You would of thought that Asda knew that all across the UK there are sock knitters who have been knitting furiously to get their socks finished and ready to gift this Christmas. I had only popped in for a couple of bits and bobs as you do, the usual thoughts of spending £5 and ending up spending £20 as you find things you didn't even know you needed. I have made several pairs of socks to gift this year including for my secret Santa for our local Knit and Knatter group. I was so excited when I spotted the bags as they are just right size to hold a pair of hand knitted socks and at just 80p they could not have been any better, in fact I am thinking I may just have to buy a few more to keep in my stash for next year.
I have been making the same socks in various sizes and yarns for many years now but had never got around to writing up the pattern. Having watched me studiously knitting my socks some of the ladies in the knitting group have asked if I will show them how to make them. With this in mind I decided it was definitely time to sit down and write up the pattern. It was one of those things I was going to do on a quieter day over the Christmas holidays but then one member mentioned she would like to make a pair for her daughter's birthday at the end of January. At this point I said it may be a good idea to get her started then at our last meet up before Christmas on the 23rd. Thinking I just had one or two interested parties I put a message out on our social media page to say what type of yarn they would need and what needles. I still prefer to use dpn's rather than circular needles when it comes to making socks. I think it is because the circular needles are so small and for someone who is only small in stature their-self I appear to have sausage fingers. I was surprised to find that at least half the group wish to take up the mantle of sock knitting and so we are having a bit of a master class on Monday. This should be an interesting evening as the first of my children will be arriving by train that same evening ready for Christmas. I have confessed that en route home from the train station that we will have to make a slight detour to the pub whilst I see the ladies and get them started on their sock knitting experience. I have bribed him with a pint and a packet of crisps.
If you would like to join the many sock knitters around the world by having ago at making a pair of very basic socks then you can find the details of my Foolproof Socks (Cuff down) here.
Meanwhile the Christmas preparations are underway at home. Well I say that. I have lists of things I need to do and lists of things I am yet to buy and of course then there is the never ending list of food for just one day of the year. Although I have got visitors for several days so nothing will go to waste.
It will be the last minute manic tidying session, sorting of beds and making sure every last stitch of clothing in the wash basket has been washed, dried, ironed and put away. The annual seek and find of the Christmas table cloth that every year I put away in that SAFE place that is obvious to me at the time and then it gets to the next Christmas and we go play hide and seek all over again. There will be much baking going on, on Sunday and whoa betide anyone who dares to eat anything before Tuesday by which time the rest of the family will have arrived. Its always a bit of a feast or famine in our house. Some years we only have three for dinner and others we have the full compliment of eight. This year there will be seven possibly eight for Christmas Eve and six of us for Christmas day. I have to admit that I do like it when all the chicks are back in the nest and of course this year we will have our little grandson with us for the holidays and at sixteen months he will still be a little unsure of the whole Christmas thing but I am so looking forward to having him visit with us this year.
I hope your Christmas preparations are going well, if not drink gin I say, not long to go now and it will all be over for another year.
Mx
I am also a sock knitter.It really is very addictive,along with crocheted blankets.I shall pop into Asda tomorrow and see if they have those bags.I have knifed my 20 year old granddaughter two pairs of socks but in DK.She is off to Wisconsin in January for a semester and it will be very,very cold!!!!I hope the socks help.Barbarax
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara I do hope you manage to get some they really finish the gift off don't they. I am going to pop in today and see if they have any left. That sounds like a really adventure for your granddaughter but I think you're right its going to be pretty cold out there. I hope she likes her socks.
DeleteMx
I love wearing hand knitted socks but unfortunately I have gone of knitting them myself.... I've had a pair on my dpns for months. I prefer dpns over circular needles, too. I get cramps in my hand when using those tiny circulars! We've just started our Christmas preparations. It is always rather low key and always with the same people (small families on both sides). I hope you find your table cloths in time for the big day x
ReplyDeleteI go through phases with sock knitting but they are very transportable and easy to knit whilst chatting at the knitting group and I find them so comfortable to wear at this time of year. I put ordinary socks on the other day and my feet were freezing all day at the office. That was a lesson learnt. I've got lots to do over the weekend and I am working Monday and half day Tuesday and then the festivities can begin.
DeleteMx
I've never knitted a pair of socks, but I keep meaning to have a go one day. I suffer chilblains and wonder if woollen socks will be better, or my feet might get to warm. Strange that either to cold or to hot set my chilblains off. Those little gift bags are a wonderful idea from Asda. Best, Jane x
ReplyDeleteOh Jane I used to suffer with those as a child. I think it was because I used to have my feet too near to the fire and the medication that my mum got from the Gp came in these funny little files that you broke the tops off and it tasted absolutely disgusting. I don't tend to find that they get too warm and they are very comfortable to wear. Yes I loved the gift bags and I'm going to call into Asda later today to see if they have any left to put to one side for next year as I am bound to make a pair of socks for someone.
DeleteMx
Those gift bags are perfect to gift socks in, especially hand knitted ones. I hope you're a bit further along with your preparations now, I've done the food shop today and I'm just about done now. I wrapped the gifts over the last couple of days and I think I'm ready earlier this year than I ever have been. Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas and all the very best for 2020.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jo. Yes got there in the end. Had a wonderful Christmas with our little Freddie who kept us all entertained. We always buy way too much food don't we but at least I won't need to go shopping again just yet.
DeleteMx
Hope you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas. Jo x
ReplyDeleteWe had a lovely Christmas thank you Jo. I hope you and your family had a lovely time too. All over again for another year. Lets hope 2020 is a good year.
DeleteMx