Tara Tuesdays - Part 39
Posted on 25 February 2014
Sock Goblets!
I mentioned Sock Goblets in my last blog and as promised, feel their creation is worthy of it's own entry!
Apparently I "NEVER" make "ANYTHING" for my husband, so was determined to prove him wrong last Christmas! He is getting to that stage in his life where he struggles with cold feet no matter how many pairs of socks he wears! His Mum is EXACTLY the same so I guess it must be a hereditary thing! Anyway, like the kind, caring, loving wife I am, I thought it would be great to knit him some warm toasty socks for Christmas.
I planned on using Jacob Sheep yarn that I had already purchased from the Wealden Summer Fair back in June last year and was looking forward to getting started with the socks. I had already made a pair for my Mum-in-law a few years ago and really liked the "2 needle sock pattern" that I used from an Erika Knight knitting book. However, there were several "lessons" that I learned during making these socks namely actually READING the pattern in full rather than missing important vital bits out.
For example when it says that the "finished size of socks once made up is to fit women's average shoe size 4-6 (see note)". Note states "you can adjust the length of the sock to make it suitable for either a smaller or larger shoe size by working more or fewer rows straight after the heel shaping". This is also repeated at the point where the sock length can be adjusted. Little old me decided I knew better and chose to ignore this part of the pattern BOTH TIMES as I followed it EXACTLY (apart from reading that bit) and made the socks for size 4-6 women's rather than size 8-9 men's!!!!
That minor error (ahem) aside, the pattern is really straightforward and nice to knit. I haven't braved making socks using 4 needles as yet but think I should try and learn as the making up of the 2 needle socks drove me to distraction!
You will see from the picture of the unmade up sock that it is one piece and all you need to do is sew up the long seam at the back starting from the toe. Sounds easy, right? Let me tell you that I just COULD NOT get my head around mattress stitch! I looked on You Tube, went through ALL of my knitting books, Googled until I was blue in the face, you can imagine! I even resorted to calling my Mum-in-law and asked her to describe how the seam was on the sock I had made her to help me work it out. Time was running out as Christmas was fast approaching and I was getting myself into such a pickle I decided that it just wasn't worth killing myself trying to make the socks for Christmas as I just couldn't sew them up. Why did I put myself under this pressure?!?!
When I saw my Mum-in-law over Christmas I stole a look at her socks to work out the seam and managed to make a start on making them up. I continued with this and then had the delight of sewing up the toe seam. The pattern advises you to just "oversew" this seam. Well, I did that but am not entirely happy with the result, it looks like they have squared toes! I now think I need to make another pair just to get that seam right!
When I was knitting the socks during my lunch breaks at work, one of my friends Claire (after asking me what I was making), misheard me and thought I said "Sock Goblets" hence the name! My other friend Lou thought that the heel shaping was for hubby's bunions to fit snugly into! He hasn't got bunions, in fact he has really nice feet for a bloke (damn him) but Lou thought that he could grow some bunions to fit into the socks! Both of these comments set me off into fits of snorting giggles and just had to be shared here!
I FINALLY gave hubby the socks as part of his Valentine's Day presents and he was delighted with them and said they were worth the wait, just as well really! I hope you will agree that apart from the toes, they look ok. He has also said they are pretty toasty and keep him warm which means it was all worth it in the end!