Mr. Aitch and I visited with our son and his family while on our vacation. 

This was the first time that we met our daughter-in-law in person.  She is a delight, very down to earth, generous, super nice and a knitter.

She and I were both pleasantly surprised to learn that we were both knitters.

When my grandmother taught me to knit, it was (what I’ve since discovered) in the “cottage” style of knitting where the knitter would prop the right needle against their hip/waist/underarm for support and move the left needle.  Circular needles don’t offer that type of support.  Dpns don’t really allow for that either as they are usually 5-8 inches long.  Plus they are pretty thin (US 0-2) and very pointy.  Sometimes I stick one end of the dpn into a wine cork so I can still support the sharp point against my body and not poke holes through my clothes (or skin).  I just need to remember to move it as I knit from one needle to the next.

My daughter-in-law has mastered the two-at-a-time socks on circular needles.  I am a double point needle (dpn) sock knitter, however, I want to learn this technique.  During our visit, she gave me two sock knitting books:

The Sock à la Carte (c) 2008 by Jonelle Raffino, Katherine Cade and the SWTC Staff is so unique. 

The book has 17 cuff patterns, 20 body patterns and 18 heel and toe patterns that one can mix and match to create hundreds of different socks.

Part of the book contains flip pages to design your own unique combinations for the cuff, body, heel and toe that refer back to the directions for each section.

The other book 2-at-a-Time Socks (c) 2007 by Melissa Morgan-Oates explains the technique so well that I am going to give it a go. 

With 17 sock patterns included (and the patterns in the other book), I will have many to choose from for my first pair…just as soon as I finish more on my To-Do list.

Are you a sock knitter?  Do you use double point needles, circular needles, 2-at-a-time, or knit flat socks and seam?