Knitting Enthusiasts Gather At Sock Summit

It’s a shame socks are often considered the least important clothing item, especially when the comfort of the feet depends so much on them. Those who consider socks not just a necessity, but a passion, gather every summer at the Sock Summit, in Portland, OR.The summit began in 2009, and revolves around knitting. That first year, the participants broke the Guinness World Record for number of people knitting at the same time–937, to be exact. No word as to whether they’ll break their previous record.

 

The activities revolve around the finer points of knitting. One of the highlights from 2009 is the vast selection of 1-day classes offered. For a fee ranging from $15 to $140, based on the time, you can learn how:

• to knit bavarian stockings
• to knit arch-shaped stockings
• to knit argyle socks
• to knit crochet socks
• to make socks last longer
• to podcast about socks

The classes vary in difficulty, though the easiest assume some form of knitting experience.

The summit relies on the help of its participants and volunteers to provide the classes, as well as another impressive project at the summit: The Sock Museum. Volunteers knit replicas of socks as they would have been knitted throughout history–some are categorical socks, such as “Evening Stocking for the Young Lady,” from the early 20th century. Others are quite specific, such as the Confederate and Union socks, or the earliest example of knit socks, discovered in Egypt and dating back to 300-600 AD.

The exhibit occupies a place at the summit, though you can also view the varying knitting developments in socks in a timeline on the website. (http://www.sockmuseum.com/)

If you’re interested, sign up for the mailing list on the organization’s website. You may even be inspired to create your own exhibit.