Thursday, May 28, 2009

Inspired by the Yarn Harlot!


I love this book! Admittedly you might not find as funny if you aren't a knitter. (Although I did read parts out loud to my husband and it made him laugh, perhaps just because he was identifying with the author's husband as a long suffering spouse of an obsessed knitter.) But the highest praise I can give it is that I was torn the whole time I was reading it between keeping on reading or putting it down and picking up my knitting.


As soon as I finished the book I finished this pair of socks. I have been inspired! I had to agree with her that there is nothing to compare with a pair of hand-knit socks. There is just something about taking a couple of sticks and string and creating something where there was nothing before. To quote the author, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee: "When it is all over, when the socks are done, a knitter will have invested an average of twenty thousand stitches in the name of love and warm feet, knowing full well that the socks will wear out. That's love. That's why socks are special." (She also makes a side note that if you like to knit socks you should marry people with small feet.) But back to the part about my inspiration, I am going to do a give away. That is right. From now until Sunday (May 31st) anyone who leaves a comment will be have the chance to win a beautiful pair of socks, knit with my own two hands, just for you. The catch is you must be knit worthy, which means you have to be willing to wear them and send me a picture. Not hard, right? In your comment tell me your favorite color and the length of your foot, from heel to toe. Believe me, once you feel your foot snuggled in hand-knit wool, you'll never look at machine made socks the same way again.

Edited to add: Just so there is no confusion you have all the way through Sunday to comment. I will pick a winner Monday morning.

8 comments:

Bethany said...

Those look so cozy! I would love a pair! My favorite colors are blue and brown. Foot length...hmm...I'll have to get back to you on that one! My mom has a pair of knitted slippers that she says are to die for.

Sarah said...

roughly nine and 1/2 inches. And my favorite color is yellow, but my favorite color of socks to wear is black.

You are so talented! I think you are a pretty amazing lady and I'm glad we're friends as well as cousins. (do i get extra points for flattery?) j/k.

Emilie said...

8 1/4 inches.

Colors.....well, it really depends on my mood. I like any color with brown. But there is something to be said about pairing any color with white, which I also like. Then there is pink, so happy. teal blue, like my kitchen, is lovely.

I like all colors. Just pick for me. Anything you do is amazing!

Unknown said...

I know how long they take me to knit, but I'm not the knitting machine like you. I would LOVE some made by you. I'm afraid I have big feet thow. (10 inches) My Dad would say, "you can't build a castle on a small foundation". Color... well we'll see what Shannon has at the shop. Or catch a sale somewhere. You are amazing!!! :)

Susan said...

Yarn and knitting have always meant comfort, home and the women in life whom I love. My grandmother would end every evening...once dinner was finished and the kitchen cleaned...sitting in her favorite chair knitting. Every pair of mittens I owned growing up were made by her. I'll never forget how jealous I was when my sister, Amy got a knitted sweater with a very intricately created horse's head on the back. I knew a boatload of love went into that! My girls played dress up for hours using a shawl that my aunt made for me back in the 70s...when people actually wore them in public. My mother never goes anywhere without some crocheting or knitting project because you never know when you might have a few moments to work on something. Before 9/11, she would finish projects on the plane before arriving at my house. My favorite was a yellow vest that she made for Elizabeth that had kitty-cat faces complete with squiggly eyes on the front and kitty tails on the back. Yes, I know exactly what it is like to be wrapped in yarn-crafted love...though I have had knitted slippers, I have never had the pleasure of toasted tooties from knitted socks. But now you know why crotcheting...novice that I am...at a certain important moment was such a comfort to me. Oh, I unfortunately fall in the big feet category at nearly 11 inches and I am a huge fan of purple!

Unknown said...

Me,me,me!!! I want a pair!!! You know what I love about that book is the cover... the sheep has no more wool to cover his bumb! Oh so chilly and how embarrasing when he is with his fellow sheep buddies... I can just hear the laughing and sniggering now!!! "Hey dude, your rear is hanging out" followed by an uproar of laughter! (Which is much worse in my opinion than - "your fly is open (or you're letting the cow out of the barn"!

I think lime green and white would be awesome! Foot size is 9 1/2"

Unknown said...

hey crissy!!!

i am sooooooooo happy to here about these knitted socks!!! o my goodness!!! they will be sooo cute!!! pink and purple are good colors!!!!my foot size is 7 1/2"

love, kaylee!!!

Mandy said...

I had no idea you had a "craft" blog- fun! and yes I agree socks are awesome!!! Maybe one day I'll finish another pair.