Did I show you the latest pair of socks?

The Art of the Fugue as a Duet

Now that the weather is mostly cold, I wear a number of the things that I have knit - socks, shawls, hats, cowls, fingerless mitts, sweaters, etc. I don't make a big deal about it, if someone comments on something that I am wearing or asks if I have made any particular item, I am happy to answer them and share what I have made. But I am not going to call attention to my handknitted items nor am I going to insist that people look at my latest projects.

This last pair of socks that I just finished? That is different. Even before I finished them, I was showing them to anyone who would stand still for a minute to take a look.  [Go ahead, take a look at the project page for them, here.]

They are the most complicated pair of socks that I have ever made, The Art of the Fugue by Caoua Coffee. The pattern is cuff-down and I am most comfortable toe up. The texture of the socks comes from many twisted stitches with directions that talk about dropping two stitches at a time off the needles and then knitting them in a different order, in essence knitting cables without a cable needle. For whatever reason, I decided to knit them simultaneously using the Magic Loop technique, so I had both socks going at the same time on one long circular needle.

I am very proud of them.

Did I show you the latest pair of socks that I just finished?

Socks for $250/each, or $500/pair

Thanks to jeribrock for pointing out this article on Yahoo News about expensive socks and tights on Ravelry.

Truth be told, we think these knit socks are ugly. Also, they're incredibly impractical since they're full of holes and can't be washed. ...While we fully endorse staying cozy in wool socks and knit tights this season, we were astounded by the abundance of $50, $100, $500, and $1,000 pair.

I have been enjoying making socks this year, especially now that I live in Chicago.  My socks are very washable, warm, practical, comfortable, beautiful, and colorful.  Here are some of the socks that I have made this year:

People generally have two reactions when they see me knitting socks.  They either tell me that I can buy socks or they tell me that I can sell socks.  I am interested in knitting socks, not buying or selling them. 

I knit socks because socks are a small project that goes anywhere, I get to use a wide variety of wools that I can't buy in ready-made socks, I can custom-fit the socks to my foot, and there are some really cool sock patterns out there.

I am thankful that I do not make a living knitting socks for sale.  It would turn something I enjoy into a chore, a job.  There wouldn't be much choice in patterns, because it would have to be what people were willing to buy.  There would be too much thinking involved, because right now I make only one size - my size - and having made many socks the pattern is pretty much memorized. 

Finally, most people don't have any clue what a fair price for handmade socks really is.  The materials cost is somewhere from $10.00 to $36.00 for wool socks and the time involved is approximately 15 - 25 hours.  Most people stop their request when they hear the materials cost, and in truth, $500/pair for hand knit socks sounds a little low to me.