Socks - shall I bin them

I found one use for odd socks when I injured my hand. The white dressing never stayed clean for five minutes - until I cut the foot off an odd sock and cut a hole in the remaining ankle bit at a suitable place for my thumb. I wore it over the dressing, with my thumb through the hole, ribbed top round the base of my fingers and cut edge tucked inside my sleeve. It went into the washing when it got grubby, and was thrown out and replaced when it got too scruffy. The dressing stayed clean.

It kept my hand warm while I couldn't get a glove on, too.

Alas Auntieflo I spoke too soon on last post of 22nd January,
Thought I had it perfectly done but on closer inspection there was a thread crossing on top of sock which meant a few rows undone and reknitted and waiting for kitchener stitch again. And now it's back on the back burner or the bin or something!!

I too find knitting very relaxing and usually do in front of a good film or rugby match. Have recently made a hen and just finishing off a rooster! {smile}

As you said, life’s too short.
I’ve more than once binned things where the pattern proved too frustratingly complicated.

One was a big black cuddly cardi I was knitting for my sister. Mostly within my abilities, but oh, the ‘pick up and knit’ God knows how many stitches for the border all around. I nearly went blind trying to see to do it - black yarn certainly didn’t help. After a great deal of effort I gave up.

Luckily the yarn hadn’t been expensive - it was acrylic, for a sister in the US who will never in a million years hand wash anything - and everything goes in the tumble drier.

Well done Mary on mastering your socks and finishing them.

I love knitting, it is so therapeutic to be able to have something to pick up and put down.
I think Mum must have taught me to knit, I don't remember learning as such.
In my teens I made a knitted suit and was so proud of it, but then I was tall and skinny then, so could get away with it.
The Christmas before last, I bought some beautiful, random patterned, paired socks for my 2 GGC. There were 3 socks in each 'pair', no doubt to account for the ones that go missing. I was so taken with them that U found a pattern and knitted more for the little boy. He uses them as welly socks, as I think they were on the big size.
At the moment I am using up odds and ends and making cannula sleeves/ socks for a baby unit.

My father was taught to knit socks in the army, he was very proud of the skill and kept a pair on the go to show off to female relations. he never tried to knit anything else though.

@CocoPops - to clarify...you knit socks from toe to gusset?

That's damned near a pair of tights to me

I should try socks as I really dislike sewing up.

I am a hopeless knitter and have just spent over a week making a scarf for my DGD's teddy bear. Socks? Don't think I'll go there!

I could knit as I went to school and we knit a jumper and made a simple sewed skirt at about 11. We had to made our grecian dance tunic and knickers at 12. My favourite socks are on 2 circular needles with a 3 needle cast off. It's a great Christmas present and only special friends get them.

We learnt to knit socks and mittens in school at the age of about 10; with 5 needles and a lot of perseverance. A few years later we learnt to weave on a floor loom. This was in a Girls' Grammar school. I found some balls of cotton yarn not so long ago and knitted a couple of wash mitts for my young grandsons. The boys chose the colours. The mitts were fun and really easy to knit and I now have a request for some more. Cotton yarn also lends itself to dish cloths.

KItchener stitch or grafting I managed this time in just 15 mins in front of you tube so so first sock just needs to be sewn up. Then second sock half done to be finished.

Good to hear all your versions of sock knitting! That's what I love about Gransnet. {smile}

I can beat the 56 odd socks - at one point I had over 70 of dh’s in a bag, waiting for their other halves to turn up.

They hardly ever did - God knows what happened to them all. In the end it was a case of Good Riddance, and into the bin.

That's a lovely story Lucy.

They currently teach knitting and sewing in my local primary

Perhaps they stopped teaching knitting in English schools during the late 50's??
Or perhaps my teachers just couldn't knit.

We were taught to knit socks and gloves with four needles at school. I did enjoy it at the time but it wasn’t something I continued. Managed a couple of Aran jumpers at one point.

I find knitting and crochet therapeutic too and always have something to pick up when I’m in the mood.

Would it be worth looking a the YouTube method again Mary51?

Persistentdonor, we started to knit in primary school and continued into secondary school. This was in Scotland in the 1940s - 50s. I was lucky in that my aunt taught me to knit when I was 5 and had measles and had nothing else to do. So I had a head start. When my DS1 was little, I taught him to do simple knitting and he made a scarf for his teddy, but that's as far as it went. I don't think he ever picked up the knitting needles after that - now getting on for 50!

That's brilliant Lucy. Well done you.
I remember stuggling through creating a heart shaped cotton dishcloth to give as a Christmas gift for one grandma, and making a pair of baby mittens to gain my Brownie knitting badge.

I learned to knit at the age of 9 and have taught 2 of my 4 grandkids to knit just lately. I love knitting. I have knitted just one pair of socks in my life and I didn’t enjoy the experience one bit, so I will never knit them again. If I was you I would pull them out and use the wool for something else. You could always add it to some chunky wool and make squares for charity blankets. Just a thought. Have a lovely day. X

I learned knitting in primary school. Made a little pair of pink baby mittens. I remember standing at the teacher's desk while she picked up dropped stitches. I must have been about nine or ten. Around 1950.

I kept the mittens in tissue paper and they went on all three of my babies, even the baby boy.

Should add I started primary school in the mid 50's.

Interesting Chewbacca ....
I was taught many sewing skills at primary and senior schools, including smocking, but I don't recall any knitting at school, though I did learn from mother & grandmothers.

I was taught to knit in school too. Only on 2 needles though. Must have been around 1960/1961. Very glad too because its a skill that's lasted me a lifetime and one I've just passed on to my GD.

Annodomini I don't mean to be rude, but I am fascinated that knitting was actually taught in schools - dare I ask WHEN (and where,) that was please?

Also odd socks is a fashion thing that goes round and round - I remember it was popular in the mid 80's when wearing odd fluorescent socks was really trendy!!

I just love knitting socks - (4 needles and lovely, self-pattetning yarn).
I have never tackled Kitchener stitch, though. I just follow the pattern that I always use, turning sock inside out and grafting remaining stitches together at the toe. Always works out fine. ?