Merry Good Luck Job Socks

Anyone else find the wool socks on sheepskin rug styling ironic? No? Just me? Ok..

At last! Here it is, the long awaited 'Where is all this knitting she talks about anyway?' post!  Yes, I think I've mentioned that since around the end of November I've been teaching myself to knit. This started as a cheap way to give Christmas gifts as I was unemployed, but I quickly learnt that I really, really enjoyed it. And that it's not actually that cheap, so it's actually a bloody good thing that I did enjoy it!

I found that the best tip I can give anyone that is looking to start to learn how to knit but is perhaps a bit intimidated is, get a damn good book that explains everything in language that you understand, with beginners projects that are inspiring and progressively more challenging so as to keep you interested.  The book I found that really worked for me was Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook. I'd heard of the Stitch 'N Bitch movement from when I had spent time in New York, which was what appealed to me initially, but the book is actually really well written (and most importantly written for my age group so you don't feel like you're getting old before your time!) and has everything you could possibly want to know about knitting! It has step by step diagrams and instructions for all stitches you would ever need to learn, as well as projects to try out.

From using that book as a foundation, I quickly got the knitting bug for more challenges, and found The Purl Bee and Ravelry.  These are two great knitting sites (Ravelry being more of a community: think MySpace for knitters) that have inspired me and taught me lots about knitting!  There are also a lot of great knitting bloggers out there who stitch up some gorgeous work that get my fingers itching too!

But all you really need is that great foundation and the knitting world is literally your oyster..

These are the socks chillin...

So anyway, back to my finished knit! I found these socks on The Purl Bee, and thought they would be the perfect gift for my dad, not only for being my amazing father but also for being my most regular blog reader!

He, like me, has been suffering with unemployment-itis recently (damn credit crunch *shakes fist*), so I thought they would be a great gift to cheer him up. Especially since I now have managed to find a job and am no longer to be his day-time companion. I thought they could be his Good Luck Job Socks. Kind of like the job interview version of pulling pants. No? Another thing that's just me? Ok...

I found the pattern to be the perfect pattern for me to follow for my first socks, as The Purl Bee doesn't use any confusing abbreviations (at least not without explaining them first!) and includes plenty of pictures so you can check your progress.

And these are the socks having a rest...

So for all those who are looking to give it a go, here are the vital stats for you:

Knitty Gritty:

Pattern - The Purl Bee's Socks for Giving

Yarn - I used Jaeger Matchmaker Merino 4 Ply which I've found to be a lovely yarn for socks

Needles - Four 3.75mm double pointed needles

But what the socks love doing the best is to be worn!

And of course, one of the best things about knitting is seeing the finished knit be worn by the recipient. I have my fingers crossed that they do what they were knit for... Good Luck Job Socks!