October 28, 2009
Taking Matters Into My Own Hands
Ok. I’ve always said that I like rainy, cloudy days. I’ve always thought that I’d like to live in Seattle with their ratio of sun to cloud (and good coffee stands). I’m hereby declaring that I’m done with rain and clouds. Possibly forever. Our annual number of rainy days is 111. Seattle weighs in with 150. (And if you go to Quillayute, WA, you get 209 days.) I couldn’t find it anywhere, but I’m pretty sure we have already flown by 111 and it’s still October. I’m actually tired of rain and clouds. I never thought I’d see the day. So far this week: Sunday? Cloudy and rainy. Monday? Cloudy and rainy. Today? Cloudy, no rain yet. Tomorrow? Cloudy and rainy. Friday? Cloudy and rainy. Saturday? Partly sunny, but we’re driving to Ohio for a wedding. The forecast there for Saturday? Cloudy and rainy. It’s enough to drive a person batty.
This morning I woke up and thought that I really need a pair of yellow socks for a day like today. There might be no sunshine outside, but there ought to be sunshine in the knits. I found lots of options (and hey – look – they fashioned themselves into a sun!). Yellow is definitely a “Frank” color for me. I wear more “Marthas”. If St. Louis is going to pretend to be Seattle every year, then I will need to add more Franks to my sock stash. I do have a beautiful pair of red/orange Wollmeise socks that a friend knit for me. Those are my favorite Franks. But I still need to make Sunshine Socks for these cloudiest of days weeks months. And I think I need to carry them around in this sunshine-y bag. What is your most favorite BRIGHT pair of Frank socks? Or do you live in one of those near-constant sunshine areas and you need more calm/cool/Martha pairs?
Sheri goodthingitissobrightandcolorfulhereatLoopyCentral
Thatmakesthingscheerfulevenonthegrayestofdays
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Hariamrit said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:06 am
I am with you. I am over cloudy/rainy days. I am missing Arizona. Enough is enough. You are right. I need to knit bright yellow socks. Off to start. Stay dry.
Kristi ~ Ohio said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:08 am
My Frank socks are made in Loopy Blooms from Yarntini and WHF Penylln pattern (see Q1 challenge photos). I’m definitely a Martha. Sorry to hear about all the rain in STL. AND then all the rain when you get here to Ohio. I just checked my iPhone and there will be rain all over the state this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. How dismal. However, it will be a great time to work on gift knitting this weekend. Safe travels and stay dry. ~Kristi
Allison said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:19 am
I would say go and visit Web Guy here in Florida since we are having record heat and lots of sun!
Marianne Y said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:21 am
I bet we have more cloudy, rainy, snowy days here in Michigan than you do in St Louis, but I don’t have records to prove it. I have to laugh at my own reaction when I first saw the yellow knitting bag, after reading your description of your cloudy, rainy days: it makes me think of “Rubber Ducky”, and I thought it was a rain poncho, silly me! I was talking to one of my friends yesterday, telling her that we actually got to see a bright yellow ball in the sky, if only for a few minutes, but we have to cherish those few minutes because who knows when we will get to see it again. (She lives in Texas, so has very different weather from us.)
Linda said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:30 am
Hello~!!
We live just north of Seattle in what is called the “convergent zone”…it gets MORE rain where the clouds come together from south and north from the ocean around the Olympic Mts. and dump on this area. You learn to wear a coat with a hood on at all times.
Bright color socks…hot pink or my bright lime green Seahawk socks.!
Carol in Colorado said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:31 am
How do you feel about white-outs? We have gotten about 16″ of snow since last night here in the foothills of northern Colorado and I can’t even see across the road right now. I just finished a pair of CTH “Indian Summer” socks, and am about to cast on Bearfoot “Chocolate”, thinking of hot chocolate today. Guess that makes me more of a Martha?
Kate Lathrop said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:42 am
I made a pair of embossed leaves socks in EYE SEARING YELLOW from Koigu – holy cow you can see them from space! But I wear them in the AZ winter when it’s dark when I get up and dark when I leave work. They cheer me up and make me smile.
The next fav pair is my first pair I knit – in candy corn yellow and orange. It’s a self striping yarn I got somewhere up in Carefree AZ.
Will try and send you some sunshine from Phoenix Sheri!
Patricia said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:43 am
Hi Sheri,
I used to live in Kodiak Alaska where the average number of rain days is 192. By the time we left there (my DH was in the Coast Guard) I was more than ready for regular doses of sun. I really wish I knew how to knit when I lived there, it would have made my tour more pleasant. Multi colored socks knitted by a friend are my favorite pair so far.
Marji said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:49 am
I live in Rochester, NY where the sun doesn’t shine too often and I drive a little yellow, VW Beetle. I call it my ray of sunshine!
