I’m done calling it a problem. You know, where I knit one sock and don’t knit the second one and that’s just “wrong”? It happens. A lot. There are just too many yarns and there is never enough time to knit. I like trying out different yarns and it’s part of my job. Therefore, I’m no longer going to feel guilty about this. (Really, who says you have to have a pair? Or that your pairs must match? Although I’m not the kind of person who could go out in two different socks. I just can’t.) Instead, my hubby added 12 more spots to the single sock display here at Loopy Central. Yes, that makes 36 total. It IS a little sad that I immediately filled them up with more single socks. No room to grow. We may have to have these railings/hangers in several spots here at Loopy.
I do knit some socks in pairs. I wear handknit socks all winter long, and they do match. Sometimes it’s because the yarn is so wonderful that I want them on my feet instead of just one on the wall. (Although there are a bunch of really great socks on the wall.) Sometimes it’s because a pattern was a lot of fun and I want to do it again. Sometimes it’s because I don’t have enough pairs and need more. Whatever the case, there are plenty of pairs of socks in my house for wearing. (Because you know, once you’ve worn handknit socks, the commercial ones no longer work for you.) And I still fully intend to knit the second socks for all of those on the wall one day. If I ever retire.
Remember the crayons in my post on Wednesday? That really got me to thinking about colors and stashes. When I was young, I loved to color and draw with markers and crayons. Maybe knitting with beautiful colors is one of the adult extensions of that? (Like Mariann. Check out how she “colors” with her knitting. Unbelievable.) I keep all of my yarn in plastic tubs and bins, but what if I kept it out on shelves so that I could see and enjoy the colors, like we do here at Loopy? Several of you commented on the shelves we had in our booth at the Sock Summit, and how you’d like these for your personal stashes. (Here’s a photo of them now being used here in the shop – the red and white ones in the back of the photo. They continue on through our “old” kitchen and into the new area, but this at least gives you an idea of what they look like.) It really is a great design, lightweight but sturdy, easy to assemble and adjust, and I told WH that he needs to make these for knitters. (He said he’d think about options.) If you filled these up with yarn colors, wouldn’t it be like walking into a box of crayons when you walked into your yarn room? (Yarn closet? Yarn bookcase?) Inspiring, encouraging, uplifting and fun. Lots of color choices and fiber choices. Lots of options for your next project. Just like a brand new box of crayons. Stash and display. It’s a good thing. Don’t you think?
Sheri nowrethinkingmystashspaceandwhatI’mgoingtodoaboutwithit
P.S. It’s a holiday weekend here in the States, with no mail on Monday. We’ll be back at Loopy Central on Tuesday, but of course you can shop online all weekend long. We’ll get your orders out on Tuesday. Have a great one!
Just imagine a room lined with the shelves full of colorful yarns with your favorite chair in the middle. Oh and don’t let me forget a small table to put your favoirte Loopy Mug full of your most favorite drink and a treat on the table of course. And lets not forget that the room has to be sound proof with a lock on the door from the inside……..
I would love to have my yarn on display in those beautiful shelves, but unfortunately, my kitty loves yarn! Every time he breaks into the stash room, he steals a skein.
I for one an a firm believer in decorating with yarn!
Love your fiber art display with the socks. If Andy Warhol can do soup cans in different colors – then why not a sock art display wall? After all – there are quilts you use and quilts you hang on your wall. Why not the same with socks? I bet one really NICE sock would look good displayed in a shadow box frame too. I applaud you for thinking and displaying outside the box. I think your display is nice. Re- the display shelves – I would need seperate ones for my yarn and quilt fabrics… 🙂
I’m working on my new office/stash/craft room. Unfortunately, it’s in the basement, and we do get water from time to time. (Darned old house.) So, mine is in moistureproof tubs, and I’ve got them grouped by weight. But I’m all for decorating with yarn. And the colors! If I’m depressed, I get some out, put it on the floor, and the cat and I roll in it. Then I have to chase the cat around and retrieve whatever he’s decided is his. The dog finds all this amusing. 😎
Yum, yes, that would be a lovely idea! I have my yarn (most of it) in purple milk crates on a sponged white wicker bookcase (mebbe need a blog post with my stash? ^_^), but I can’t really *see* the yarn! So a few of my favorite skeins are scattered around my room (bedroom, which I share with my little sister) in baskets for “inspiration” but right now it really just looks cluttered! *sigh*
I like how your socks are on the wall, tho. It’s rather purty that way!
