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...

Apple Valley, CA - Fanciwerks

Thursday, June 30th:


We had an absolutely amazing workshop at Fanciwerks yarn store in Apple Valley, California. We met with 20 knitters who wanted to start the Lacy Butterflies Cowl. 

Fanciwerks Yarn Shoppe (Front)

The store's set-up is amazing with other craft stores in the immediate area. What a fun place to visit!

Workshop Photos

More Workshop Photos

Workshop Photo

Lynn, the owner of Fanciwerks Yarn Shoppe is such a nice lady. She gave me a Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needle set as a thank you for coming!  

Inside the store (front room)

Shop Photos - If you look at the top right, you see a red cardigan -
it is the Summer Lace Wrap Cardigan - one of my patterns! 

The shop has a really nicely varied selection of yarns!

I was invited to come back for another workshop in September. I am really looking forward to meeting all the nice knitters again!

Albuquerque, NM - The Yarn Store at Nob Hill

Wednesday, June 29th:


We had the chance to visit and start a knit along for the Lacy Butterflies Cowl at The Yarn Store at Nob Hill (www.theyarnstoreatnobhill.com). 


If I ever had a chance to create my own yarn store, I would want it to look and feel like this store. Everything fit together so well, the store is Fung Shui in all aspects. 

From the minute we stepped into the store, we felt at home, the owner (Teresa) and staff member (Liz), the knitters, the environment, the lovely yarn... everything just calls out to you:  "Come, sit down, relax, knit, create... make friends and laugh!"


The store has five different areas where knitters can sit and knit (open knit during store hours).

One of the Sit & Knit Areas

Another Seating Area - Look at the Needlework Supplies!

The selection of yarns was great too. It was almost as if my patterns were designed for the selection of yarns the store carries. 

The Yarn Shop carries at least 6 different yarns that are perfect for
the Hollywood Flair Top-Down Tunic

My Crazy Aunt Purl's Tank Top displayed in the Yarn Shop - perfect yarns are Berroco's Seduce, Gedifra's Amara and Lang's yarns whose name escapes me at the moment. 

The Yarn Store carries three different yarns
that are perfect for this tank top.

Many of the yarns are made by environmentally concerned and fair trade concerned producers. Other yarns are produced by smaller independent dyers from the New Mexico area. 

Hand Dyed Yarns!

Great Selections!

Some more shop photos:

The store has the most wonderful natural sun light throughout which is great for knitting! 

Traveling with Knitters...

You know, it is not fair when you are traveling with fellow knitters and you have to drive the car and/or do car related errands... and they sit and knit!

At least Buddy, my little dog, is loyal and won't knit while I am not able to knit:

Albuquerque, NM - Village Wools

Tuesday, June 28th:

We spend almost all day at Village Wools in Albuquerque, NM. All that I can say is: "O-M-G!" when I entered into this yarn store. It is not only HUGE with lots of different rooms (weaving room, spinning room, dying room, two classrooms, etc.) but it is extremely well organized with tons of different yarns.


My most favorite yarn was the locally NM produced yarn where the photo and the name of the sheep is attached to the wool hank that it produced. The yarn is called Fibretales. 


The sheep live in the East Mountain area and in the four corners region of the southwest. The colorways are beautiful -- both hand-dyed and natural. Each skein is labeled with the name of the sheep who produced the yarn. including Merlin, Charlotte, Snow, Alice and Nate. The store currently has tweedy colors in purple, rose, indigo, green, mulberry, cranberry, grey, charcoal.


When we entered the store, we found an area set up for me to meet with knitters, introduce my patterns, give knitting tips, etc.

Isn't this a pretty welcoming display! Pictures of Cascade Yarn Patterns that I have had the honor to design and decorated with some lovely Cascade Yarns. :)

Yarns for Weaving

Bookstore Area

Play Area so Moms get to Yarn Shop in Peace

Lots of Yarn!

2000 square feet of YARN!!!

Aside from 2000 square feet of yarn, a beautiful library/book store, what blew me away were the weaving room, the classrooms and the yarn dying room!

Weaving Classroom

The store has two classrooms that can be combined into one or separated:

I got to meet all these lovely ladies -
Village Wools is going to hold a class that uses my "Lacy Butterflies Cowl" Pattern

Dying Room 

Okay, so I was blown away by the classrooms, weaving room and dying room (not to forget the spinning that goes on at Village Wools) ---- BUT my most FAVORITE place was actually the Baaaathroom:

Village Wools BAAAAthroom - one of the walls

Village Wools BAAAthroom

My favorite one:

"George! I TOLD you not to take a HOT BATH!"

While at Village Wools, I met a lady who also designs the most lovely lace shawls. Her name is Claudia Donnelly and she is mrsdonnelly on Ravelry.

You need to check out her pattern: Tameron on Ravelry or via Esty: Tameron

(c) MrsDonnelly Designs

Claudia is part of a group of very talented knitters who get together every Tuesday evening at Jason's Deli from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. We meant to join them, but by time we found a hotel to stay at, we were so exhausted that we just went to sleep for the night. But if you are in ABQ and can go to their knitting group, they are a welcoming group of fun knitters and crocheters!


Our afternoon yarn store visit to White Rock, NM was canceled because the wild fire evacuations in that town. Our most positive thoughts and prayers go out to all those who had to leave their homes.

Flagstaff, AZ Knitters

Monday evening, June 27th:


There is a super nice group of ladies in Flagstaff, AZ who get together on Wednesday evenings for knitting. However, since we were passing through Flagstaff on Monday, they met up with us outside of their regular meeting time.

We met at the Aquaplax in Flagstaff and enjoyed the great view of the mountains and pine trees while chatting and knitting. These ladies were great fun and we were sorry to have to leave because we still had to drive another 330 miles to Albuquerque, NM that evening.

Flagstaff, AZ - Purl in the Pines

Monday afternoon - June 27th:

We drove from Kingman, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ in the afternoon and had a chance to stop by Purl in the Pines, the only yarn store in the Flagstaff area.

Unfortunately, I was not able to connect with the yarn store owner in time to organize a workshop, thanks to SPAM mail folders (apparently that is where my emails had ended up).

Purls in the Pines is a really nice store with a wonderful selection of a great variety of yarns. The store carries a large selection of Cascade Yarns. I am not partial at all, I swear! :) But it was cool to see all the Cascade yarns that I have designed patterns for.

Some of my favorite Cascade yarns is the Ultra Pima yarn, for which I designed: The Miami Beach Shawl, The Rose Garden Shawl, and the Love Lace Leaf Yoke T-Shirt.

Another favorite Cascade yarn of mine that the store carries is Sierra, for which I designed the Sierra Summer Lace Wrap Cardigan.

And, not to forget the Venezia Yarn, which I used to design the Not Your Boyfriend's Sweater and the Top-Down Lace Panel T-Shirt.

In addition, the store has a great selection of Berroco yarn of which I really like the Remix Yarn because it is great yarn for men's sweaters. Also, the store has a nice section of Merino Lace Yarns that include Malabrigo and Lacey Lamb.

The store also carries lots of knitting bags, needles and accessories - of which one of my favorite were these dice stitch markers: