1) When salespeople at sports stores try to upsell socks to me, my response is one they haven't heard.
I do not like advertising. It is one of the main reasons I do not watch TV and I even get annoyed at the short commercials on Hulu. Once I learned in high school all the tricks advertisers use to get people to buy things I just had it. I stopped watching. And the things they target towards children? Ugh. Much of it is truly awful. But that's what a free market economy is right? Telling children that only TV truly knows their favorite characters and stories. Encourage them to think of their own stories? Not advertising that's for sure.
Salespeople are just doing their job, but I still love to turn down upselling when I feel it is for something totally pointless, like socks.
What I say goes something like this, "No thank you, I make my own socks." So far the response has always been silence because that is something for which their salesperson brain was not prepared.
What I am really thinking is this, "No, I do not need your mass produced hem at the toe uncomfortable tubes that you call socks. I can make socks however I want them and in whatever fiber I need them, thankyouverymuch. I can't, however, make my own shoes, so I'd like to shop for those now and unless you have some piece of riveting advice for that activity I will be fine on my own until I need a different size."
2) THE PRETTY, IT IS MINE!!!
Sock yarn is so pretty. People who dye sock yarn are geniuses. Or genies.
3) Sock WIPs are better purse protectors than other options
Other options being a crowbar, a brick, or a mace. These are all way heavy and double pointed needles are a much lighter option. I'm knitting on two circulars now, but they are still pretty pointy.
I actually read a story on a Ravelry thread about how someone's sock knitting protected her purse on public transit in real life. She felt her bag jostle on a crowded bus and then heard someone say, "Oww!" because her socks needles had struck their mark.
Just remember, put the knitting on the top. You won't poke yourself though, because you know better right?
4) Turning a heel makes you feel smart, even though you know you just did what the directions told you to do
I don't value my knitting skills as much as I should. This has gotten better as I have stolen Barney Stinson's phrase from How I Met Your Mother and continually repeat, in earshot of others, "It's because I'm awesome!" Still, I have a tendency to undervalue my knitting.
Turning a heel though? Hell yes I did that. AND I AM THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD!
Something about turning a heel makes you feel smart. Definite awesome material right there.
5) Get your history geek on
I am a really big geek. I love science, nerdy things, band music, Harry Potter, and video games. I have seen the first season of the first ever Star Trek, so I am geek certified.
Knitting socks is a continuation of all things geeky in my life because I love the history of socks. People have been knitting socks for HUNDREDS of years. I am knitting virtually the same heel flap and gusset people knit hundreds of years ago. HOW COOL IS THAT? That's why it's geeky people. Get some geek cred and knit a pair of socks. You know, 'cause it's awesome.