Secret Agent (who-is-dreaming-up-designs-for-her-prize-yarn!)
Oh my, I laughed and laughed about all your single socks. Yes, I know it well. I have a fair share of those myself. Yarn is too inticing. Can’t wait to get to the next one. All the beautiful colors are overwhelming. Love them all.
Your shelves are great. I do wish I had them. As someone else said, I also would share yarns and quilt fabrics in them. They would make a fine display even by themselves.
Have a wonderful holiday week-end. I’ll just work on my numma-numma socks. Hey, that yarn is fabulous!
I’m curious-do you keep all the leftover yarn that was allotted for the second socks (unless it’s a 50 g ball)? I know that a lot of times, I finish pairs of socks because I don’t want 50+ grams of yarn hanging around unused. Obviously though, you don’t seem to have a problem keeping yarn around!
First of all… Marianne’s socks are amazing! Wow!
As long as you do have handmade socks to wear, I don’t see anything wrong with some time passing between when you finish the first sock and finishing the second one, if you chose to make a second one. It would only be wrong if you were only making sock to hang on the wall and forced to wear mass-produced-no-natural-fibre socks. That would be wrong.
Re: non-matching socks
I have 2 words for you: Pippi Longstockings.
Do you have all of your single socks labeled with the type of yarn and pattern? I think it would be wonderful to see all of the socks and inspire to try out the yarns.
Cheryl
Did you realize that if you scroll down after opening the link to Mariann’s blog, you will find photos of Claudia’s fabulous brick-and-mortar store? I didn’t know that Wollmeise even had a retail store! There are lots of skeins in stock, too.
Single socks are just fine–especially when it’s your job to sample sock patterns and yarn. And where would Loopy be, with matching socks? When Sharon writes up the Loopy bag pattern, if she gives Loopy matching socks, I’m going to make up my own mismatched socks. 🙂
Every time I look at Marinne’s projects in Ravelry I feel like a little thing. Her knitting is just amazing, all the colors and patterns. Maybe because I am not a color knitter that is so wonderful to me. Is it all WM on that red shelves? Just wondering….. Have a wonderful weekend and I hope your children will be there since is a long one.
ever hear of “littlemissmatched”? Its big fad with little girls, or so I hear. I am sure you know where that is going, so that just makes you uber trendy.
I have an incredibly small apartment and all the walls are white. I am not allowed to paint the walls, so I purchased tall book cases and filled 2 of them with my colorful yarns, and 2 with beautiful books. I hung my sock blockers on the wall with handknit socks on them and I am so happy with all the color that is in my life.
Sheri I think your single socks are “samples” and then when you knit a pair, obviously they’re for you 🙂
Have a wonderful long weekend filled with knitting and pumpkin lattes 🙂 (since we have chilly temps and rain on tap for tomorrow, I’ll be getting my first pumpkin latte of the season then!)
Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t Claudia wear mismatched socks? I thought I remembered her doing that at the first Spring Fling. I actually think that would be fun 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend!!!!
Most of my non-sock yarn is in the basement in bins so I don’t see it most weeks. Thank goodness for Ravelry and stash pictures! Most of my sock yarn is in a plastic bag that used to hold a king sheet set. I look at this bag quite often debating which yarn to use next and what pattern will look best.
I love the idea of shelves but I’m afraid Mr. Bailey Kitty would think I put them up just for him. He loves to be up high and he loves to eat yarn. Not a glass-fronted case, like your pretty one, is a good idea.
