May 09, 2008
Proving the Muggles Wrong
All sock-knitters know how well-meaning but misguided non-knitters often say, “Why knit a pair of socks when you can go buy a pair for blahblah dollars at the local store?” Not, my well-meaning, misguided non-knitters, a pair of 100% cotton socks. I’ve tried, Lord knows I’ve tried to find a pair of 100% cotton socks in stores and have encountered everything but. I’ve found cotton with lycra, cotton with spandex, cotton with nylon, cotton with polyester, cotton with rubber, cotton with elastic, cotton with acrylic, cotton with “other” (?) and cotton with every imaginable two, three, or four-ingredient combination of the above—all of which make my feet sweat horrendously—but no 100% cotton socks. I even walked into a sports-shoe store and asked the clerk, to his face, just this way, so there would be no misunderstanding, “Do. You. Have. 100%. Cotton. Socks?” His face lit up and he said, “Why, yes, ma’am, indeed we do have 100% cotton socks!” and promptly handed me a bag containing socks made of 79% cotton, 20% stretch nylon, 1% spandex. It must be the New Math.*
So, Dear Readers, I am in the questionably enviable position of proving the well-meaning but misguided non-knitters wrong: I can’t go buy a pair for blahblah dollars at the local store. (I could order some over the Net but somehow that strikes me as ridiculous. What did people do before the Net?) Which’all means I want/need to knit myself a pair of 100% cotton socks. Any advice on a good cotton to use, and/or needle size? I know that cotton doesn’t have any of the elasticity of straight wool, sock yarn with nylon, or Cascade Fixation but I’ve made my peace with that. I have a few pairs of manufactured cotton socks that I bought many years ago—and which I am nursing along with quiet desperation to make them last as long as possible—and they sag inelegantly around my ankles but meh; they’re still the coolest thing to wear in the gym (in the temperature sense, not in the Big Man on Campus, I-have-a-cleft-chin-and-you’re-a-dork sense). I’ve also heard that the purl “bumps” on the inside can be uncomfortable on the soles of your feet, so I’m toying with doing them, the foot part, at least, in reverse stockinette. Any other ideas?
*TMK and I are also struggling in a similar arena with jeans. It has become impossible to buy women’s jeans, of whatever size, in whatever department, that don’t contain some kind of stretch fiber in them. What gives? (“Gives.” Har, har. Bad pun.) We’ve taken to just buying jeans in the men’s department where stretch fabrics have not yet invaded.
I looked at the two biggest dye companies (Pro Chemical and Dye, and Dharma Trading) thinking that they'd have cotton socks, but .. no luck. Pro has no socks, and Dharma's are 10% Lycra. I thought that was going to do it, but ... dang.
Ok, here's some unwanted advice, instead of what you really asked for, but ...
When I took up running a couple years ago one thing I learned quickly was that if you have sweaty feet -- which are worse when you're running -- that the last thing you want to wear is socks with cotton in them. Runners (and other athletic sweaty people) buy those fancy "wicking" socks instead. I wear the fancy wicking socks, and when I take them off they're never wet, like sometimes cotton socks are when I take THEM off.
You've probably already heard this, and probably already tried it, but if not then trying a pair of pretty-darned-expensive athletic socks might be enlightening.
I also learned, as I was starting this running program, that I should look for running shoes that have mesh sides to enable that wicked (oh, another pun!) sweat (get it? Wick-ed, vs. wicked?) to actually evaporate out of the shoe. That makes sense, because no matter which socks I wear with my cowboy boots when I pull my sock off at the end of the day they're wet and gross.
So ... sorry you're having trouble, and hope you come up with a solution!!
Posted by: MaryB in Richmond on May 9, 2008 10:02 AMRyan I am leaving today for a week with sock knitters. I will ask what cotton yarn would be best for you. Will get back to you after the 16th.
Pat
I assume you're looking for fingering weight cotton yarn. Because, hoo-boy, wouldn't socks knit out of kitchen cotton be sex-ay!
Maybe Dale of Norway Stork?
Posted by: Imbrium on May 9, 2008 11:34 AMI have no info for 100% cotton fingering weight yarn but I will tell you it'll help to make the leg part ribbed, 2X2, and knit into the back loop when knitting. good luck!
Posted by: marianne on May 9, 2008 11:41 AMBamboo is supposed to be good for sweaty feet, so you might consider that as well as cotton. The owner of a LYS told me about reversing the stitching on the soles of socks to make them more comfortable, but I have not tried it yet. Nor have I tried any of the cotton sock yarns that seem to be coming out left and right, so I will be interested in what your research turns up. Good luck!
Posted by: Abby on May 9, 2008 11:43 AMHowsabout knit the leg and instep in 2X2 rib or some other reversible thing, knit the sole regular stockinette, then turn the suckers inside out to wear? unless you like a whole buncha purling.
Otherwise I'd try the wicking socks.
And don't knock my lycra jeans - dammit, lycra's the only reason I get to breathe on the day after laundry day.
I'm with you on the jeans. And if I have one more sales associate chirp at me that people love the stretch denim, when I have yet to find one, I may poke her in the eye.
I do not choose to wear denim tights around town. Not a good look. No no.
Posted by: Laurie on May 9, 2008 12:56 PMI hate to say it, but I, too, am in the fancy wicking-material camp for cool socks, no pruney-ness and no blisters.
AND I love stretch in my jeans!!!
Posted by: Norma on May 9, 2008 01:50 PMI also have really sweaty feet and find that a little lycra is a good thing--keeps my cotton socks from falling down. A little wicking material in there is a good thing too, but I require at least 80% cotton. Like Norma and Mary B, I recommend trying some of the high-tech ones before you go the knitted route. Meanwhile, check out Amy Singer's No Sheep for You--she's got some sock patterns in there.
Posted by: Kristen on May 9, 2008 08:06 PMI do a lot of running (half marathon in 2 weeks!), and I use the wicking socks. I have 2 different kinds (I bought my newer ones from Title 9, and they are really good for sweaty gym days). My other wicking socks are double thick, so they are great for outdoor running and winter stuff.
The only yarn I can think of that might work for cottons socks without elastic or anything in them is Patons Grace.
Posted by: Seanna Lea on May 12, 2008 12:54 PMThe reason men don't have stretch material in their jeans is because our genes are inflexible and we like it that way.
Posted by: ken-bob on May 12, 2008 01:09 PMOK, I am putting a link in here, but I am not spamming you!
They are supposed to be 100% cotton, and they seem reasonably priced.
Hope you had a great Mother's Day with the fur kid!
Posted by: PICAdrienne on May 12, 2008 02:12 PMHi Ryan,
I highly recommend knitting the soles of cotton socks in reverse stockinette. I have "princess and the pea" feet and they're pretty darn comfortable. Also, knit cotton socks in as tight a gauge as you can. Smaller stitches = smoother and they'll keep their shape better. Sorry, I can't recommend a particular yarn. I've made two pairs of cotton socks but can't remember the names of the yarns.
Spam much? Yikes!! Ok, I know this isn't a 100% cotton idea, but Panda Cotton? It's the bamboo/cotton one... What about linen? Euroflax is supposed to wash up nice and it's light weight...
Posted by: Diana on May 13, 2008 10:53 AMActually, some men's skinny jeans have stretch in them. I have a couple pairs. I haven't noticed it in any style other than that, though, and something tells me you're not in danger of trying to rock the scenester emo boy look, so you're probably safe.
My mom and sister really like Wigwam socks (previously linked,) but I can understand not wanting to buy them online.