Hello, friends!

Today I'd like to talk about using the right tools.

The right kind of yarn for a very lovely sock.  100% wool, but light enough to wear in summer.

Using the right tools saves time and money.  OK, that's a pretty obvious statement.  Feed your dog on chocolates, get a big vet bill, or a dead dog.  Not good!  Feed yourself chocolates all the time and you might feel better in the immediate sense, but you're also likely to gain weight, which makes you feel worse and makes you eat even more to maintain that higher weight.

So, that wasn't really about tools, was it.  How about eating soup with chopsticks, or using a butter knife to tighten a screw.  I really have done that with the butter knife.  It works if the screw isn't too tight.  I don't recommend it because you kind of tear up your butter knife and sometimes the screw, too.

But how do we decide what's good and what's not good in yarn?  There aren't any labels on the yarn balls that say "do NOT EVER use for socks".  Of course, not!  I can't tell you how many socks I've knitted, just to find out that what I used did not live up to my expectations for a good sock.

1)  Synthetic materials that were too heavy, so my feet stayed sweaty.
2)  Llama/wool blend that didn't have enough stretch and was worsted weight to boot, so stiff as well.  If it wasn't scratchy, then I could have used them for house slippers, but I never made the second sock.
3)  Gorgeous wool, silk, mohair blend that made the most striking sock ever!  And the yarn broke the first time I put it on. (Many times mohair is listed as "strong" and silk as well.)
4)  Yarn with a very high twist - great wear and tear sock, but my feet are sensitive, so the socks wound up hurting.
5)  A very loosely plied sock yarn - very soft, but pilled up a lot and didn't last long enough to justify the hours it took me to knit.

FAS Round Sock Yarn in Granny's Roses.

So, what makes a good sock yarn? (My opinion only!)

1)  Wool or wool blend with a tight enough twist to last, but not so tight it's ouchy.
2)  Wool or wool blend that is fine enough (micron count) to not be scratchy.  Merino is one of my favorites, but there are several others that are fine enough - Blue Faced Leicester and Cormo come to mind.
3)  Yarn that is not so fine in diameter that your foot can feel every line as if it's fishing line.
4)  Alpaca blend that has enough bounce to lend itself to socks.  Most especially if you have sensitive skin like I do.
5)  Colors that I adore.  Really?!  Yes!  If you don't enjoy working on a project, you aren't likely to finish it any time soon.  I have to have nice colors and a yarn that is kind to my skin as I knit.
6)  An appropriate weight for the type of sock you are knitting (dress, boot, flip flop, etc.).  Yes, there are sock patterns for flip flops and yoga.

 And then there are all the pattern factors for what makes a good sock.  But that's another topic for another day.

Growing up I was always the quiet one that listened and watched.  If I saw my brother get in trouble for something, I made a mental note to not get caught doing that!  I suppose I should have been more focused on doing right instead of not getting caught, but there you have it, I was a kid and that's what kids do, right?  So, my advice to you today is to learn from my mistakes.

If you have a question about yarn and what you might use a particular type to make, drop me a line.  As for my recommendations for a sock yarn, I like my Round Sock yarn a lot, but if you want something thicker, then I like the luxury of FAS Serendipity.  I make socks to be wonderful to my feet and the alpaca/silk blend is very nice to my skin!