:: November 2003 
Advice
Try Your Hand at Knitting for Feet
Double-pointed needles, gussets, heels, and toes to be shaped are all ingredients of hand knitted socks. Knitting socks is quite enjoyable, in part because the procedure is varied, not monotonous.
Family history has it that great uncles in Wisconsin during the early 1900's sat near the fireplace on winter evenings knitting socks. The female ancestors stayed busy knitting socks, scarves, hats, and mittens for everyone, but their efforts were not enough without the knitting of the men folk, too. Farm work wore out knitted accessories rapidly, so all able-bodied knitters were needed to keep up with the demand for wool socks and mittens.
If sock knitting is new to you, try a project soon. You may either use the instructions and yarn recommendations found in this issue's book review (see Review), or purchase a sock making kit with yarn and directions included. The kit in the photo is called Simple Holly Socks, and was designed by Mary Dominski. It is available from Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill, Inc., 3776 Forshaug Road, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 (Tel.: 608-437-3762). The yarn used is Blackberry Ridge's 80% wool/20% cotton blend. The heather fibre shades of red (Northwoods Blackberry) and green (Northwoods Green) are especially pleasing