Friday, December 14, 2007

Superman Style

When I first realised that people knitted socks, I thought they must be very sad creatures indeed. I like a challenge though and decided I would give them a go.

My first, and almost last, attempt was using 4 dpn's. I couldn't get beyond cast on. far too fiddly for me, like trying to knit with a hedgehog. I may well have a problem cos of the RA in my hands.

A year later, I came across the two circs method and I completed my first pair. That was that. I had achieved it. I still couldn't see the point of knitting my own.

Then I started seeing sock yarn everywhere and in beautiful colours. Not only that but 1 x 100 gm ball would make me pair. So....now I am hooked of course and many pairs later still am. Only now I use just one circ.

Not only that but they keep my feet warm. In the cold, if I am not warm in my lower half I am stuffed. My legs stop working,
literally.

I take ages to dress in winter. First my underwear, then 100 denier tights(black), then long john's, then jeans. My socks on my feet of course and then my shoes. Now, shop bought socks would not keep my feet warm and I would have to wear 2-3 pairs and wear lined boots. Not now. Just one pair of my woolly socks does the trick.

Now I am sure you would love a laugh at the expense of a mere male so.......it was first suggested to me last winter that I wear women's pantyhose. I baulked at the idea. Besides, how would something so thin help to keep me warm? Well, I swallowed my pride and started to wear them. It was murder for a week.Terrible crotch itch. How did women wear these things, I cursed? Not just the itching, the ability to pull out hair in sensitive parts too when I took them off.

I was about to give in and chuck them away when I had a light bulb moment...I wonder if I am supposed to put my underpants on first and not be wearing them superman style? DUH! Problem solved.

Why did no one tell me?

So, next time I hear anyone suggest that sock knitting is for sad lonely people with nothing better to do, I shall tell them that I might well be sad and lonely with nout to do but at least my feet are warm....


17 comments:

Trillian said...

oh dear, that is funny. you might try the thigh-high/garter belt combo instead.

also, they make flannel lined jeans, which are very warm.

Anonymous said...

I despise pantyhose! Always have, always will. But yes, they will keep you warm. Synthetic materials have a way of trapping and locking in heat.

As a large woman who sometimes needs to maintain a certain "shape," I have a number of unpleasant "foundation" garments I wear when dressing up. All-in-one garments with half legs and [yuck] a "flap" to unhook when when has to do one's business. However, the nice thing about the half legs is they cover the tops of thigh-high stockings, which these days are ever so much nicer to wear than pantyhose.

I used to go without stockings, and wore hand-knit socks and Doc Martens, even with my nice dresses. It wasn't exactly a fashion statement, but at least my feet were warm. I cannot abide cold feet. I don't have anywhere near the health issues you do, but if my feet are cold, the rest of me is utterly miserable, too.

When I was much younger, Ma used to make me wear panties underneath the pantyhose, plus the detested pantyhose, AND a damned girdle to top it all off. No wonder I hated getting dressed up to go anyplace! It was probably easier for knights in the Middle Ages to put on armour!

Until you mentioned it, I had forgotten all about wearing underwear beneath pantyhose. The waistline of the undies would be at the waistline where it ought to be, but the waistline of the stockings would fall just below the bra-line. YUCK!!!!!

Ah, thanks for the memories, Colin. ;-)

I hope you and John have a wonderful time in Germany.

I also think that this new pool sounds like the way to go, especially since it will save you so much stress. Go for it!!!!

LizzieK8 said...

I suppose no one told you the undies go "under" there because you didn't ask the right people!!!!! :)))

Good laugh, and thanks for it. We're decorating today and I could use a laugh!

Anonymous said...

Your story about learning sounds like mine. I tried and tried to use double points and then I discovered directions showing how to use two circulars. I was hooked. When people wonder why I wear handmade socks I alway explain that they are warmer and softer than any store bought sock I've ever purchased. As for the pantyhose, I hear male skiers wear them here in the US for extra warmth. It gets colder here in Indiana but when we visit England (hubby is from England)I bring my long underwear because I freeze to death. I'll have to bring my tights next time we go.

Mary G.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the visual, Colin. Priceless! But how about tights instead of pantyhose? Tights are thicker but not as binding.

Anonymous said...

I used think sock knitting was weird, too, like why bother? Then I was determined to make them (I wanted to learn how to turn a heel, thinking that was the challenge. For me, putting on the gusset stitches is the challenge). I am very hooked on them-I always have a pair going no matter what else is OTN.

I don't wear pantyhose, ever. Tights, yes, but not sheer hose.

Anonymous said...

You are so funny! Most women HATE pantyhose, too! However, they are much easier to wear than garters (and they rarely break loose and fall down!).

