Jobo Designs

Every year I end up knitting at least a few pairs of ?Man Socks?? aka plain, bland colored, utilitarian, simple, large socks.  Each year it seems, they are for a different person, but nonetheless ? plain ribbed men?s socks. 

Ribbing is my arch enemy!  My nemesis, as it were.  I can knit complicated lace until the cows come home.  Fast.  But put me in front of a garment made up entirely of basic 1x1 or 2x2 ribbing, even seed stitch (that?s just alternating K and P? which is also Ribbing!) and I am paralyzed.  Knitting ribbing seems to take eons.  I know it?s likely all in my head, because I don?t have a problem switching between knit and purl for other things, but ribbing ? oh how I hate thee!  Even though you look beautiful and orderly and elegant in your straight lines.

Now don?t get me wrong? I know the recipient will love these socks, and they will get worn to pieces, and keep the lucky person?s feet nice and toasty ? but I find knitting plain men?s socks to be complete torture!  I love it when I find a man who will accept a sock with a little cable in it, or a bit of a ?design? to it because I know I?ll be able to finish the more ?complicated? sock in half the time of the plain ribbing ones.  I?ve knit lace socks with all-over lace in less time than knitting a small pair of plain ribbed ones.  Maybe I just get bored with ribbing?  where patterning keeps my brain active and I feel more engaged by the knitting?  who knows.

This pair is made from Belfast Mini Mills Merino/Nylon Blend Sock Yarn in a lovely bittersweet chocolate color.  I found the yarn to be a bit splitty in the beginning, but I got used to it eventually.  This is my improvised plain Man Sock? basically a toe up variety in 1x4 ribbing for everything except the sole, and of course a slipped stitch heel for some extra cushion.  I used up the majority of 2 skeins? one per sock.