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winnowedsoul
09-13-2011, 16:21
I love to knit and will betaking knitting on the trail too in 2012 but I wonder if there are any other knitters out there that have taken handmade socks on the trail and how they feel about difffernt fibers and patterns and handmade v store bought....any tips or advice??

-Sara

Tuckahoe
09-13-2011, 19:36
I've been using hand knitted socks for years as a reenactor and have been knitting know for about 5 1/2 years. Most of the sock patterns I have used are WW1 and WW2 Red Cross and aid society patterns. I use modern hiking socks on the trail, but if I were to use hand knit socks, I would use a wool nylon blend, fingering weight wool and knit on #1 or #0 needles. Such socks would tend to hold up better than say socks knitted from worsted weight wool and larger needles. Have you been to ravelry.com yet?

tlap
09-13-2011, 21:47
I have one pair of handknit socks that I prefer over anything store bought. The yarn is


Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball Sock Yarn
75% Superwash Wool - 25% Nylon

The colors looked good in the ball but knit up kind of ugly. I don't care, because they are sturdy, springy and comfortable, and mostly hidden in my boots.

I didn't really use any one pattern--I knit a lot of socks so I combined different techniques. What worked best for me was all ribbing on the leg of the sock and down the top of the instep, an eye-of-pheasant stitch for the heel to provide good cushioning, and a couple of extra stitches on each side when I picked up the gusset, to create some volume for my high instep. I learned a lot from Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd.

Good luck with your hiking socks.

winnowedsoul
09-13-2011, 21:48
most certianly! I do find vintage patterns amazing and have several.....perhape I will stick to store bought socks and just knit mittens and such for the trip

winnowedsoul
09-13-2011, 21:51
thanks tlap.....I will look into it ...what size needles do you use? and did you use a double strand for the heel? I have never heard of a eye of the pheasant...is it the same as the partridge eye and I have done that but with 2 colors in a pattern but never for a heel

Spokes
09-14-2011, 10:42
So how long does it take to knit a pair of custom AT thru hike socks?

winnowedsoul
09-14-2011, 12:56
A lot of variables on that....each person is different, I am an incredibly SLOWWWW knitter but I can do a simple house sock in a day or two each...a new pattern, different textures and yarns it could take a week for a single sock...too long to make it really economical if you were looking for a "cheap alternative" but it is more about having control of everythign about the size and shape and texture and color/s and having something really special and handmade

Knitting Bull
09-14-2011, 13:55
I work for a yarn company and am a test knitter for several designers. Hand knit socks are about the only knitting I do for myself as I am usually too warm for most other hand knits. However, I prefer store-bought socks for hiking. I have tried knitting socks in different fibers and find it is very hard to knit fine enough and tight enough to have a good smooth surface for the bottom of your foot. When I hike it seems as though I can feel the individual knit stitches. I also find it difficult to match the firm yet elastic qualities of store-bought hiking socks. I love to wear hand knit socks but for hiking my preference is store-bought.

Knitting Bull

winnowedsoul
09-14-2011, 14:00
color me jealous...that must be challenge but a blast too testing pattern, but there are some UGLY patterns out there

thanks for the insight...I know what fanatics knitters are and I thought I wodul get a good feel for the direction I should go about this...I see what you are saying knitting bull abotu feeling all the stitches in socks...I think I will stick to store bought ....

Blissful
09-14-2011, 14:01
That would be a first for me to see a hiker knitting at a shelter. Good for you for wanting to do it, though you may be too tired at the end of the day to do too much.

Spokes
09-14-2011, 14:07
......... a knitted wool pot cozy would probably be a big hit to give members of your trail family.

Heck for that matter, a set of knitted Leki pole covers would too!

The possibilities are endless......