Lorna’s Laces Shepard’s Socks *RIVER*
Try as I might to cheat on ’em, I am still loving my simple top down stockinette stitch wheels-on-the-bus-go-round-and-round SOX! These are my Happy Hour cocktail treats after work — my mind empties of the day’s cares after about 2 rounds and then it’s just bliss.
A couple of couples were right over me on the SRO #66 last night. They spied my Eye-of-the-Partridge flap (later – oops – these are just Slip-stitch flaps) and one of the guys says loudly, “HEY! That’s a sock! That’s really cool!” Then he turned to his girlfriend and sighed, “I wish I could find a girl who would knit me socks!” She replied, “I’m sure the campus is crawling with them…” BAdum…
Well, I’m not a bug, but it still goes to show how much LATITUDE there is in the ATTITUDEs about Knitting. Some women, (like me!) are extremely empowered by the craft; others (including most of my male co-workers and a lot of urban women) still think it’s the DeathKiss of the Granny Woman and just jump back from the Notion of the Needle.
What’s really funny, is even the women I’ve met who bad mouth the thought of knitting (remember these are hungry commuters – they’re not thinking straight!~) still stare at my stitching hands with LONGING in their eyes. I know they want to…
Especially this cool Eye-of-the-Partridge (OK where did that name COME FROM?!) heel flap. This is my favorite cushy, long-wearing finish – basically, it’s a row of Slip 1, k1; followed by a row of Slip 1, purl across. I think it’s really pretty, too.
Great sock link! Thanks!
Lucky you having a seat on the SRO #66 – I seem to always be in the “S” group. :) That yarn is beautiful!
Thanks for the fantastic links – still trying to get that first sock done but moving forward w. them (yes, different sock yarns keep distracting me from staying w. one!)
(a p.s.) I think you hit it right on the nail about knitting attitudes – the funniest is when commentors say it loud enough for you to hear but not to you…
Very pretty heel! But isn’t it just a straight slip stitch heel? I thought eye of partridge had the slip stitches alternating on the knit rows, so you end up with more of a honeycomb than with straight columns?
Love that “jump back from the Notion of the Needle”!
I’ve used that heel before, but I didn’t know it’s name. Eye of the partridge, huh? It’s a lovely sock.
That’s my favorite heel flap too. Come on over now and give me some good shake-your-ass music. :)
And I want that yarn too. PURPLE!
OOpsies – you are correct! Those are just slip-stitch flaps – now I must go find out about The Real EotP…
This is better than the Da Vinci Code!
There is so much inspiration in the colors I’m seeing on blogs; the colors of your socks are stunning!
But I agree with you; those that dis us really want to learn.
That Toes and Heels link is amazing! Thanks so much for posting it.
Thanks to you and so many others in Blog-land, I am totally hooked on socks now. I just joined a sock club too!
Eye of the partrige is the stitch you get when you alternate the slipped stitch. I’m working it now in cream which really shows how pretty this stitch can look.
Also, try adding your heel stitch, or EoP stitch to the heel turning. It works just fine and re-inforced the bottom of the heel as well as the flap. Cushy.
Knitting is power – power to create, power to provide yourself or others with warmth/necessities/beauty, power to be self-sufficient for those needs, power to get that girl’s boyfriend’s attention… ;-) She was jealous. Ha.
Pretty yarn!
There’s nothing like a sock for commuter-knitting purposes. I don’t even bother taking any other kind of project on the train anymore. Just socks, every day. :-)
Beautiful sock heel, Bonne Marie!
So was the boy cute? Didn’t you offer to knit some socks for him?
That would make a great “and that’s how I met your father” story! *grin*
Love the sock and the story was pretty funny! It is funny how those who berate the art of knitting are the same ones fascinated by your knitting each little stitch, isn’t it? Hmm, I thought it was the eye of partridge heel too, but I guess it’s just a slip-stitch heel, which is my favorite too.
