Celebrating socks!

As the weather turned cold and I started to wear my wool socks again, I found myself looking back at the socks I've made in the five and a half years since I learned to knit socks.
After my first pair, which in my normal, perverse way I made with impulse-bought yarn which didn't show the pattern to best effect and the instructions for which I had first to translate from Finnish/Suomi, they rapidly became my favourite thing. I was astonished by how the immediate warmth dispelled osteoarthritis pain from my feet.
I needed more; more pairs, more knowledge, more practice. I've experimented with patterns made cuff-down and toe-up, singly and two at a time, circular needle with magic loop and on dpns, plain knit, patterns with yarn overs or cables and a little stranded colourwork. From the basic heel-tab-and gusset with a couple of variations, eye of partridge and other slip-stitch patterns, I also had a go at an afterthought heel, wrap and turn (frogged, not doing that again, what a faff!), Priscilla Wilde's no-fuss short row, German short row ('boomerang'), 'Strong' heel, and, my favourite so far, Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato heel.

Patterned socks

I have a pair of intricately patterned socks which are sort of being worked on in slow time, because the twisted stitches and change of pattern on every row, the charts for which are tiny (I'm thinking of getting a Fresnel lens magnifier to help out here) as are the stitches on 2.5 mm needles. So I started another pair of patterned socks.
I've worked out my own, plain pattern for socks and tweaked it a couple of times, so that it fits my wide foot and ankle and round heels.

Plain socks

I've used my basic pattern, adapting it for a narrower foot and different sizes to knit socks for sale.

Socks for sale

I've just finished my tenth pair of plain socks for myself, in DROPS Fabel Wooden Rose long print, because it looked so pretty in the ball, despite containing pink and purple, which I really don't wear. Except on my feet, it seems.

Wooden Rose long print plain socks

Yes, all these socks represent more expense than the usual chain-store cotton socks, as well as hours of work, but they are so much lovelier. I wash them on a 30 degree wool wash in the machine and hang them to dry, simple!
I think everyone should have at least one pair.

My name is Dancing Moth and I'm a hand-knitted sock addict.

Create 365 totals:
This batch of things: 1
Cumulative total: 35