They’re all gorgeous. The Christmas self-striping yarns are really cute!
1 Like
Knitting machines ate so cool. I don’t crank, my wife does and she put together this crank-in. 3 days and lots of socks.
This is an antique Steber we got working. It’s on loan from our local historical society. And a sock was made on it.
6 Likes
Those machines look so fascinating, I’d never seen them before until you first mentioned them. I had no idea there was actually a community of sock machine users!
1 Like
We learned that droves of women in Europe made socks for the troops during WW1. Soldiers were issued a clean pair each day to keep them healthy and able to be on their feet in horrible conditions. The one issue was that the seam of the toe caused some feet to be uncomfortable or even causing blisters.
Lord Kitchener was secretary of war and challenged the women to come up with a better toe, hence the kitchener stitch to finish off socks.
I noticed that some sock makers actually knit the back a bit longer so that the finish is just a row or two above the toes. I haven’t tried that yet, at least not on purpose!
5 Likes
Canadian and American women did, too! I have a reproduction poster from the sock drive - the “our boys need sox - knit your bit” one. Knitters were given yarn and patterns and they had to return a pair of socks, but some were given knitting machines. There was a YouTube channel that did a video on it that was incredibly fascinating, but I can’t remember who it was… EngineeringKnits or ShannonMakes, maybe?
You can find the links to the old knitting pamphlets from The Red Cross and Monarch via Ravelry. Everything from socks and gloves, to sweaters and balaclavas.
2 Likes
I love learning how women have always used their “crafting” skills to help others. I just wish there was no need for that sort of crafting… 
2 Likes
That’s something we can all agree on. But, thank goodness for handknit socks. (Men picked up needles for the cause, too!)
2 Likes
I didn’t know that, so I learned a thing today! My country remained neutral in WWI so my knowledge about that war is seriously lacking. I did some googling about it and came across this, a cheerful picture of some British prisoners of war, happily knitting socks in 1914: https://www.deverhalenvangroningen.nl/uploads/flexblock/c4a3de49-2320-5aef-9c3f-72181c419e5c/3108384675/breien-engelse-kamp-1785_17305.jpg
All foreign military crossing into our territory were captured as prisoners of war, but they weren’t the enemy and weren’t treated badly. And they had lots of time to learn to knit.
In WWII my country was occupied by the nazi’s, and “knitting for victory” was certainly a thing, except it was for a nazi victory - the socks were sent to nazi troops fighting on the Eastern Front. It was seriously frowned upon for anyone to participate in that because the nazi regime was deeply hated by most people, but there are plenty of propaganda pictures of it.
3 Likes
Yes, I need to include men who also do their part in contributing to charities and other needs in our communities and countries!
2 Likes
What a fantastic picture!
3 Likes
A friend of mine likes to joke that anyone who can knit or sew should be top of the list for admittance to the bunkers in any kind of apocalyptic situation. 
3 Likes
When I was growing up, I was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to sew so I studied how to build a sewing machine. It was silly, of course, since I wouldn’t be able to make the parts. That’s when I decided to learn to knit…after being in a few bunkers in real life, I decided that I would want to go in the initial blast instead…morbid for a kid, but seeing the aftermath of wars and visiting Hiroshima, I still prefer that.
2 Likes
I have nearly finished the taking forever project socks! Literally one more row but i have to stop and do responsibilities and parenting. Humph. But i think they will be off the needles by nightfall!
9 Likes
Yayyyyy finally!!! We’ll all take a deep bow for you when they’re done. I hope they’re super comfortable and you’ll get lots of wear out of them.
2 Likes
@AntBee - Yay for completed socks!
I still have to weave in the ends on these…
But, I started a new pair instead of doing that, lol.
7 Likes
@AntBee – You are persistent and it has paid off!
@tendstowardschaos --Love how you are mixing up the patterned yarn with solid blocks of color! The yarn on the first pair is really pretty. Do you remember what yarn it is?
3 Likes
Thanks! It’s Paton’s Kroy Socks in Turquoise Stripe, and Coal for the toes (because that’s where I ran out of yarn).
3 Likes
I love that yarn colorway!
Do you do two at a time or use one ball per sock? I’m trying to see how you know you’ll run out of yarn to make that choice for the toes. I do like the solid toes or toes/heels. I might plan that for my next pair.
3 Likes
One ball per sock, worked one at a time. Since they’re top-down, I knew halfway through the foot that I was going to run low.
2 Likes
Thanks, that was my thinking but wanted to confirm before I started copying you.
2 Likes