Monday, March 05, 2007

A Tale of Two Sockies

SusannRachel.jpg(I guess this is really a Tale of Two Pairs of Socks or a Tale of Four Socks, but neither of those titles is as punny as the one I picked.)

Our story begins one afternoon in the autumn of 2006. That day, Susann was treating the people in KnittyChat to photos from a German knitting magazine. Among the photos that she was flashing was a photo of the cutest socks ever (click here to see Susann’s version). I admired the socks and told Susann how much I loved them. Susann kindly offered to translate the pattern for me, but I told her no. For as much as I liked the socks, I didn’t think I would knit them. (Yes, I have a great appreciation for handknit socks. I even have a list of socks patterns that I’m considering making because I like them so much. However, my appreciation for socks is not enough to make me knit socks.)

Fast forward a couple of months. Susann, having learned that I was in possession of sock yarn that she really liked, proposed a trade. (Yes, I have sock yarn! It finds it way to me, I can’t help it!) Susann offered to knit me a pair of the cutest socks ever in exchange for sock yarn. What a deal! I accepted her offer immediately. The trade with Susann came on the heels of the greatest trade ever—the trade in which Rachel sent me cashmere laceweight in exchange for a lace shawl. Because of the similarities between the two trades, I told Rachel about the arrangement I had with Susann. Rachel agreed that I had made another great trade.

Susann.jpgSusann proceeded to knit the cutest socks ever in the cutest sock yarn colorway ever. Aren’t they adorable? The moment I saw these socks I had an impulse to buy lots of yarn in the same colorway just to have it. (And you know, maybe, if I ever got around to it, perhaps, I could knit socks with the yarn.)

These socks are fantastic in every way. They fit perfectly and just look at how perfectly the stripes match up. Susann did this because she knew how obsessive I am about making my OWN knitting perfect and she felt that she needed to be obsessive with my socks, too. (I didn’t know it was contagious.)

Anyway, around the same time that Susann’s socks arrived, Rachel wrote a post in which she apologized to me for abandoning the Apathetic Sock Knitters Club. In a comment to that post I wrote, “I have to admit that I actually want some wool socks this winter. . . . However, I’m trying to find ways to have socks knit for me rather than having to knit them myself.” I was, of course, referring to the socks that Susann had knit for me. Don’t try to read between the lines, I wasn’t asking Rachel to knit me socks.

Rachel.JPGBut Rachel took it upon herself to knit me socks as a token of our friendship. And what a pair of socks! Purple with pink and CABLES! Happy cables with the cleverest cable transition at the ankles! Rachel knows me too well—picking color and a pattern that I liked without assistance from me. These socks were packaged in a very funny sock sleeve that made me laugh out loud.

I adore both pairs of socks and I bow down to the sock-knitting prowess of both women. I appreciate their kindness and generosity. I will treasure these two pairs of socks forever. Thank you Susann and Rachel for the socks and for being you!

And for those of you who came over here to ogle the person who was slanderously mistreating Rachel, rest assured that all of the teasing that goes on between Rachel and me is good-natured fun done with affection and respect.

ScoutRachel.jpg

14 comments:

Janet said...

I have to say that I think you're brilliant! I am a current member of the apathetic sock knitter club, but find myself desperately coveting hand knit socks (I've never owned a pair, but they look devine and thinking about how they must feel on one's feet makes me salivate a bit).

In a fit of insanity (and knitterly anger over the whole bank thing), I signed up for the Rockin Sock Club)... and am now(totally impatiently) awaiting the first shipment. So either I'm going to have to abandon the apathetic sock knitter club, or i'm going to have a completely bizarre amout of sock yarn in my possession very soon.

but your post gives me a third idea... perhaps i can bribe someone else into knitting them for me!

Karen said...

The pink is Trekking!! I <3 Trekking.

Great socks! You're a lucky gal. Now...how do I get other people to make socks for me.....? :)

knitseashore said...

Maybe you can start a sock knitalong, where sock lovers can knit socks for those of us who don't like to knit socks. In return, they can fill out a form, and we'll buy them sock yarn in trade. We'll let them think they are trying to brainwash us...and in the meantime we'll have pretty socks to wear. It could work, don't you think? :) :)

Anonymous said...

I don't know what this post is about because I stopped reading after the sub-par pun in the first paragraph.

Anonymous said...

Okay, fine, I read the whole thing. I am delighted that my socks were so well received and that I guessed right with the yarn and the pattern (I knew cables were a must). I am also glad to see that they will have excellent company during the 10 months per year that they will have to be confined to a drawer.

The only part of the post that confused me was at the very end: we have affection and respect for each other? What? I thought you were my arch nemesis. Is this a trick?

amylovie said...

Boy, that Rachel sure is a gem!

Amy

Meredith said...

What a good idea! Both pairs are great. I don't like to knit socks, but I don't like to wear them either, so it works out. :)

mikomiao said...

lovely socksies! I can't wait for my socks from Susann!

Sockses are Hard!

Jennifer said...

Gorgeous socks! I hadn't heard of that sock club. I'm glad you got some wonderful handknits.

Anonymous said...

Yay for socks! Yay for the blogosphere! Yay for socks knit by those in the blogosphere for those in the blogosphere!

Anonymous said...

Clearly I need better knitting friends.

Anonymous said...

Lucky you! Two pair of handknit socks, and you don't even have to make them yourself.

Is the pastel colorway Trekking?

Batty said...

Brilliant!

And those sockies... I love purples and cables, but the little sockies with the bows are just the most adorable thing ever.

Anonymous said...

I luuurve both pairs of socks! Maybe I need to start trading sock yarn for socks. I seem to collect sock yarn in copious amounts, but I've only ever knit 3 pairs of plain stockinette socks... Hmm...

What lovely knitting friends!