A Public Service Announcement for the Partners of Knitters

If your knitter should set about knitting you a pair of socks, and you know as soon as the socks are cast on that you do not like the colorway, do not–I repeat, DO NOT– wait until the first sock is finished and off the needles to admit that the colorway really isn’t your cup of tea. And certainly don’t say, “Well, I’ll wear the socks and they’ll probably grow on me.” In particular, do not do this if your knitter engaged in the extreme tedium of ribbed socks, just because your knitter knew the ribbing would please you after all the stockinette socks she or he has already made you. (I know you don’t know what stockinette means. Don’t worry. Let’s just move on.) Much knitting time has already gone into your tiresome ribbed socks at this point, and completing the pair, which you will maybe wear as a favor to your knitter, just isn’t worth it. Your knitter could have been knitting socks for her- or himself in that time, you see.

So, for the love of yarn, SPEAK UP if you don’t like the colorway, or the yarn, or the pattern. At the very least, speak up while the foot is still being worked, so your knitter can finish the socks to their own size, rather than waste another second knitting it to fit your beloved feet. And if you fail to speak up before that first sock is finished, don’t look askance if you should find your knitter sitting in a corner and cursing you as the toe graft is undone and the sock ripped back to a length that will fit your knitter’s own foot. Just bring them a cup of tea and then quietly back away. And if any stitches get dropped in the process, leave the room immediately.

62 Comments on “A Public Service Announcement for the Partners of Knitters

  1. Yipes!

    I get the colors pre-approved in the ball or skein before I ever cast on.
    Posted by: LaurieM

  2. HEY! If you’re talkin about those orange “Autumn Leaves” Socks that Rock….get em back. I must have them…

    If your talkin’ about any other color…get THOSE back too. I just love me some socks.

    Happy Belated Mo’s Day.
    Posted by: Juliette

  3. Yipes!

    I get the colors pre-approved in the ball or skein before I ever cast on.
    Posted by: LaurieM

  4. HEY! If you’re talkin about those orange “Autumn Leaves” Socks that Rock….get em back. I must have them…

    If your talkin’ about any other color…get THOSE back too. I just love me some socks.

    Happy Belated Mo’s Day.
    Posted by: Juliette

  5. Oh, my, goodness! If that were my SO I think I would have thrown something at him. No, really.
    Posted by: Ginger

  6. Do not antagonize knitters for they have double pointed sock-knitting needles that can maim on either end!
    Posted by: Kit

  7. requina’s right. My husband wears size 13 and I have yet to cast socks on for him. My brother’s first pair of handknit socks are waiting in the wings, I have to rip back to the heel because they’re too short (he wears an 11), but it’s ok because he approved the colorway.

    Just remember: a dead husband is a husband who can’t change diapers.
    Posted by: jen

  8. Oh, my, goodness! If that were my SO I think I would have thrown something at him. No, really.
    Posted by: Ginger

  9. Do not antagonize knitters for they have double pointed sock-knitting needles that can maim on either end!
    Posted by: Kit

  10. requina’s right. My husband wears size 13 and I have yet to cast socks on for him. My brother’s first pair of handknit socks are waiting in the wings, I have to rip back to the heel because they’re too short (he wears an 11), but it’s ok because he approved the colorway.

    Just remember: a dead husband is a husband who can’t change diapers.
    Posted by: jen

  11. Somebody is SO getting dinner for you for the next YEAR. And drawing you warm baths. And buying you fab bath products to go in said baths.

    Give me time. I’ll think up more ways in which he can atone. I mean, it’s one thing to be that clueless when someone’s knitter is NOT pregnant and full of hormones and frustrated as hell, but…

    Dude. Bad move.
    Posted by: Lee Ann

  12. Well you know what you can do with the needles don’t you. Billy, yoohoo, oh Billy, where are you??
    Posted by: Alison

  13. …if he starts eating your chocolate stash, you may have to take drastic measures….
    Posted by: Julia

  14. Might we add, consider the …… “condition” of the knitter as well? Because you wouldn’t want to rile up someone in that state of, you know, impending motherhood.
    Posted by: Cassie

  15. Somebody is SO getting dinner for you for the next YEAR. And drawing you warm baths. And buying you fab bath products to go in said baths.

    Give me time. I’ll think up more ways in which he can atone. I mean, it’s one thing to be that clueless when someone’s knitter is NOT pregnant and full of hormones and frustrated as hell, but…

    Dude. Bad move.
    Posted by: Lee Ann

  16. Well you know what you can do with the needles don’t you. Billy, yoohoo, oh Billy, where are you??
    Posted by: Alison

  17. …if he starts eating your chocolate stash, you may have to take drastic measures….
    Posted by: Julia

  18. Might we add, consider the …… “condition” of the knitter as well? Because you wouldn’t want to rile up someone in that state of, you know, impending motherhood.
    Posted by: Cassie

  19. I’ve never felt so lucky to have the same size feet as the person I am knitting socks for. He says he loves them. I hope it’s true.
    Posted by: renee

  20. Ai yi yi.

    My DH has small feet for a man, so while they’re bigger than mine, I can still wear his socks. Phew. He does seem to like the 2 pairs I’ve made him so far though.

    Billy definitely needs to make this up to you.
    Posted by: Deepa

  21. It’s okay — so far she has made me two ribbed socks and I love them — except the first one isn’t the shape of my foot, so she says she is going to do a third with the extra yarn. Darn nice of her!
    Posted by: janinsanfran

  22. I’ve never felt so lucky to have the same size feet as the person I am knitting socks for. He says he loves them. I hope it’s true.
    Posted by: renee

  23. Ai yi yi.

    My DH has small feet for a man, so while they’re bigger than mine, I can still wear his socks. Phew. He does seem to like the 2 pairs I’ve made him so far though.

    Billy definitely needs to make this up to you.
    Posted by: Deepa

  24. It’s okay — so far she has made me two ribbed socks and I love them — except the first one isn’t the shape of my foot, so she says she is going to do a third with the extra yarn. Darn nice of her!
    Posted by: janinsanfran

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