Socks: September 2003 Archives

Oooh! Grey Stripes

Here's the last of my weekend accomplishments: one of a pair of socks for John. Socks are my travelling projects and my "need a break at lunch time" projects. This sock has been worked on while on airplanes, in cars, and at the picnic tables outside my office. I hadn't paid much attention to it in a while because it was warm outside and John gave me a funny look when I suggested trying on wool socks in the summer. Then it started to get cooler, and he went and pulled out the blue Mission Falls 1824 socks I knit him last winter. So I figured it was time to get this pair finished.

When I knit for John, whatever item I am working on gets the prefix "man", i.e. "man" socks or "man" sweater or "man" scarf. This prefix is an abbreviation for "some very large item that is likely to be knit in a boring color and with some really boring simple stitch pattern that he could have bought at the store, but I wanted to make him something so I acquiesed to his desires". I always try to remember that something that he is going to wear is not about me, but there has to be some balance, somewhere, between what I would like to knit and he would like to wear. Little by little, he's getting a more adventurous, and I'm getting better at trying to find things that are interesting for me but not too disturbing for him.

This sock is knit in Opal 140 and was a lovely gift from Emma a long time ago. At first I didn't think it would pattern at all. Then it started to stripe. This made me ecstatic (at least in reference to the prospect of knitting two grey man socks on size 0 needles), but I got some very suspicious looks from the recipient.

John: I don't know, Treese, I might not wear that.
Me (casting suspicious look in his direction, knitting slows): Don't tell me these are too radical for you..
John: Well, they're striped. If they were all grey, it wouldn't be a problem.
Me (sighing in frustration, already knowing the answer, knitting stops): What's the problem with stripes?
John: Too much pattern.
Me (resigned, knitting starts again slowly): Too much pattern? Grey stripes are too much patterning? Okay. Whatever. If you decide you don't like them, I'll just give them to my dad.
John: Well, I didn't say that I wouldn't wear them, just that I wasn't sure...

This is a pretty good synopsis of every conversation John and I have ever had about something that might be knit for him. (It's not too far off from the conversations we have when I try to buy clothes for him, either). Fortunately for me, he's a patient, sensible guy who knows his woman just wants him to have warm, happy feet -- aided by her crafty efforts.

Still, he was skeptical about these socks until they got washed and loosened up and softened up a little bit. I do have to say that Opal really can't be judged until you wash it. It's a lot rougher in the skein than after a wash. I'm definitely glad I did this pair on the size 0's. It's a pain from the size perspective, but the nice dense fabric makes it worthwhile.

I'll be casting on the second one soon if Pebbles lets me out of her grasp.