Ooooo, aaaaah….socks! Some people just don’t (yet) understand how cool we sock knitters are.
Would you believe I used to think hand knit socks were a waste of good knitting?
Those sox are yummy. And yes, I use the same heel technique. Love what it does with variegated yarn. :-)
I’m telling you – socks are a Man Magnet. [Erm, college-age men, that is…]
The bus can be almost empty but if I’m seated, knitting a sock, a young guy will always come and stand by me. [Sing it.]
Now, if I could get someone a Little Older to get with it…
I wonder if we will ever be able to dispel that misconception…
Behold the power of the sock! Totally see what you are saying-most of the people around here see knitting (especially socks) as a “grandma thing.” But what is better then treating your feet-or a loved ones-to a pair of handknit socks? Not much!
We are knittiers, and we are fierce!!!
Keep on rockin’ it, Bonne Marie!;-)
For me I like short row heels because I suck at picking up stitches! I just finished 3 pairs of simple 3k1p ribbing socks … complete mindless knitting but with enormous satisfaction. But even Claudia is starting to expand her sock knitting territory into lace … would you think about it?
Just as I’m thinking ‘I really should try that short row heel’, B-Marie reaches out and pulls me back! Right back to the durable, dependable, and MEMORIZED heel flap!
Humble thanks!
I just adore the comments overheard when one knits in public. It’s great! Thanks for sharing yours!
When I learned to knit I swore I wouldn’t knit socks. I now have two on the needles, and dyed some sock yarn this week. And, um, a sock yarn stash. Yikes! Knitting is addictive, but sock knittting is beyond that.
I like to encourage those guys to learn to knit the socks themselves! I just tell them they are letting “the man” keep them down with rigid gender stereotypes. Once in a while I see those wheels start to turn as they think about what I said.
My son started college this year and told me about his girlfriend over spring break. Finally he said, “She knits too.”. What a sweetie! I didn’t think that he even noticed.
I have finally started my very first sock and am using Terry’s great photos and feeling my way slowly, but I can not thank you enough for the link to Lauri B’s Toes and Heels. What a goldmine of information!
I can really see how addictive socks could be once you get the hang of it. I love your turn of phrase,”Jump back from the notion of the needle”
Your blog is a classic! “Keep on Sockin”
People stare longingly at my subway knitting, too. Sounds like the young woman may have had some other issues with the guy, hee.
Oh, grrrrrrr, re the article How To Tell Your “Girl” to Lose Weight – I just wrote Askmen.com and suggested they go “f” themselves.
Now that I’ve finished the practice sock, I’ll be wanting to make more. Thanks for the fantastic link resource, you enabler!
People are so funny sometimes when it comes to creativity. The world would be so much better if everyone had a creative outlet, be it knitting, crochet, quilt, basketmaking – you name it! Keep knitting in public everyone!
Tell me about mindless knitting. I am trying to enjoy my hubby’s vest now :P
That’s some gorgeous flap action you have there! I’m stoked because I just bought some shepherd sock in River, and now I see how cool it looks knit up… Rock on…
Oh, and I see those furtive longing looks at my knitting on the subway ALL THE TIME. They’ll give in someday. (I did!)
What a pretty sock! I see now you have the slip stitch and EOP heels figured out. EOP looks to me like a “birdseye” pattern to me when it’s finished–my guess is that’s why it’s called EOP. At any rate, it’s lovely. (If you’d like to see a post of mine with EOP heels: http://knitsandgrits.blogspot.com/2005/08/blogapathy.html )
you think it’s bad getting comments from other female knitters- try being a male knitter and getting stares from other men…
I like this heel flap, too. Even faster and maybe not as pretty flap would be like this: slip1, k rest of the row, turn & *slip 1 as if you purl it, purl 1* and repeat *-*. That’s how my grandmother makes it, that’s how my mother makes it, that’s how I make it.. boring?? ;D