My mom and I were chatting today while I was showing her how to use that fancy new kind of scarf yarn… it really is like cheating, you cast on 8 stitches by looping the edges of the yarn over your needle and just garter stitch for about an hour until it’s done.
http://www.universalyarn.com/pattern.php?pattern=584
I don’t know who this girl is, but you can see the way this scarf yarn works up…
My mom mentioned that she might make a new scarf for her friend Nancy (you might know her from the comments), since her dog ate her other scarf… then, just as a by the way, she told me that Nancy had asked her…. (dramatic music should be playing here…..)
TO FIX HER CASHMERE SOCKS BECAUSE NANCY WORE THEM OUT!!!
Joy!!! Nothing makes a sock knitter happier than this. Totally made my day.
Did you know that there are people who love my handknit socks, but never, ever wear them? And they even admit this to me. You know my friend Ann?
Her mom told me, right there on Skype, that she doesn’t wear her socks, she puts them out on her bureau as a reminder to pray for me. She can’t wear them because then they might wear out and then she wouldn’t have them anymore. I asked her, “How about I knit you another pair, and you can wear one and just keep the other?” … she said she wasn’t exactly sure she’d wear those either. I was tempted to ask her exactly how many pairs she would need to feel confident enough to be able to use those good wool socks to keep her toes warm in her cold Canadian winter….
But back to the subject of Nancy and her socks, I went right to my waiting-for-Christmas sock bin and picked out the very prettiest pair of cashmere socks I’ve made all year, and I’m sending them home with my mom for her. Because she really understands how to make a knitter happy.
Let’s see…. what else has made me happy today? George went to his little preschool today and came home absolutely filthy, which, in my opinion, means that he played hard outside and got to paint both on the same day, which is what preschool should be about…. My mom and I went to the furniture store and ordered a new sofa, to replace the one with holes so big that you can fit refreigerator letter magnets right through the upholstery…. we had my mom’s birthday cake, which was fun, especially for an eight year old who is such the perfect age for any celebration….
And Emily and I get to go to our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd class together tomorrow. My dad is taking Brian to a soccer tournament game, then zooming superfast to a violin audition, then back to the second soccer tournament game. My mom will be here to enjoy three of her grandsons. So maybe nothing will happen to equal the joy of Nancy WEARING OUT HER SOCKS, but it should be a good day nevertheless.
Keep on Spinning 
I wear your socks all the time. I put them on with my pajamas and remember your prayers for me, and I pray for you always.
I cannot imagine not wearing a pair of handmade socks! There’s nothing better during the fall/winter months! I wish I could knit just so I could make socks and booties. Those are gorgeous and I’m sure she’ll love them!
Oh, Elizabeth! I loved this post. I’m feeling a bit under the weather right now, but I saw this post pop up in my reader and I had to comment. I’m knitting my first pair of socks right now. Actually, I’m knitting the first half of the pair. 😉 Socks were one of the main reasons I taught myself how to knit. A year ago I made a deal with myself that by next Christmas I would have a hand-knit pair of socks to wear. I tried knitting socks a few months ago, but my little guy got into my bag and pulled out my needles. I ended up frogging the whole thing, so here I am trying again. I’m nervous and excited all at once. I’m using a lovely hand dyed yarn from Sunshine Yarns. I’m interested in your cashmere yarn though. Where do you get it? Do you have a certain method or tricks of the trade to share? I’m just doing it the top down way on dpns. I’m so glad to hear of your joyful day. You continue to be in our daily family prayers. God bless you.
Those socks are absolutely beautiful, like a warm fall sunset. So glad you are enjoying time with your family!
Oh, Elizabeth, another pair of those most wonderful socks! They are gorgeous. How can I ever thank you? Tell your mom not to worry about the scarf unless she wants to do one that is like the one in the picture. Then, by all means, give her free rein. Actually it was Jane’s dog Bailey who ate my scarf. The poor guy didn’t even know what he had done wrong. Silly me for just tossing the scarf in a handy spot for him to chew. I did, however, win at cards, so that more than made up for it. I will be reading this blog often because I am one of the main characters. 🙂 I wish you much joy,and, as always, prayers and love.
I understand how Ann feels, Elizabeth, because I’m also afraid of wearing out my favorite socks. However, unlike Ann, I don them as often as I can because they are the most comfy socks I’ve ever had, because they are beautiful, and because they remind me of you and your kindness (which prompts extra prayers for you… but you always are in my daily prayers whether or not I am wearing them). Even though I’m a barefoot gal when it’s warm and I really don’t like cold weather at all… in the winter, my husband & kids are frequently treated to my comparative reports on weather in the Indianapolis area and in San Diego… it’s finally gotten too chilly for sandals and I giddily told my family just the other day how excited I was to be able to wear my Elizabeth DeHority Originals again!
I feel the same way about stuff I have sewn…. it makes me so happy to see people using and loving something I made for them. Glad you got to share more of that light today. And the whole rest of the day sounded pretty great, too. Love to you and your whole family.
What a wonderful post, Elizabeth – so many good things – and I had to laugh at your response to Ann about how many socks would it take for her to wear a pair.
You always inspire me, Elizabeth. May there be many more days of the joy of worn out handmade socks! =)
I love the handmade socks you made and gave to me mostly because they remind me of you and the love we have for each other. Have a wonderful weekend enjoying your family!
I wear my socks! I especially make a point of wearing them on days I need to be reminded I am on your prayer list (court, funerals, etc). I should wear a pair today.
Thank you for this and all of your posts. I completely understand your joy and I also understand Ann’s reasoning. This post made me and my boyfriend (a widower) cry. Elizabeth, I’ve never met you but I love you and I thank you for your blog. You are such an inspiration and a blessing to me.
P.S. Would you share your sock pattern? I have done lots of crochet and a little knitting over the years and now I have fallen in love with socks – but I do not like any of the patterns I have found.
Oh Elizabeth this post brought me so much joy today. I love the happy tone of your post, heck, I just love seeing a post from you! I do not have a pair of you lovely socks, but I pray for you and your darling family anyway.
I am wearing mine right now. I love them and wear them often. They have not worn through yet. Praying for you!
Too funny Elizabeth–I’ll confess that I’ve only worn my socks once. It was shortly after Silas’ birth and I had a nasty case of mastitis, with a high fever. I was miserable and I wanted to wear your socks because they are comforting to me. I could hardly move, but asked Jonny to get them from my dresser and put them on my feet. Other than that, I just admire and pet them on a regular basis. And yes, of course they do remind me to pray for you. I will try to worry less about wearing them out, and actually wear them.
Also, package for Keats arrived today–he’s pleased with the new project potential.
Love,
Ginny
Beautiful you…
wearing your socks right now… and you can’t know how happy your art makes me. Everyone should walk in art.
I love you, sister..
Oh how wonderful that you and Emily are taking Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Training together! We have 45 catechists who have completed Level One in the past two years. We are starting Level Two training in July…so amazing. Think of you and your family often. You are always in my prayers.
What sweetness! I, too, would have trouble wearing hand-knit socks, but I can see now the error of my thinking. ;P
Ginny, you made me lol when you said you admire and pet Elizabeth’s socks.
I absolutely LOVE wearing my pink cashmere sparkle socks that you made. I even have a hand dyed bright pink shirt that I wear at the same time. I have trouble wearing regular wool socks or anything that is regular wool, but I can wear my pink cashmere sparkle socks all day and evening, too! They were worn earlier this week and are waiting to be laundered. 🙂