Thinking Socks

Whenever the going isn't going how I want it too, my mind strays to socks.  My needles aren't straying but my mind sure is.  

I picked up Nancy Bush's book, Knitting Vintage Socks a while ago.  Its been around a while, published in 2005, but it is a real gem.  It doesn't get talked about nearly enough.  It predates my knitting life by a couple of years, so it is a book, that has just always been there in my eyes.  No one chased after it, never the hot topic of the day, not hotly contested on the bookshelf, but there acting as a backbone for all the other sock books.

Not a fancy feet book really.  It isn't meant to be, but there is a certain soundness to it.  The designs are taken from Weldons and there is a little something for everyone.  Plain socks, textured socks, lacy socks, all with a little historical perspective thrown in.  I love that kind of thing.   Nancy takes you on the gentle path to vintage.

There is a variety of heel and toe patterns, not revolutionary but the old fashioned ones.  I like that too.

As you can see, nothing earthshaking and yet these appeal more strongly to me than all the modern fancy sock patterns in the world.

I think after some of these sweaters are done, and perhaps some of these shawls and scarves and the other little things in my bins, there will be socks again.  There are always socks on the horizon.  I've always wanted to work my way through a book of socks. 

This book might just be the one, and this winter might just be the time.  Something to think about.