Spinning for Socks with the Twisted Sisters

I’ve finished the fiber I showed you in A Superwash Merino Spin and I’ve achieved socks!The superwash merino was so effortless to draft, so it was one of the thinner singles I’ve managed. I navajo plied it, which essentially made for a 3 ply finished yarn and it came out a little thicker than I’d hoped. Not really a fingering – it was more like a heavy sport at 17-18  wpi. But I had such a nice time working with this super saturated fiber that we dyed in Carli’s kitchen. Makes me want to break out the dyepot again!

I’ve been reading and researching handspun sock knitting and I found a terrific book written by Lynne Vogel: The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook. This has information from dyeing to spinning to designing your own socks with handspun wool. As a newer spinner, I loved that it discusses what happens to the colors in roving when it’s spun. I’ve also been freed from the notion that my sock yarn must be superwash. The trick is to spin densely and knit tightly, which gives me such a sense of spinnerly freedom knowing that any fiber could become socks when prepared and cared for properly. I was inspired to see different pattern elements – several types of cuffs, heels, toes, etc, to try. It gives equal measure to knitting cuff down or toe up. I created these first handspun socks from the Basic Sock Pattern in the book that uses an hourglass heel and a wedge toe. This book has inspired me to move beyond the necessity of following a sock pattern and to consider the creation of custom socks for the yarn I spin to fit my feet.

Kind of empowering for an aspiring spinner of socks! I’ve gotta recommend this one, Crafty Friends! The Twisted Sisters are pretty great.