Level Socks: UNLOCKED

Here is my second finished make of 2021: neon pink socks.

I am hopelessly drawn to bright colors, and had purchased this Madelinetosh Twist Light Sock Yarn from Spun (my LYS in Ann Arbor) before I knew I wanted to knit socks. I used a relatively simple sock pattern in MAKING magazine Dots issue by Mary Jane Mucklestone, omitting the colorwork once I realized that you can’t do colorwork when you’re also knitting two at a time magic loop from a single skein (yet another knitting lesson learned).

I managed to knit them two at a time from one (hand-wound, OY) skein until I got to the toe, at which point I could not figure out how to decrease so I finished them one at a time. I loved knitting two at a time, and it is largely the reason that I now have two socks instead of just one (did you know there was such a thing as “Second Sock Syndrome”? I did not. It seems like it could be related to being “stranded on sleeve island”?).

I made the cuff portion of the sock significantly taller than the pattern intended so that they would land mid-calf when fully extended. This decision, however, resulted in some nail-biting toward the end when I was playing yarn chicken with the end of the skein. As you can see, I emerged victorious. I like that I can scrunch them down around my ankles for that satisfying “boot-sock” look.

These socks are the perfect thing to wear with my rubber ankle boots, which are what I wear nearly every time I go out. They’ve also served well on many a walk through snowy or muddy woods nearby. They aren’t lined (they’re a “rainboot”), but so far this winter, the weather in Michigan has been warm enough that I haven’t had to pull out my heavy duty winter boots yet. Word on the meteorological street is we may have another polar vortex soon, though (what is this, I’m talking weather shit now?).

These took me almost a year to complete but I can now proudly say I have knitted socks. I also can no longer tease my sister for having once attended something called “Sock Summit,” as I quite think I might find a “sock summit” rather informative and fun.

I’ve already cast on another pair with leftover sock yarn from my brioche shawl project, and Mr Rae gave me a couple of sock patterns for Christmas so LOOK OUT. I’m a sock knitter now.