Hannah said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:56 am
Yellow is my favorite color. I need more socks in the yellow family, although that color is usually hard to find. Immediately I will check what you have at Loopy Ewe. So far my number one Frank socks are made out of numma numma cheese squeeze. That looks like the sun in shining on your feet! I too, do not like rain. We all know that rain is necessary, but oh my, what a difference that sunshine makes!
Paula said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:59 am
The difference between cloudy/rainy days in Seattle and where you live is that our cloudy/rainy days are gray and green. Your rainy days are gray and dead. The evergreen trees make our rainy days bearable. Plus, we don’t get the snow/cold that you guys get – last year being the notable exception!
I think I need to make some yellow socks now that I know how cheerful they can be!
Dana said,
October 28, 2009 @ 12:07 pm
I pretty much stick to the same colors all the time with my sock knitting: blues, greens, purples, etc.- anything ocean-colored! I’d say my biggest divergence is the pair of Loksins I’m making right now out of the Ginger Cinnabar (aka pumpkin orange) colorway of Colinette Jitterbug. They remind me of fall and all of my favorite comfort foods!
Jenn C. said,
October 28, 2009 @ 12:07 pm
I have a gorgeous pair of bright yellow and spring green socks that I nicknamed my daffodil socks. I think those are my favorite Frank socks.
But really, nearly all my socks are Franks, because that’s just what I am usually drawn to.
Jeannie said,
October 28, 2009 @ 12:24 pm
It’s been cloudy and rainy here too, but I’m glad for it. It makes the fall colors brighter when the day is cloudy. Great for the pictures I’m attempting to take for our holiday cards.
My favorite Frank socks are ones that I’ve knit recently out of highlighter yellow Cherry Tree Hill solidsock yarn. The socks are called Everything’s Connected and it was done for a yellow yarn challenge in a sock group. I’ve had this yarn in my stash for years and I’m so glad that the challenge got me to use it.
Knit Witch said,
October 28, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
Yep – it has been rainy here too. Today is beautiful though!! Finally!! A sunny day with perfect temps!!! I am inside dyeing but I have to step outside every now and again to enjoy the sunshine because I feel like I haven’t seen it in so long. I even stuck my feet in our pond and managed to spot a box turtle making his way towards our creek!!!
Paulette said,
October 28, 2009 @ 12:44 pm
We haven’t had rain up here in Wisconsin for 2 whole days and we actually saw the sun yesterday and a little today, that is after it burned off the fog. It really is getting tiresome, and more is predicted for Friday and this weekend. I’m liking that there is a lot of pumpkin orange and the leaves left on the trees to brighten up the outdoors. I did make a pair of yellow socks, I think a wore them already this week!
The one good thing about cold temps. in winter (I’m talking really cold) is that they usually come with sunny days. Do I really understand what I’m asking for.
Jennifer said,
October 28, 2009 @ 12:56 pm
thinking about my socks, I don’t think I have any sunny socks. I think I need to fix that.
Suzie said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:02 pm
I’m a Frank sock knitter for myself. I mostly knit Martha’s for everyone else though since most don’t have my wild color taste. I love lots and lots of color. So far it mostly is reflected in my room colors since I am not much of a clothes shopper. I have a magenta dining room, pale yellow kitchen, orange bedroom midnight blue powder room and baby blue with multicolored Mickeys of my scrapbooking/stash room. Love color, love it! Makes me happy! I’m wearing a yellow shirt today. No socks though. It’s warm enough for sandles.
Robin said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:06 pm
This is why yesterday I bought yarn named “Open Flame.” I needed something to combat the utter dreariness out the window.
Elizabeth D said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
My favorite colors, for socks and pretty much all clothing, are red, blue, green, purple, and gray. Right now I’m on the second sock of a pair from a self-patterning yarn that’s bright yellow with some lime green, a little bit of pale gray (which works surprisingly well) and a very occasional narrow stripe of blue and white. It’s from one of the commercial sock companies — will check the label when I go downstairs. Definitely appealing in response to an October that has to be setting records for the amount of rain we’ve had here in the Philadelphia area,
Angie said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:39 pm
Here in Indiana, I think we’ve been having the same weather as Missouri….yucky, drab, and wet. The farmers have been struggling to get the corn out of the fields.
I love yellow…my favorite color. It’s makes feel alive, warm and happy. I have a pair of socks knit in Jaeger Chamonix in a soft light yellow. They are the ultimate in comfort, softness and warmth.
Tamara said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:43 pm
I have lived in Illinois, Arizona and Colorado and would definitely take Southwest/West sun over the overcast weather that was a constant in Illinois. I use to think that I wanted to live in Seattle, it’s lifestyle just appealed to me but after living in Illinois and experiencing months of rain with no sun I changed my mind!
