I’ve been knitting socks for a while now.  I learned in 2008, right after I purchased the yarn shop.  I didn’t like it at first.  I thought it was fiddly, especially the picking up of stitches for the gusset and doing the gusset and it took a loooooong time to knit one.  Never mind two, which you need in order to wear them.

But then, I really started to like it.  I got used to the fiddly bits.  I learned to make both socks at the same time so I wouldn’t get Second Sock Syndrome: Finishing the first sock and then not wanting to do the second sock because it feels like you have already finished since you bound off for the first sock; plus you have to knit something that is exactly the same as the first one you knit and how boring is that?  I learned they are very portable so they are great to take in the car or to places like waiting rooms.  So now, I knit socks all the time. I usually have at least one pair always on the needles and pick it up in between other projects or, as mentioned before, when I need something portable.  And I’ve developed quite a collection of socks.  Here are some of them:

My favorite to look at are the watermelon socks, but my favorite to wear are the two pairs on the bottom.  The yarn is the softest and they are the most comfortable because they are the most basic (no lace or beads).

So, having all these wool socks and wearing them for all these years, this was bound to happen:

There, in the middle of the sock, is a HUGE gaping hole on the bottom of the heel.  Wore right through.  This is the first time in these 7 years that I’ve worn a hole in a sock.  What does one do with a hole in the heel of their sock?  Darn it!  There is a whole method to darning socks, and there is even a tool (a darning egg) to use to help you with it.  I’ve even used the method to repair the worn out heel of Paul’s felted slippers:

However.  It is tedious.  And I have a lot of socks.  And I knit a lot of socks.  And now I have several pairs that I’ve had for several years and this will not be the last sock that gets a hole in it.  And I have a lot of other knitting to do, so taking time to darn the holes in said socks is a pain.

And so, I subscribe to the Yarn Harlot‘s method of darning socks:

Hold them over the garbage can, proclaim loudly, “Darn it!” and release.

I’m sure there are some gasps out there.  How could I just throw them away?  What about the other one?  Those are handmade!! I look at it this way: I have so much sock yarn in my stash (SO. MUCH.) that I will never run out of yarn to knit socks with.  And I will keep knitting socks and there is only so much room in my dresser to hold said socks, and I’ve clearly loved a hole right into these socks, so IT’S OKAY. Really. It is.