Recently in Posey Socks Category

One get-well present, all wrapped up and ready to go.

I'm not as excited about these as about many of my finished projects, but they were a quick, interesting knit from a novel pattern, and I think they'll be well appreciated. These modeled shots are of me wearing the socks, and they're a smidge small on me - which is good, since my grandmother's feet are at least a size smaller than mine. They should fit quite well.

My main beef with these socks is their tendency toward slouchiness. I think it's because the garter-stitch mitred squares are too multi-directional; there aren't the normal columns of stitches stacked on top of one another, so the fabric doesn't "know" which way it's supposed to fall. That said, the garter stitch is a nice texture on the foot, and I learned a lot about sock construction during the process of making these. It's actually quite a practical approach to long-term sock-making, because you knit the leg and the instep (the low-stress areas) together, and then add the heel, sole and toe (high-stress). When the sock wears out, it would be very easy simply to rip out the entire bottom/heel portion and replace it, without having to unravel the instep too. Clever! The approach does involve seaming, but I am unusual among knitters in quite enjoying a good seam. And I like the little picot cuff:

I made them slightly shorter than written, because these socks came VERY close to using up every single yard of yarn. Knitters take note: if you make these in a single color, each sock takes exactly one skein of Koigu. No more, but also not a foot less. I love it when socks work out that way, even if it is a little hair-raising toward the toe end.

Speaking of challenges, Mr. Bingley simply could not understand why we would spend twenty minutes paying so much attention to my feet, when there was a perfectly good dog right there who was willing to be in the picture.

He was probably just remembering that Tutu asked for more photos of HIM the last time we talked to her. Thank you, sir!

So, one get-well present down, and much progress on the Warren Johnson jacket also. Although I hope these knitted items bring comfort and joy to their recipients, I also advise anyone reading this that going into major surgery in order to get your own version of one of these items is not a feasible idea. It would send me round the twist, frankly, and I can't knit anything if I'm trussed up in a straitjacket. Goodbye illness, say I, and hello beautiful summer days.

Well, I know I just wrote that I was relieved to have finished some projects, and I know I wrote, too, that I'm an instinctively monogamous project-maker who gets stressed at having too many things going at once. All of which is true. That said, at least I have a good reason for having another little sock project on the needles.

These socks are slated to be a get-well present for my grandmother, a.k.a. Tutu, a.k.a. Marge. You may know her as the woman who inspired the Marjorie sweater. Unfortunately, she's been in and out of the hospital over the last few weeks with complications from a hip replacement surgery. Things were pretty rough there for a while, but I'm happy to report that she's now back home with skilled nursing care, working at her physical therapy and improving a little bit each day. Nevertheless, it's been an extremely stressful and painful month for her, and for the rest of my family. I took her one of my shawls as a loaner while she was in the hospital, and it was so highly appreciated that I thought a true knitted gift might cheer her up on the journey toward complete recovery. Thus, the Michael Warren jacket suffers another slight setback (sorry, Dad!).

I like to make gift-socks an opportunity to try patterns that intrigue me, but that I wouldn't necessarily wear myself. This novel pattern, Posey, is my issue-mate in the Spring '08 Knitty, and it caught my eye from the first for its unusual, seamed modular construction. I even had the perfect yarn: a lovely sea-colored Koigu which my friend Celeste gave me for my birthday last year. I love Koigu, but this particular colorway tended to pool whenever I tried a more traditional sock pattern with it. Posey is the perfect solution, because all each little square is knitted individually. Obviously, I'm modifying the pattern to be knitted in only one colorway, which I think gives quite enough visual interest, thank you very much.

So whether or not these end up being something I would wear personally, I'm enjoying the process and I hope they'll brighten my Tutu's day.