The knittiverse includes people who knit sweaters, home décor, and accessories. Everyone, however, should knit a pair of socks at least once. Of course, many of us love to knit socks and always have a pair on the needles. And why not? Socks are portable projects that make wonderful travel knitting but also work well for dark rainy or snowy days spent inside with a mug of tea. During the winter months, sock knitting can be a break from a longer project or a mission that lasts until the weather changes.

Why not combine New Year’s Resolutions and sock knitting? During the month of January, consider the creation of socks as a way to try learn something new. If you usually knit top-down, why not make a pair from the toes up? If you always use a particular heel or toe, why not practice a different one? If you’ve never tried lace or stranded knitting, the first sock will help you to learn the technique while the second one will solidify the process.

If you’re looking for a mellow project with just a bit of challenge, consider making a pair of striped socks. You will be learning about color combinations and different stripe widths, but you will also be spending a lot of time simply knitting and purling. Why not use the Fibonacci sequence to determine the stripes? Or perhaps combine an intimidating hand-dyed yarn with a solid. Another idea is to make a pair entirely out of leftovers from other sock projects. If you end up with an ugly sock, you can always over-dye the finished pair!

Sock and charity knitting can be difficult to combine because of the need to knit to a particular size. Consider making a call to your local shelter to see if they can suggest a general size that you can then use, i.e., men’s large or children’s sizes. Another way to knit socks for charity is to make a tube sock without a specific heel, allowing a variety of people to comfortably wear the item.

Perhaps the best thing about Sockuary is the fact that your garment will be finished in time to wear, as at least a month of cold weather is still ahead. Of course, you can always use a cotton-wool blend to make a pair for the spring, choosing colors that will brighten up the present day. Whether you knit a season ahead or make items for the immediate future, a cozy pair of socks is always welcome!