I wish I could display my stash on shelves and not have to worry about one of my four-footed kids using it as a bed. Have a nice long weekend.
I know plenty of people who would love to wear two different colored socks. SELL THEM! Let people ‘choose a pair’. Let someone who appreciates hand-knit socks take a pair home and revel in their uniqueness!!!
Sheri, thinking about your OSS problem in terms that it’s for testing yarns is an excellent way to take the pressure off yourself that you should be knitting two socks. You still get the pleasure of knitting and trying new yarns without the guilt that you’re only knitting one sock. Be good to yourself friend.
I wholeheartedly agree! I threw out all my commercial socks and only wear hand knits. I am actually happy fall is coming and I can start wearing them again. A lot of women have a thing for shoes-not me, I have a thing for socks! Enjoy your long weekend.
Love the socks, Sheri, and as long as you have enough to wear, there’s nothing wrong with having some to display as art, too.
I, too, have decided that the color is most of the attraction. Unfortunately, my practical side won’t let me indulge my color addiction as much as I’d like! I can’t display my yarn, either, between cats, light exposure, and moth paranoia. However, going to the bin(s – ahem) on occasion just to look at it and enjoy it is fun, too. Gives me something to look forward to – like play time with a special toy as a child. (Or the mocha I’m about go make with dairy-fresh cream and Kona coffee….see ya!)
I have to say, that is EXACTLY what I am looking for for my yarn and fiber. If I have to shove and move anymore plastic boxes, labeled or not, I am gonna throw a tizzy fit! I bought my yarn because I love the color and the texture and I feel like I am deprived of it when it is stored out of sight! As to the moths, I find if it is in fresh air in the light, (not direct outside light of course) in an area that is well used by folks, the moths don’t bother it. (some lavender and cedar does not hurt either) Moths tend to like dark places without a lot of activity.
Those shelves look similar to Ikea’s Expedit bookcases. They come in different sizes and have square cubbies about 12x12x12 inches. I just got a large one for my new studio space (yay!) and the kids have one each for toys.
The weather here is almost cool enough for wool socks 🙂
My mom got me a wrought iron basket stand a couple of years ago and I immediately filled it with sock yarn. I change the colors seasonally too. 🙂
As for the single sock, I would say that you are doing your customers a great service by sacrificing the 2nd sock in order to test more yarns! I just wish I had such a good excuse!
I am a fan of Numma Numma yarns and I found you through that site. What a treasure trove of yarns you have!! I am swooning! I know I shall return!!
I love to decorate with yarn too. I have several Roseville console bowls that I have filled with “color appropriate” yarn. At least you have an absolutely viable reason to have many single socks. Not being a professional yarn tester, I just have a drawer full of single socks living with the rest of the yarn and the pattern hoping to get out and walk around some day.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend! Did your DD come home for the weekend from college? Mine couldn’t come! :o( She is on the swim team and they have practices on both Saturday and Monday! No holiday for them! BUT I will get to go and see them at a meet in about a month.
Love your extended sock exhibit! It is awesome! I am making some MINI socks to display at work in my lil’ office. I think it will be cute. I think I am going to get some of those tiny clothespins and hang them over my iMac!! Our iMac at home looks just like yours with the post-its stuck on the bottom. No sheepy though! ;o) She is pretty cute on there too!
<3 Wasie
LOVE the single sock display! I might do that in my house!!
Your picture showing the single socks on the wall actually is an excellent decorator idea. It really looks lovely. And it would be the perfect idea for someone who liked to try out patterns and yarn but didn’t really care (can’t imagine who as I love to wear them) to wear them. Thank you for sharing your pictures. Fortunately, every sock I knit ends up on a foot in the family. They all love them before they ever leave the needles. 🙂
ideally i would love to have beautiful solid wood cube yarncases (like the ikea bookcases), but in the meantime i settled for the wire cube storage units at target. i put a bunch of them together and they take up about 12 feet of wall space in my craft room. a section for color-coded yarn, and a section for color-coded fabric. 😀
I love the single sock display, a sock wall would be such a cool decorating element in any home, especially if the socks are displayed out of cat reach. If you knit more singles (if??) you could do themes, colors, holidays, seasons. I envy all those who have craft/stash rooms/closets, what creative joy to live with!
