Bloody Damn Socks - Bringing Knitters Together

I've been noticing something interesting about my sock war - which is really just a war with myself in my overblown expectation that I should be perfect at knitting socks after three pairs, but we'll get to that in another post and when there's more liquor on the table - is the community that has sprung up around me in support.

I have human feet (thankfully) that are great for me. They get me where I need to go, they are healthy and strong, relatively pain free, and grateful when I remember to put lotion on them. I even have this great space between my first and second toe that makes for excellent flip-flop wearing:




In my recent trials with knitting socks that fit me perfectly and using the proper tools to do so, many have given me ideas on what they do in knitting their socks.



second pair of socks I made - three years ago


Socks really aren't a big deal. Many non-knitters, wishing to save me money, time, and cut down on the torrent of swearing from my home, mention the commercially made socks as a viable alternative. And I do have plenty of those as I'm not ready in any stretch of the imagination to live off the grid here.



Damn Socks in progress


However, so many knitters have told me what works best for them. And very generously offer this information to me. (<-- I mean that sincerely - no snark.) Each person is so kind to let me know that while there may not be the kind of blue haze of cursing floating around them as it does around me, I'm not the only one to go through this kind of frustration.





And that while whatever I'm doing may not work, look at all the potential solutions that are available!





My background in education and work experience is global sociology. Where, when, why and how do people come together? What are the motivations for doing so? What are the outcomes?

It's interesting to see how this creation and participation of a community happens on every level of the human existence. And like in every community, there are polar opposites on each end and then a mixture and melding as one moves toward center.


And one of the many things all communities have in common, is the ability to bring the positive from within themselves to cheer on and support those who are struggling in that community. This type of action among community members creates such things as Doctors Without Borders, Heifer International, KIVA on to the level of the local church, synagogue, or community group helping to alleviate hunger in that community.




And this kind of community even tries to help a knitter drop one less f-bomb while trying to get knit herself a pair of socks that fit.