I used to knit socks in the car with dpn's. Every so often, I'd drop a needle, or even worse, I'd lose hold and one would flip out of my hands. Of course, they wouldn't land where I could get them easily. We'd be barreling down the highway at 70 mph with me crawling around in the front wheelwell trying to peer under the front seat. I had to learn to use circulars, or else not knit socks in the car. Now, I'd never use the hedgehog!

I haven't tried the long singular circular, though. I should. I think I'd like it.

Thank you for the very early morning laugh.

Iris

anachronist said...

You have me in giggles this superman image :-)

I dont like those either, but they sure do keep warmth in in winter.

I try to get the ones that are a little thincker and maybe this is what is called tights.

Leggins and two layers of socks do it for me to stay warm but if I manage to get my feet colt this was it, the rest of the day they dont pick up warmth any more and I am not happy.

Especially at bedtime this is not fun, not going to find sleep unless the feet get warm again.

I intend on sewing up 'heated night socks' and fill them with linen seed and put that in the microwave to keep my feet warm.

Saw this idea somewhere and was not willing to pay waht they wanted so will get crafty and do them myself.

Unknown said...

I tried to do some socks on the knitmaster 360, attempting to short row had me utterly confused, all those instructions on 'holding position' let me with something not the least remotely resembling a sock.Off it came. I have plenty of circular needles, might try to make some on those.
Have a great time in Germany and come back safe and sound.
Sandy

Katherine C. said...

Oh Colin that is just too funny! Personally, I've had to wear hose pre-puberty (I was a figure skater and those miniskirts they made us wear back in the day were freezing!) Hubby, being a former ski instructor, wore the skier long johns that are more panty hose like, second skin vs the ole cotton long johns, might be a better 'fit' to avoid the itch (grin)

For the AR, circulatory and pain you feel - I'll make a Holiday wish that you feel some relief! I could recommend you try something that I heard has worked for others who exhausted all other medical options - http://uk.ceragem.net/ I don't know that it works for all, but I have met people it helped :S
Katherine

FuguesStateKnits said...

Oh. my. Gd....!!!! I am literally laughing my @$$ off with that one, Colin! How hysterical!
True about the socks, though!
Oh geez....

FuguesStateKnits said...

P.S. I love pantyhose. They cover a multitude of sins - depillatory and otherwise, LOL!

Kucki68 said...

Hi Colin, you can also try Smartwool Sox (expensive, but worth it). (I work for Timberland who are selling them, but they are really good.) For the moments when your hand knits are all in the wash.

Knitquitations said...

That is too funny. I hate pantyhose too, and avoid any situation where I have to put tham on. I used to have a set of long undies called thin skins. They are like heavy stockings and all polypropylene which is the fabric of choice for winter runners. I would wear them horseback riding on the coldest winter days (less than -10C) and stay toasty warm, esp with my hand knit socks. [People who ride horseback in the winter know how to keep warm. Most barns are colder than outside temperatures.] I wish I could find more but no one seems to carry them anymore. Now I swear by my winter silks. They're very thin and warm, and much more comfortable than panty hose. I also buy shoes with a big toe box so I can wiggle my toes. My feet stay warmer that way.

I hope you have a good time in Germany. Christas is much better when you spend it with freinds.

Pam

Anonymous said...

That sounds hilarious Colin. My husband goes sailing and in winter under his dry suit he wears this inner suit, made from a thin fleecy fabric, he has to wear thermal longjohns and vest, but to have to sit in a boat on a freezing cold lake to do safety boat duty you need to be warm. I think these inner suits are called teddy suits LOL

BTW have a great trip, don't buy up all the sock yarn, leave some for the rest of us.

Yarnhog said...

I laughed out loud at the underwear over the pantyhose imagery. Especially on a man. I haven't worn hose in at least a decade. At 5'11" and 130 pounds, they don't make a size that fits me. They are always too big around and too short, which means they creep steadily down my legs until the crotch is somewhere around my knees and I have to hobble to the bathroom to try and pull them back up. But they are very warm. Fortunately, I now live in Southern California, and no one wears panty hose!

Unknown said...

Knitting socks a sad and lonley pastime? Never! I am fortunate enough to be a member of The Minions of the Pointy Sticks. (Our group is on Ravelrey. Feel free to check us out.) Most of us from time to time knit socks. Jasmin Canty is our cult...um...er...group leader. She is a sock goddess! This Tiny Persian Dictator can crank a pair out in about 3 days. And, I'm not talking about Woolease here either. Fingering all the way. Sad and lonley is the last thing I think about when I think of her.

As for the pantyhose, I can only imagine what it felt like on delicate nekkid bits. Ouch!