Overcoming Sock PTSD

When I was 10 years old, I had already become a pretty accomplished knitter. Because of that, my expected contribution to my family was to knit socks for one of my grandfathers and one of my uncles. Both of them worked outside and only wore hand-knit wool socks. 


Thus, as a 10-year-old, I was cranking out men-sized socks (sizes 13) at a rate of 2 pairs of socks per month. However, these socks were not much fun to knit since grandpa and uncle only wanted black or charcoal gray socks in 100% wool. 


It seems that most sock knitters love knitting socks because of the varied lace and/or cabling patterns and the lovely bright sock yarns that these socks can be knit in. But "my socks" neither had fun patterns, unless K2/P2 ribbing and stockinette stitch counts as such and my socks only came in two color choices of black and charcoal gray. 

"I want to be a pair of socks!"
I have three skeins of this pretty colored sock yarn in my stash.

Last weekend, I met a lovely lady by the name of Jackie. She is a fairly new knitter who really wants to knit socks for her boyfriend. She is excited about the prospect of knitting his socks. I do not know what happened. I do not know how I got caught up in her enthusiasm for sock knitting. But before I knew it, I said, "I know how to knit socks! If you want to, we can have a sock knit-along." 


No sooner had I uttered those words, a wave of black and charcoal gray sock trauma thoughts overcame me. What was I thinking! How could I have said those words! 


Jackie became even more enthusiastic about knitting socks for her boyfriend. She told me that she would meet me this Saturday, same place and same time to start with the sock knitting. 


I really like Jackie, she is fun, smart and I'd like her as my friend. But, all week, I was dreading our next get together. I tried to be cheerful because I have three hanks of really pretty sock yarn in my stash. I even took out one hank and wound it into a pretty yarn cake. All the while, I was convincing myself that I would love knitting some socks in pretty colors.


Yesterday, I went to the arranged sock knitting meeting place, while secretly hoping that Jackie would stand me up... because I really do not want to knit any socks! But Jackie is not a flake, she cheerfully showed up at the arranged time with just as much sock knitting enthusiasm as last week. 


Fortunately, the air conditioning went out at the meeting place and it was so hot that after having made a swatch and helping her to cast on the necessary stitches, it was so hot (90 degrees) that even Jackie's sock knitting enthusiasm waned. 


End result? 

• My yarn is still in a pretty cake and my DPN's are stitch-less little chop sticks... 
• BUT, we are supposed to meet up next weekend to start knitting those socks...
• I offered two of the hanks to my Ravelry group for a possible yarn swap...