Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Third Sock Syndrome (TSS)

Most sockknitters are familiar with the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome (S3). This occurs when we have been enchanted by a pattern, chosen the perfect yarn, and knit the first sock (with or without notes - your choice). What happens next depends on the knitter. A second sock should be knit for this to be a pair. Now, if you are knitting for someone with only one foot, bravo, you are done. If you don't mind unmatched socks (the thought has occurred to me more than once), good for you. If you are like me and want to wear matching socks because that is how you were raised, then you have a bit of work to do. If you can catch the momentum of the bind off, often times you can get somewhere on that second sock.

Once you start designing socks, it is a bit different story. The first sock is the prototype and hopefully you have taken thorough notes so that a pattern can be written. The second sock is to check the pattern. Voila! You have a pair of socks. If you ever want to wear these precious beauties, you must knit a third sock, as a sample of the work, just in case you need it in the future.

Having recently stepped into the designing arena, I have been beset by TSS. Fortunately, I am designing socks that I want to wear and want to knit. So it's just time consuming. Besides, I'm so short that I can get 3 socks out of a 100g skein of yarn. Good thing I'm not fond of knee highs.

Here's the latest. Solitary (in editing and test knitting).


Soon to be followed by Circumambulation. (in the design stage).