...And So It Goes

It seems we never grow out of that need to make things for our Moms.

Egg carton flower garden by Rosebud for Mom

Yarn Over Cable Socks by Liz for Mom

Pattern: Yarn Over Cable Rib Socks, Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn: Koigu KPM
This yarn, while a KPM soild, actually had some lovely, very subtle variations that you find only in hand-dyed yarns. It added a beautiful depth to an already beautiful light blue color.
Notes: Friends and readers already know the ugly story behind these socks, knitted with love, but with great dispatch, for the best Mom in the world. I used US2s for the sake of speed, but definitely prefer Koigu on a smaller needle. These socks were knitted toe-up, with short-row heels and toes, and cast off using EZ's sewn cast-off, definitely my favorite stretchy cast-off. Many compromises were made in the making of these socks in order to meet the deadline, but still, I am pleased with the final product.

I know you want to know Mom's reaction. She wasn't surprised, since I had recently measured her foot, and we had a brief discussion about what colors she liked and wore. I knew a solid would be the way to go -- my Mom's a conservative kind of gal. She immediately commented on the color, and praised the fit once she tried them on. They did seem to fit the length of her foot quite well, and her calves looked comfortable as well.

The best part was after she wore the socks for all of one minute, when she had the Hand-Knitted Sock Epiphany. We've all seen it, when a first-time wearer of hand-knitted socks realizes what they have been missing all their life. That machine made, mass produced socks are OK, and feel fine, handknitted ones are 100% better. She stopped in mid-sentence and said, "WOW! These are the softest socks I've ever worn! They feel like silk! They feel so wonderful, oh my god!" This happened for the rest of the visit, where she would stop to comment about how good they felt. Welcome another one to the fold, knitters. Mom is converted.

I almost had a heart attack when, as we were loading the kids into the car, she stood in the driveway in her handknitted socks. The driveway? The asphalt and black top, pollen covered, rough surface of the driveway? Get back in the house with those socks, Mom!

And then I remembered what Stephanie said about a gift of handknitted socks:

"It's this extraordinary ordinariness that makes socks special. That something as humdrum as socks could be elevated by love and then walked on...it speaks to a certain magnificence. The truth about socks is that they're humble and beautiful and noble, and in their lowness, they're the highest form of art."


Mom's happy feet handknitted sock dance!


P.S. A big thank you, Ann and Mo, co-bloggers and motherhood gurus and sanity savers. What a joy it is to mother with friends like you both. Happy Mothers Day to my Mom Tribe!