I put yarn from current projects in a big bowl in my living room. It always looks festive!
It is your duty to knit single socks so as to try out the maximum amount of yarn and patterns. We are grateful for your sacrifice 🙂
I’m a firm believer in Dobby Socks (for muggles – Dobby the House Elf from Harry Potter series would NEVER wear socks that match). How about a sock yarn exchange where you swap with friends after you’ve knit one sock? The next yarn you get becomes the “mate” for your first one, therefore Dobby Socks. No single sock guilt! Though you no longer have any, and that’s a GREAT attitude!
I LOVE the sock wall! I need one of those for my house. I have to agree, once you wear hand knit socks, you can’t wear anything else. I love hand knit socks. I could really use some of those shelves/cubbies too, for all the stash yarn. I’m trying to organize, it’s not going so well. Oh, well, I’ll just knit!!
I bought inexpensive wine racks at Target and stacked them up. They look similar to your shelves but just smaller cubbie. I made a cloth cover to put over the open end of the shelves to keep the cedar in and dust out. I fill the cubbies according to the spectrum (a little OCD) and do feel like a crayon box every time I open the flap to look at them.
I think the sock wall is inspiring. As for having to test all the new sock yarns by knitting single socks, now that takes real self-sacrifice and dedication. Somebody should give you a medal, that’s how I see it!
I think your single socks make a great wall decoration for your The Loopy Ewe brick & mortar store. It is usable, too, in that it models various patterns and yarns and colors for people, to see what they prefer. That all being said, it does not have to be permanent, so if you decide you want to knit the second sock, to make a pair, you can just take the one down, and knit the second one, so you have a quick finished pair! 🙂
I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend! We had a wonderful week before, plus a great 3-day weekend, the first most around here can remember. In fact, our local weathermen said, “we hope you enjoyed your one-week of summer” for this year, which truly it was. What a bizarre summer, here in Michigan, but it went out in style, for sure! 🙂
I am equally as guilty of knitting single socks and moving on to a more enticing yarn or pattern. I have about 10 single socks at the moment. Periodically , I force myself to finish the single socks before I start anything new. I do however store the socks, pattern and remaining yarn together in baggies so I know which pattern I used on the first sock.
I do have a solution for your single sock display – have a sock knitting class- use one of the single sock patterns as the project – you or whomever is teaching the class can start the second sock as the class knits along.
To build on Sue S’s idea…do a lottery and the lottery winners knit your second sock in exchange for a place in the Spring Fling! You’d probably get as many lottery entries as you get posts when you announce a contest that includes a skein of Wollmeise as the prize. 🙂
Hi Sherry,
Got your Club package on Saturday morning just as we were leaving for an outlet shopping excursion to….Lancaster PA…The birthplace of the gorgeous note cards. I thought it was extremely amusing.
Sheri – you need to find someone who also has single sock syndrome who has the same size foot as you! Then after you knit one, send the yarn to your partner. They can knit your second sock for you. In return they knit themself one sock and send you the remainder to knit the second one of their pair. That way you get 2 socks but you never have to knit the second sock!
I love my yarn closet, though right now it is less yarn storage and more everything that we needed to stash away during a party storage. I’m hoping to finally get off my duff and start organizing everything so I can use it as I intended. With shelves like those, I would happily place my yarns out so they could be more easily admired!
OMG. I love the sock display!
I knit a bunch of tiny sweaters to hang on a garland on the Christmas tree – but those socks are fabulous!
I love the sock wall -it’s so inspiring!