I’ve made three squares.
Which isn’t bad considering that they take about 2.5 hours each.
I would have made more, but Darlene sent Tonni one of these:
Isn’t it precious? You can get one for yourself here.
I ordered eight. They come with a pattern to make a tiny sock that I immediately started and have mailed to a sweet friend. Then I made three more.
The little ones are from the mini blocker pattern, the larger one is a pattern I wrote for…well…I’m getting to that.
While I was working on these itty bitty socks, I thought a lot about sock swaps. I thought about how sad it is that lots of knitters have never participated in a sock swap. I started thinking about why someone wouldn’t want to participate. Here’s what I came up with:
- long term commitment to the swap
- blogless (which only matters for some swaps)
- fear that the sock they make won’t fit
- fear that they will be paired with a size 15E foot
- might feel like they have to spend a lot of money (a common misconception)
- socks swaps are for girls (another common misconception)
- shipping is a killer
- the post office is a long long way away
- What if it gets lost in the mail?
- second sock syndrome
- can’t/don’t knit socks (or *gasp* knit at all)
I can’t do anything about the last one, but I think I’ve got a work-around for the others. My idea completely zany, will cost $.39 US and take about an hour from start to finish. Are you ready for my Big Idea? Yarn Miracle is happy to announce:
The Wee Tiny Sock Swap
Here’s how this is going to work:
- Anyone who wants to participate has until this Friday (March 9, 2007) to email me (emily@yarnmiracle.com) with your name, email address and mailing address. Please include the URL of your blog if you’ve got one.
- I will get the matches together next weekend and send them out on Sunday (March 11, 2007).
- Then, you’ll knit a single Wee Tiny Sock out of leftover sock yarn. Use whatever sock yarn or colorway you like!
- Next Friday (March 16, 2007) you will place your Wee Tiny Sock in an envelope with a card, note or piece of paper torn from a notebook with the details you can remember about the yarn, your email address and name.
- Address the envelope to your swap partner and place a First Class Stamp on it.
- Drop the envelope in the mailbox addressed to your swap partner.
- Upon receiving your own Wee Tiny Sock, contact your swap partner to say thank you and laugh and laugh about what a silly thing this is. Discuss how much fun you had participating!
Cake and Pie, right? Blogged and Blogless alike are invited to join in! Shoe size doesn’t matter. International sock makers are also encouraged to join the fun and games. Please indicate in your email if you are willing to make the journey to the post office and pay the extra buck to ship internationally.
The pattern is here. Feel free to take liberties with it, I put 20 stitches in the leg so to make sure there were lots of pattern choices in case you are feeling fancy. If you feel the need to make up your own tiny sock pattern or use the pattern from your mini-sock-blocker (which I am sure you have already ordered) go right ahead!
The Wee Tiny Sock Swap is a fun, fast, silly way to see a new yarn and “meet” new people! Sign up!
You know you want to.
YEA!!! Looks like I’m the first to comment AND the first to sign up!!! TOO cute of an idea!!! Talk about instant gratification on sock knitting!!! LOL!!!
YEA!!! Looks like I’m the first to comment AND the first to sign up!!! TOO cute of an idea!!! Talk about instant gratification on sock knitting!!! LOL!!!
YEA!!! Looks like I’m the first to comment AND the first to sign up!!! TOO cute of an idea!!! Talk about instant gratification on sock knitting!!! LOL!!!
YEA!!! Looks like I’m the first to comment AND the first to sign up!!! TOO cute of an idea!!! Talk about instant gratification on sock knitting!!! LOL!!!
YEA!!! Looks like I’m the first to comment AND the first to sign up!!! TOO cute of an idea!!! Talk about instant gratification on sock knitting!!! LOL!!!
YEA!!! Looks like I’m the first to comment AND the first to sign up!!! TOO cute of an idea!!! Talk about instant gratification on sock knitting!!! LOL!!!
YEA!!! Looks like I’m the first to comment AND the first to sign up!!! TOO cute of an idea!!! Talk about instant gratification on sock knitting!!! LOL!!!
YEA!!! Looks like I’m the first to comment AND the first to sign up!!! TOO cute of an idea!!! Talk about instant gratification on sock knitting!!! LOL!!!
YEA!!! Looks like I’m the first to comment AND the first to sign up!!! TOO cute of an idea!!! Talk about instant gratification on sock knitting!!! LOL!!!
yay! i wanna play! i’m off to email you pronto :o)
I’m totally with ya on this one Emily! Do you think you’ll need sock angels for those who sign up but don’t follow thru?! You never know!
You are too funny! Count me in!!
This sounds like too much fun to pass up. Count me in, too! (i’ll email shortly) Joy!
Haha! I love it! I’m going to go sign up right now. And it’s great that you’ve gotten some more squares done. Are you sewing together as you go?
What a fun swap, Emily. I’d play along but I’ve got March Madness competition starting on Saturday. I can’t let anything interfere with my goal of winning! hah!
What a terrific idea! Count me in!
Oh My, that sounds like fun. Yes, you pretty much nailed some of the reasons that make me hesitate about a sock swap. But I think I might be able to handle this one. Great idea!
Oh wow, each square takes 2.5 hours? But they’re lovely. Have you started to seam up as you knit? Maybe if you did that you will get more motivated? Your wee sock is a FUN idea but I’ll have to pass, I have a fear of knitting wee teeny things 🙂
you are as adorable as your wee tiny socks 🙂
I just signed up with an email, but I just want to add … “what a cute idea!”
With a (new) blog with a name like Tiny Tinks, I have to sign up. I think this is a great idea. I am a new knitter and am in no way ready to make full size socks for experienced “socksters”. Great idea
Oh, how fun, Emily! Sign me up–this will be the most fun kind of sock swap!
SAME HERE~~~
SOULD SO MUCH FUN!!!!
Charles