Here is my problem:
1) I am a knitter.
2) I like to knit socks.
3) My family is not so keen on the handknit socks (I know, I too am baffled by this behavior).
4) My grandmother (who seemed to be rather open to the sockage) has expressly forbid me from knitting her more socks. She has enough socks, she says. (Three pairs!!!!) She does not need any more hand knit socks.
5) I have a lot of sock yarn.
6) I feel a bit guilty knitting all of my sock yarn into socks for me.
7) I can only give so many pairs to friends over the year or they might wonder just how much time I have and how much I spend on the knitting. (This is something I don’t think they need to wonder.)
8 ) I am contemplating knitting socks for the dog. This is a sure sign that something is wrong.
9) I am also considering knitting socks for the rabbits. This, too, is a sure sign that something is wrong.
10) I am trying to decide whether a sweater knit in sock yarns counts as stash. You know, for when I decide to make more socks and need the yarn later.
So, how do you deal with the need to knit certain things and no one to gift those things to? Whether it is a hat, or gloves, or mittens, or socks, or an afghan that could cover a house, how do you deal?
PS: I also like to knit hats and scarves and gloves, but I don’t always wear them. I have a “knit” chest that they go into until gift-spiration strikes. Um, the chest is getting really full. 
I don’t have any problem with #6–in fact I’m very selfish in the self-sockification department. And I’m from a state where dogs wear booties. So I don’t think #8 is weird at all. It protects their pads from the ice.
I’m sorry to hear your family doesn’t appreciate your handknit socks. I seem to have just the exact problem, all my family wants them AND they want a never-ending supply of them. This means I have only several pair of handknit socks for me. If you ever find yourself needing someone to give them to, I would be more than happy to take them and wear them and love them and appreciate them and…well, you get the idea.
Besides being totally baffled by #3 (what the frack??), I would say knit for charity. I probably send two or three things off to Afghans for Afghans or the Red Scarf project every year. Not a huge amount of stuff, granted, but a great way to deal with your knitting jones when you have no great purpose in mind.
Also, look at your sock yarn stash as a source of lace yarn. I am currently knitting a diamond fantasy shawl out of Trekking Pro Natura. It’s gonna look great, and I get a new accessory out of it. The Trekkings are great for this because of their yardage.
My problem is what to do with all the leftovers from sock knitting……every once in a while, I knit up the remnants into 4×4 bias squares. One day, when I have a million of them, and am struck with this uncontrollable desire to sew up, I will make a quilt out of all my leftover sock yarn. It should make a fun memory quilt (when I’m 100!)
Why the H would you feel guilty knitting socks for yourself?!?! Just knit them, you of all people will enjoy them and appreciate them the most!! (says the woman with 25+ pairs of handknit socks and a stash that’s close to needing its own zip code) ;o)
I ignore No. 6 and go for it.
i second the knitting for charity idea. i often knit things just because i enjoy knitting them (i live in florida… hardly any use for scarves, mittens, etc.) or because i want to try a certain pattern. plus it makes me feel good. : )
if you’re not keen on that idea, then maybe you could find a way to reduce the guilt of knitting bunches of socks for yourself. you bought the yarn and it’s your time and effort that goes into knitting things, so i see absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t be able to knit yourself as many pairs as you want to. it isn’t like people are asking you to knit for them and you’re refusing…
I third knitting for charity. I do baby socks and hats for all ages.
I think the people who really have “something wrong” are the one’s who don’t like hand knit socks..
Never feel guilty for knitting socks for yourself, I have a buttload. Yay me!!
You definitely need to deal with #6. Why is knitting socks or anything else for yourself selfish? Even if you NEVER knit for anyone else, why is it selfish? I simply fail to understand the concept of selfishness. Greed, I understand. But knitting for yourself is not greedy. Are you greedy if you read a book, or watch or movie, or listen to music? These are all things you enjoy and do to please yourself. So is knitting. Unless your knitting for your own pleasure is somehow hurting someone else, give yourself permission to do so…period…end of guilt.
you need to find some new projects that use sock yarn is all!
Keep 1 and 2, toss the rest of the thoughts, and go knit yourself some socks, girl!
(Coming from the girl who broke her Flickr account uploading sock pics – so I’m kind of an authority on this.)
Ha, I am so sending you my foot measurements (just as soon as I’ve worked out how the hell to take them)…
…cos my own sockage is a slow and painful process (so far)!
How about swapping handknit socks for items that you would wear but are unlikely to knit for yourself…?
Or finding out whether your LYS needs a sample sock pattern knitter for shop displays? That way you might get to test new patterns, using yarn that is provided for free?
Hi Knitterbunny,
It’s not that I don’t value your artistry in socks, or think that your socks aren’t wonderful, or don’t appreciate them. You are the grandest sock knitter that I know!
My problem is that I am over 50 and I seem to always be having my “own personal summers” all winter long, so my feet are hot about 99.9% of the time.
Maybe you should start a “Sock Hop Swap.” You knit a pair and send them off to person A, person A agrees to knit a pair and send them person B. Person A also sends you some yarn to knit again. Then person B knits and sends to person C. Person C sends yarn to person B. Continue until there are 5 swaps and the last swap sends you a pair of socks. :>)
I promise to tell you when my “flashes” turn to “freezes” and I need socks again. Right now I seem to have misplaced my sandles……
Love you,
Mom
I use sock yarn to knit all manner of things — working on a little layering top right now. Then, things other than socks can be gifted.
I will so unselfishly step forward and offer my feet to quench your sock knitting thirst. As a knitter, I am ALWAYS knitting for others and I tend to get overlooked. My daughter just finished a pair for me, so that was sweet, but I’m sure I have room in my drawer for some more.
Let me know when you want to measure my feet! lol Your mom’s comment was adorable BTW.
Ummm, get a bigger family?
There are 5 kids in my family. We’ve all reproduced except for my brother. Everyone wants me to knit socks. I knit horribly slow!
So… Knit socks for yourself. Knit for charity. Knit socks in different sizes and give them away. Have friends send their favorite sock yarn to you and you make socks for them. Create sock patterns and submit to publications.
Am I helping at all?
I agree with Jess you shouldn’t feel guilty about knitting socks for yourself. I love knitting socks and I often have sock knitting jags and that’s all I’ll knit for months. I love having enough socks so I never have to wear store bought socks again.
What?! They don’t like socks?!! Freaks.
Of course as others have said, you can knit for charity. Then you can always sell them on etsy. Especially the hats, mittens and scarves. Send me an email and I might have a contact where you could sell them on a larger web site. 