfect for looping…
Richard Rutt from the “History of Hand Knitting” (pg. 62) remarks on why people wore cloth socks until about the time of Henry VIII: “…knitting needles cound not easily be made. Steel rods required a high degree of skill from a whitesmith hammering away to produce them. Fine metal rods could be easily produced only after the art of drawing steel through perforated plates was perfected. This happened in England during Elizabeth’s reign.”
Are we lucky or what?!:)
the turning of the heel
Will you now go to my blog and answer my question please!?!?
I get you on the whole heel turning thing too.
Socks are my current obsession. I was telling my husband yesterday that I used to not get it – but wearing my own handknit socks – well – there’s not a lot better than that.
I think I convinced him. He wants socks now. Only thing is he wears a size 13. That’s a lot of sock!
Thanks for the links.
Socks are my “thing” these days too. I love their architectural look and feel. And nice to see the quote from Richard Rutt–I only wish more people would read his book instead of bandying about knitting “urban legends,” so to speak.
Turning a heel is magic every single time…even after dozens of socks it floats my boat;-)
Hey thanks for the link Bonne M! I think this will help me get through my first pair – despite having most of the most popular sock books around. You are cool, just cool in your blogging.
I just turned a heel last night *magic* ;)
Hi!
I don’t abide by “the 40 inch rule” either. (I think it’s a conspiracy)
My loop of choice is Inox #1,29 inches.
Sock On!
C in Downers Grove
ps: DH loves those socks! He’s a HUGE Sox fan and is still extremely excited about the world series.
Thanks for the Creative Knitting collection link. Very good information.
Great photography! Whenever I photograph socks in progress, it looks terrible! Good looking sock too :-)