Dear most valued (but living far away) friend,
So you demurred when I offered to knit you a new mom shawl. I hope you didn’t think this would prevent me from knitting you other things.’Cause that’s total wishful thinking.
You see, I have a fiber problem. Fiber is inextricably plied with love in my heart. And when something special (like a new baby) happens in the life of someone I love, I just have to knit.
So, since a warm, wooly hug for your shoulders has been vetoed, I have opted, instead, for a warm wooly hug for your feet. And since there was a bit of yarn left over, I knitted a pair for the tot too.
Mom’s socks: Simple Skyp Socks by Adrienne Ku. Free pattern!
Tot socks: Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks by Ann Budd. Also a free pattern!
You can’t stop me. They’re already in the mail.
I hope you enjoy them!
Love,
Me
P.S. Since these are made of wool, they’re not going to get as stinky. And bonus, they tend to resist dirt. However, when they DO get dirty and require a washing, try not to toss these in the washer and dryer. I’m not gonna ask you to do anything really complicated, like buy separate wool wash, or even make time in your new-mom life for hand washing things in the sink (I already know that there’s no way this is happening). When they get dirty, just take them in the shower with you and rinse them out in warm water, then maybe cleanse them with a bit of the mild shampoo you’re already using in your hair. Hang them on your towel rack when you’re done. See? No big deal.
All She Wants To Do Is Knit 
The washing method you suggest is pure genius! How have I never considered that before?!?!
I love it!
I never thought of washing them in the shower with me. Brilliant!!
I never thought of taking socks in the shower with me. Genius!!!
It works. 🙂
It totally works. Plus, this way you always have clean hand knit socks, since it’s a wear-and-wash system.
Exactly! This isn’t a good idea for larger items, but for socks an other small, hardy items, why not? It’s better to do this than to avoid wearing them (or not washing ) 🙂
I have dozens of pairs of hand-knitted socks and I wash all but one pair of them in my washing machine (on the wool cycle) and they come out fine. (With my previous washing machine, I used the delicate cycle.) I don’t put them in the dryer; I dry them on a wooden drying rack. But the shower idea is a good one for a busy mom. If your friend breast-feeds her baby, she may regret passing on the offer of a shawl. 🙂
The shower idea is genius! Also, matching mama and baby socks? I may have swooned a little. Too cute.
I’m hoping for a photo modeling the socks.
I might die. From the cute, of course.
I don’t even use my hands washing mine in the shower, i just trample them with my feet. My 9 year old is good at it – he looks like he is on hot coals, but stomps all the dirt away! Such a true post!
Stomping so Los I. The shower. A good chore for a kid. Awesome.
like the idea of taking a shower with socks!!!
[…] couple of weeks ago I posted about a pair of matching mom-and-tot socks I had just knitted and sent to a good friend of mine in […]