An invasion of socks actually seems pretty appealing to me. There's just something about them that is almost like knitting crack to me. There are about a billion patterns, almost to many options for yarn with different patterns (self striping is nice) and lots of different techniques (top up, toe down, after thought heel, dpn, circular needles, ect.) The best part(s) you get great bang for your buck, which could be as many as 20+ hours of knitting fun for $10 or less AND it's portable. Who doesn't like a project they can tote anywhere! Oh, and an added bonus, those little bits of left overs can be used for hexipuffs to make your own Beekeepers Quilt.

I started knitting socks before Christmas last year and man did it take off. I knit my first pair of socks for Ji, then my grandpa got a pair for Christmas, as did Ji's dad. I've started a pair of self striping socks for my sister and now I'm working on my first pair of knee high socks for my friend Sierra. I also have plans of knitting my dad and mom a pair for Christmas. The only problem is, is that I don't yet have a pair of hand knitted snugglyness for myself! I'm spreading the hand knit comfy foot love, but have yet to experience it myself.

I think my problem with knitting myself a pair of socks is that there are just too many options! I think I've narrowed my first pair for myself down to a Cookie A. pattern, probably from Knit. Sock. Love (and probably Monkey) OR an Alice Yu pattern, probably Farmer McGregor from her book that I'm going to buy soon because I love all the patterns.And there's also the yarn. For Peter's sock, I splurged and got some wonderful Malabrigo sock and it was heavenly to knit with. I won some Malabrigo sock and some Malabrigo lace from the wonderful Flannelberry Fiber and am afraid to use it! I'm afraid to knit the wrong pattern with this yarn since it's so amazing.

There's also the shawls that will be coming. It almost seems criminal to knit up my precious fingering weight into something other than lovely warm socks. But, I have found a shawl that's just calling for me and I've got enough (I hope) yarn for it as well. The Haruni shawl is gorgeous and makes me excited to start. But, alas, I am moving and am afraid of losing it or the stitches falling out. I also have to finish those socks for Sierra so I swore I won't knit anything else (except hexipuffs) until I finish her socks.

So there was my little rant or my gushing about my love of sock yarn and what's going on with my stash of sock yarn. It turns out that after I emptied my big plastic bin of acrylic yarn, it was full again with all of my sock yarn and I still don't have enough.

Happy Crafting!