Fiber Detour

I can usually be found crocheting something whether it's lacy or warm but I've taken another path lately after my daughter's request to make woolly socks for grandchildren, Kate and Liam. There are a couple of good reasons to do this. One reason is that my daughter and son-in-law have opted to burn wood rather than oil and to keep their house at a lower temperature than most of us are used to. A cranky old furnace and the price of oil were catalysts in that decision but using only less expensive, local, renewable fuel is also part of their value system. So woolly socks it is!

There's another reason to knit these socks as opposed to crocheting them. I actually have basic instructions to knit any size or style of sock. That sort of information, including basic patterns, is sadly lacking in crochet literature. I'm capable of designing a child sized pair of socks but if I took the time to do it the children wouldn't get their socks this winter! It's a complaint I've had for a long time. I have seen basic patterns for knitted socks, mittens, hats and sweaters all my life but only rarely that kind of service to use as a taking off point in crochet. Some day maybe I'll do it myself but for now, here's a photo of Liam with one sock on. It was his idea to make the heels and toes green.