Long John's Socks

First off, if you are my Dad and reading this - stop, right now, and go do something else. (I don't think he does read my blog, but just in case)

Last year, while on holiday with my parents, my dad saw me knitting socks and started dropping some none to subtle hints about how he would like some nice knitted socks too. He played the emotional blackmail card looking sad and saying sadly that even though his granny loved knitting socks enough to be painted knitting them, he never got a pair himself. He does remember his father being given a pair of hand knitted knee high golf socks. To be fair to the knitting granny she had 9 children and about 30 grandchildren, and my dad is one of the youngest on the list. I don't like to think how look it would take to knit socks for all of her family!

Anyway, as a dutiful daughter I set to work on a pair of socks for his Xmas present last year. I didn't really leave myself enough time, and he has very big feet, so it did require a last minute secret knitting drive on Christmas eve to get them done in time. This year, I'm well ahead of the game, and have a pair of sock done already, and it's not even December! And in a number of firsts its my first pair of toe up socks and the first pattern I've created for myself.

A couple of months ago, when I was unemployed and have more time, I wrote about a discovery I made in the National Archive of a knitting home industry established by Agnes Sweetman. The papers included some sketchy instructions for a pair of men's socks, and this is what I've based the pattern on. Because I found last year that you can only just get a pair of sock for my dad out of 100g of sock wool, I also decided to start from the toe up to make them as look as possible.

So here it is, my very own designed pair of socks;

 

I like them but what would Agnes have thought? Well the records in the archive shows that she was quite tough on her knitters and expected a high standard of work. I think I might just pass the test, though she might think the colours are a bit frivolous, she had her knitters working in sober and improving grey or brown!

Pattern:  My own, I've decided to call in John as that is my Dad's name and also Agnes Sweetman's husband's name.

Yarn: Yarn D'Amour Rhiannon (4ply) in colourway Crispen (a nice name and colour)

Needles: 2.75mm

TV: Not so much TV watched knitting these sock but plenty of train journeys round Belgium and Holland.