No matter what I prefer “Franks” over “Martha’s” anyday. I dyed a skein of yarn for a pair of socks that my sister refers to “Clown Socks” because of how bright and lively the colors are.
rasa said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:43 pm
We are heading into our “cloudy season” here – limited sun and I am knitting a pair of “Franks” that will help me get through it. I knitting a pair of Nutkin socks out of Wollmeise Red Hot Chilli! I know they will do the trick:)
Lynn said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:44 pm
I woke up this morning to a blizzard in Denver – we could get up to 24″ inches by tomorrow night…this is the third time it has snowed since September. UGH! I’m afraid it’s going to be a LONG winter because I’m already fed up with the snow!
My favorite pair of Frank socks are made out of super bright Noro sock yarn. They’re just a plain vanilla sock pattern but the rainbow of colors just makes me happy. Thank goodness for knitting – even if it is grey and gloomy outside, we have so many beautiful yarn choices to brighten our day!
Tracy said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:46 pm
I agree with someone else who noted that bright yellow is actually really hard to find in sock yarn! Someday I would like to score Limone, Clementine, Sonne, or Campari Orange in Wollmeise – or Wasabi.
I’m a Seattle area person and the cloudy skies and drippiness don’t bother me this time of year. Starting in late April and by the time we get to JUNE or the 4th of JULY and it is still cloudy and raining…??? Well, that is some serious SAD (seasonal affective disorder) time for me. Right now though it just means cozying up with a good latte, a movie, and my knitting. Nesting. There’s a reason Starbucks got it’s start here in overcast country
The thing to remember about Quillayute is that it’s on the Olympic Peninsula which is mostly occupied by the Olympic National RAIN FOREST park. Yup, we actually have a RAIN FOREST in the U.S.
Genny said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:47 pm
London seems to always be cold, wet and grey, so almost all of my handknit socks are Franks! I’ve got two pairs in orange, some lime green-and-purple, some red-and-purple – and the yarn to make lots more in equally eye-searing colours.
karen (morsecode on ravelry) said,
October 28, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
I love bright colors so most of my socks are Franks… in fact I’m wearing what I think are my only pair of handknit Marthas today (knit from Dream in Color Smooshy in Cloud Jungle)
Debra I said,
October 28, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
I don’t have very many pairs of socks knit up, and they’re all Marthas. You got me thinking, though, about finding The Perfect Orange for some Frank socks. Good idea. Think I’ll start looking.
We’re getting high winds from the north here in the SF Bay Area. It’s very clear outside, beautiful, but my head’s all stuffed up from the allergies. And it’s murder when you have Long Hair in this kind of wind — braids for me, baby!
It’s supposed to be an El Nino year, so it should be pretty here, but nothing like 111 inches!!!!
Here comes the sun! Cheers!
kit said,
October 28, 2009 @ 2:15 pm
I love the Mountain Colors bearfoot in the Sun River color, all the oranges, reds and magentas. It’s been cloudy and gloomy and occasionally snowy here in Montana. I’m ready for winter to be over and it hasn’t even started yet. If it’s going to be cold, at least let the sun shine.
Kat Jorgensen said,
October 28, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
We’ve had rain, rain, rain for almost a week now. But while I was in radiation this morning, the sun came out and all of the clouds disappeared. What a blessing! My dh and I both need the sun like we need food or water. It recharges our batteries. So we’re enjoying a gorgeous day here. Blue skies, moderate temperatures and SUN : )
As for Marthas or Franks, I’m definitely a Martha kind of girl. The wildest pair of socks I have are a pair of Monkey socks done out of Colinette Jitterbug in a teal and maroon colorway. And I do have one lime green Wollmeise sock that I can’t wear because it’s suffering 2nd sock syndrome.
Hope you get some blue skies and sunshine soon, Sheri.
Kathy said,
October 28, 2009 @ 2:59 pm
My favorite “Frank” color is yellow. I have two pairs of socks with yellow. One solid yellow and one with yellow and green stripes. I also have many more yellow or yellowish yarn in my stash that I have yet to make but will, I know I will, I know I will, I hope I will….
Ann Rose said,
October 28, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
I don’t have Frank *socks* just yet, but I do have two precious and favorite skeins of Wollmeise in “Red Hot Chili” which are being carefully hoarded until just the right project presents itself. I’m not usually one for bright oranges and yellows, but that one colorway is perfect!
LittleWit said,
October 28, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
I think the very overcast autumn here in Ohio has driven me to purchase lots of bright colored yarns recently. I can’t wait to knit them up into something super bright and cheerful to wear in our typically dreary and overcast winter.
I am probably most excited about my recent YarnChef and Madelinetosh acquisitions in bright cheery yellow. It’s so hard to find a good yellow 
Moondancer5 said,
October 28, 2009 @ 3:47 pm
I have to tell you, when your blog for today popped up on my iGoogle, I thought it said, “Taking Mittens Into My Own Hands!”
