Search Results for: pop socks

I’ve been knitting socks for Doc’s pop for the past few years and not making any for myself…because I was never happy with the fit. (These rainbow socks ended up way too short in the foot and I gave them to a friend.)

But at some point this month I realized something: I could try different sock patterns and research sock construction and make better socks–all for me! (Finding this sock designer on Instagram was the catalyst.) That spread into diving deep into the #yearofsocks and #boxofsocks hashtags and now I have enough yarn for at least half a year of socks (I’m still a slow knitter):

I have half of January’s pair done and already tried a peasant heel on it, vs my normal heel flap. I’m enjoying learning, but let’s be honest–I’m enjoying shopping for all these bright colors just as much.

It only took me six months to finish the neutral pair of socks for myself, compared with a year for the pair before that. Such speed! Now, of course, it is far too hot to wear socks but they’ll be ready for me in the fall.

I was also able speed through the stripy sock below mine (thanks, chunky sock yarn). It’s another Sock For Doc’s Pop–it was his birthday this past weekend so I was able to get one sock done but he’ll have to wait a bit for the other one. (He hopefully said, “Father’s Day?” when I told him and I was all, “I’m probably not THAT fast, my good sir.”)

I finished the latest Socks for Doc’s Pop this last week, two months later than his actual birthday. I don’t even have a good reason for the delay–looking back, I guess I spent July trying to keep the heat from wrecking the yard and also worrying about being in charge of the HOA? (Note to Past Self: Knitting would have helped with both of those anxieties.)

Anyway, they are done and he likes them. This is a thicker yarn, the Regia Active 6-Ply that I used in his first pair. He reports they’re the warmest so I found some more on eBay (it’s discontinued) and added stripes to make all the balls last longer. I used this Purl Soho pattern for a reference–I’m almost getting to the point where I don’t need to consult sock patterns, but not quite.

I’m making the traditional Socks for Doc’s Pop again for Christmas, but this year I added a pair for his brother. Because if you joke just once while you see me knitting about “is your pair next” and “how many pairs does Pop have and you don’t have any” well GUESS WHAT: you too get socks.

I finished the blue pair for Doc’s Pop (in some discontinued Regia Active)  in October and have made good progress on the gray pair for Brother (in plain old Pattons Sock from JoAnn, which is surprisingly nice). But I realized this morning that I have 19 days until the gift exchange and about 15 inches of sock still to knit. Time to get cracking!

While knitting one of the socks I was making for Doc’s pop (that rhyme never gets old), I asked Doc if he’d like me to knit something for him. Because he is a polite person, he said yes. So about two weeks before his birthday I got the idea to make him a hat.

Making a secret project under a deadline meant that I was knitting at work during meetings, I was knitting in the car at lunch, I was knitting up until two days before the birthday when I finished with just three yards to spare.

He seems to like it (but again, he is a polite person), the pattern was a fun knit, and he looks very handsome in it. I was really pleased that he asked, “Is this wool? It’s so soft!” because I used some nice Woolfolk “Tov” Ultimate Merino with all kinds of Orvis certifications and micron counts. (One skein was enough for a hat. Barely.)

In conclusion: Doc is fun to knit for, hat is soft, birthdays are good.