Vintage knitting needles

When my mum came to visit me last October, she gave me a couple of packets of vintage sock knitting needles. I've been meaning to blog about them since then, but have only now finally remember to do so. I have four packets in different sizes, but only have photos of one set.

Lightweight, rustless and 'with specially tapered points which will not injure the fingers' - what more does a knitter need? The tapered points seem to be a feature they are especially pleased with, as they are highlighted again inside the packet.

I can confirm that the points are not sharp, but it did cause me to wounder if there had previously been problems with knitter impaling themselves on the points of their knitting needles?

I do like that, in a time before circular knitting needles, aero knitting pins can be obtained 'in all the usual "jumper" sizes'. But, under the flap is the slightly perplexing note 'these "aero" sock needles have been produced to meet an insistent demand for a rustless lightweight, metal needle. If stronger needles are required, the 'flora macdonald' hardened and tempered steel pins are recommended'. While I am delighted that the company has responded to the insistent demands of their customers and produced what they want, I am slightly perplexed as to why I would need stronger needles. What for? The needles I have seem pretty strong, I can't imagine what I would need stronger ones for? Knitting chain-mail perhaps? The mind boggles!

So why the sudden impulse to blog about these needles? Well, I'm home in Wales for a few days and needed a project for the ferry and train journey on Wednesday, so decided to cast on a pair of socks.

Fancy no? They are for my father's birthday present (his birthday was a couple of weeks ago, but he is very forgiving, at least I hope so). The pattern is called Symmetry and is from Op-Art Socks, a fantastic pattern book I got for Christmas packed full of the most amazing sock patterns.