Sock Arms!

It is hard to explain how fun my job is. I mom by day and knit by night. I like to think of myself as a wooly superhero. My favorite thing about my job is collaborating with other fiber artists, particularly yarn dyers. Today I have a new pattern out that very clearly demonstrates why my job ROCKS. Meet SOCK ARMS!

This pattern has been an incredible collaboration with one of my favorite yarn dyers: Must Stash Yarn. I got hooked on her yarn during a killer KAL last year that featured Star Wars self-striping yarn. I knit a pair of 3-CPO/R2-D2 socks.

I had the idea for the Sock Arms sweater jangling around in my head for months before I approached Stacie about it. I couldn't picture the project in anyone else's yarn, but I was nervous she might say no. I can handle no. I'm a mom. No is practically my first name: "No, Mom!" But I didn't want a no from Stacie. I really wanted this sweater to be in her yarn. Can't you see why?

Luckily, Stacie was up for an out-of-the-box sock yarn project! AAND...she had ideas of her own. Now, Stacie says that she was inspired by the incredible scrappy monster sock craze, but I think she had a different inspiration. I think she must have peered into my nerdy sock-loving, comic book-obsessed, yarny soul. She wanted to create a Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-inspired palette, using both GOOD guys and BAD guys. Seriously, this girl gets me. I did a MEGA happy dance, cracked into the yarn (which Stacie sent in a box wrapped up like Christmas), and set to work.

Mind you, I am excited about all of my projects, but sometimes, I get ridiculously excited, with emphasis on the ridiculous. I am a silly person. Goofy to my very core, so I could hardly contain my silliness once the sweaters were finished. I did a few serious photos...

And then, Telly and I got ridiculous. We rocked our best 80's hairdos.

We put on our favorite Guardians of the Galaxy accessories.

We broke out the comic books.

We had a Good Guys vs. Bad Guys showdown (Telly is on the side of the angels, btw. Moms are always the bad guys.)

And we totally rocked that photoshoot. Awesome-mix-style!

12 Reasons to be a Sock Knitter

Yarn: Hedgehog Fibres Twist Sock "Flashdance" and Skein Yarn for toes and heels

At the beginning of this year, I was introduced to the wonderful world of sock knitting. It's crazy that I lived outside of this world for so long. I feel a bit like a muggle who just found out that there is a magical place called Hogwarts. I have been a knitter for just over a decade. I have knit countless sweaters and shawls and blankets and mittens. You name it, I've probably knit it. I even knit my nephew a vegetable-mobile to hang over his crib when he was a wee tater-tot. But, until recently, I had only knit one sad, ill-fitting, ugly pair of ankle socks. Sorry, husband, you don't have to wear them.

Luckily, I have a Lisa in my life and Lisa is a serious sock knitter. If sock knitting is my Hogwarts, then Lisa is my Dumbledore. She has taught me much and now I want to share a little of what I've learned. Technical sock-y things? Nope. The good stuff. The fluffy stuff.

If you are considering sock knitting, I HIGHLY recommend it. If you already knit socks and are looking for a way to justify your obsession to other people, I can help with that, too. I present to you...

12 Reasons to be a SOCK KNITTER:

12. Tons of BEAUTIFUL yarn! 
There are so many amazing sock yarns out there. Indie dyed, self-striping, speckles and squishy stuff with yak in it. You get so much yardage and it's all incredibly soft and durable. I'll admit, I've been buying and hoarding sock yarn since well before I started sock knitting. I knew it would pay off someday.

Yarn: YarnYarnCo

11. Portable projects
As in, "Hey, adorable, tiny knitting bag, you can carry my knitting project and tools whilst fitting snuggly in my purse. Good job, you!"

Yarn: Spun Right Round "Chimera" & Desert Vista Dyeworks mini skeins

10. Color Exploration
You can knit with all those crazy yarns that you've been hoarding and had no idea what to do with. I can even knit things that are ORANGE (I look terrible in orange, but my feet look awesome in it).

Yarn: Druzy Rising "Bloom"

9. Sock blanks
I repeat: Sock. Blanks. I feel like sock blanks are the equivalent of a great mystery novel. You get all the characters when you open it up (blue, yellow, pink, Sherlock, Watson), but you don't really know what's going to happen. You keep guessing how it will all work out, but somehow, in the end, you're always surprised. I think I need an entire blog to talk about the amazing-ness of sock blanks.

Yarn: Spun Right Round "Chimera"

8. Self-Striping yarn
I know I already said yarn, but self-striping yarn needs special attention. It's tricky to use for almost every other project, but it is AWESOME for sock knitting.

Yarn: Must Stash Yarn "C-3PO" & "R2-D2"

7. Tiny needles
This might not seem like a good thing to some people, but I love them. I'm a tight knitter, so I almost never get to use those super sharp, eensy-weensy needles in my collection. Now, I do it all the time.

Yarn: Desert Vista Dyeworks "Carlos"

6. Cute accessories
I'm a sucker for fun notions and bags. Since I started sock knitting, I have collected quite a few double pointed needle cozies, which are perfect for sock projects (and sweater sleeves, incidentally). This one is a prototype cozy from The Nome Knitter. I like to admire my knitting even when I'm not knitting.

Yarn: Skein Yarn "Wasabi"

5. Scrappy projects
You can make the cutest projects with sock yarn leftovers! I have been working on a mini-sock advent calendar.

Yarn: Must Stash Yarn "R2-D2" & "C-3PO"

4. You can knit AT THE GYM!
Everyone looks at me funny, but sock projects are perfect for the seated bike. Be warned, this does leave you open to slightly bizarre pick up lines. I am regularly hit on by little old men asking, "Hey, honey, whatcha knittin'."

Yarn: Desert Vista Dyeworks "Parrot Head"

3. Cool new friends
I meet the best people because of sock knitting. When my sock yarn scraps started piling up, I reached out to the Ravelry sock knitters and found a yarn pen pal. For several months, we exchanged our leftover sock yarn. My yarn buddy even sent cute buttons!

2. Knit-a-longs!
I know there are a lot of great KALs out there for non-sock things, but if you like KALs, socks are where it's at! I can fit in a sock KAL between my other knitting projects with relative ease (she says with a bit too much confidence). Plus, sock KALs always seem to have excellent prizes. Right now, I'm knitting the Tootsie Roll Socks by Lisa Ross. Lisa writes FANTASTIC patterns (she's my sock guru), and her Tootsie Roll KAL runs until the end of August. Since I'm knitting these lovelies out of Desert Vista Dyeworks yarn, they also qualify for the Second Annual Desert Vista Dyeworks Sock Club KAL (which also warrants an entire blog.) Expect to see more photos of these cuties soon.

Yarn: Desert Vista Dyeworks "If They Kill Michonne"

1. People will like you more
EVERYONE loves hand knit socks. Seriously. EVERYONE. My mom, my husband, my daughter. They all love hand knit socks. I started carrying around a pair of mommy-made socks in my purse. When my 3-year-old feels sad, we put on these socks. They make her happy. Me, too, as a matter of fact.

Yarn: Desert Vista Dyeworks "Zombody Loves Ewe"