Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Knitting - Spiral Socks for Servicemen


From the servicemen's section of Smart Knitting, Volume 8, 1951.  Slightly cattywampus but still readable instructions on my Flickr account.

6 comments:

  1. why "spiral" ? do they mean knit in the round, or heel-less? I have seen patterns for spiral bed socks which seem to be tube socks, without a heel, like a gym sock. They sometimes have a spiral texture design, also, but the main feature seems to be the lack of a heel.

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  2. Yes, it's a heel-less tube sock, knit in a spiral so it conforms to your foot. Presumably a pattern aimed at those eager to knit but for whom the turning of a heel remains a mystery.

    Or for knitters like me, for whom the turning of a heel becomes an exercise in frustration and cursing and results in an end product with bulgy heels.

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  3. I was told by someone once that tube socks last longer because there's no fixed heel to wear out or outgrow. However, I remember with teenage boys that no socks, with or without heels, ever last more than 10 days before they are lost, shredded, or outgrown.
    I finally figured out short row heels, but it still takes me slowing down and fixating on those parts to avoid losing count and ending up with something wonky.

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  4. With teenage boys NOTHING lasts more than 10 days before it's lost, shredded or outgrown.

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  5. Shay - Have you looked for an old Beehive sock knitting book? They usually had decent how-to instructions for heels, and how to replace the 'magic' heel or, sometimes, how to replace the heels and toes without unravelling. Don't as me how; I hate knitting socks as I don't like making two of the same thing and really only like wearing plain black knee socks

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  6. My next pair of socks I'm going to use the instructions in the Elizabeth Zimmerman Knitting Without Tears. They look pretty straightforward.

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