: )
I guess with this awful weather I have a project whacking my brain.
Carol said,
October 28, 2009 @ 3:52 pm
I agree with everyone’s comment on the rain… the only good thing about the rain is that it makes the colors of the trees “stand out” just a little more… I think that the trees this year have been some of the prettiest–must be all that rain! My favorite pair of Franks are my Opal Circus socks… yellow, red, black–way cool. I usually wear them around the house in the winter time, but every now and then they manage to jump on my feet and find their way to work with me–and someone always comments on them.
Nephele said,
October 28, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
My ‘Franks’ are all assorted neon bright colors. I may live in California but this time of year it’s dark when I leave for work and dark by the time I get home. It may be sunny but I have little direct evidence of that!
Lori said,
October 28, 2009 @ 4:28 pm
Glad I’m not the only one who has noticed the dismal weather here! I work in St Charles, MO, and live outside of Philadelphia (GO PHILS!), where it is only rainy when I’m home on the weekends. Enough already!
Barbara said,
October 28, 2009 @ 4:39 pm
I don’t like the rain at all and I don’t think it likes me either. My favorite pair of
bright socks are my hot pink monkey socks and I can’t remember the name
of the yarn. However, they brighten my day when I wear them, rain or not. Also
when it rains like this everyday, I wind up turning all the lights on. That helps too.
Margaret said,
October 28, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
We get about 2 rainy days per year. We live in the driest desert in North America, the Mojave. It’s mostly dirt and rocks out here. I’m at home in the desert but when it come to yarn and color cravings, I crave color and green.
Frank,, “Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars”
Robin said,
October 28, 2009 @ 5:24 pm
Just finished a pair of yellow socks yesterday out of Shibui Jonquil. I am a “Frank” sock knitter the crazier the better. My favorite pair of bright socks are my STR Hot Flash socks.
Kathleen said,
October 28, 2009 @ 5:34 pm
Sunshine for my feet!
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/tincantextiles/the-solstice-slip made with Shibui Lily
Jean said,
October 28, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
I know!! I ordered $50 worth of bulbs for spring, and I’ve been waiting for more than a month for them(I’m so glad you guys don’t make me wait like that for my yarn! *L*). They finally got here Monday and I can’t plant them, it’s so sloppy outside!
Of course once I get them planted I’ll be counting the days until spring blooming. Maybe I need some flowery yarn to tide me over…. 
Teri said,
October 28, 2009 @ 6:35 pm
As someone who grew up on the Oregon Coast and currently living outside Seattle, I feel very comfortable with rain. I can feel it coming in the air and detect the difference between a heavy mist and a light drizzle. The funny thing is that I am all Martha. Teal is a Frank color for me (how daring! Teal!)
Red is a great color for a long rain spell – red does the opposite of grey. It will keep you from feeling sluggish and moody. But yellow is happy and bright and a very under-used, underrated color.
April said,
October 28, 2009 @ 7:36 pm
I’m working on a pair of socks in a color called “Lemon Drop” – and it’s bright, bright yellow! It’s such a happy, lovely color for the dark winter we have in New England!
Linda said,
October 28, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
Having lived in the Northwest for many years, I have gotten used to the many shades of “grey”, and actually find them very soothing. Bright sunshine hurts my eyes!
But a bright pair of socks — that’s something I’m just going to have to get into. What a mood lifter if you’re in a funk. Now, to find the right yarn…
Thanks for the yarn-rays in shades of sunshine. Hmm… Seems that might be a good idea for pages of a calendar — different yarn colors for each season.
Oh, and enjoy the snow in Colorado, if you can. Even though I don’t mind rain, snow is definitely prettier!
Kim said,
October 28, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
I will be learning to knit socks in November and my first pair will definitely be some Franks–Yarn Love Schoolhouse. Since none of my friends knit, looks like Silver’s Sock class will be my teacher
Kathy Sue said,
October 28, 2009 @ 10:21 pm
Yes, please more cool colors. We have had one day of rain so far. Today was cool–68 degrees with a breeze, but the car still got hot sitting in the parking lot at the grocery store. I would probably be very happy where it rains a lot. I hate clear blue skies. I feel like I am going to float off the planet when there are no clouds.
Alexis said,
October 29, 2009 @ 12:49 am
HI Sheri! You can come visit us in Cali, it’s sunny all the time and not enough cloudy/rainy weather. I’m defenatly on the more rainy martha colors.
Amy said,
October 29, 2009 @ 8:33 am
Someone gave me some Claudia’s Hand Painted yarn in “Tropical” and I love those socks. They are Pink, Orange, Yellow and some Lime green… they are so bright!
I went with a bright orange t-shirt today
Annette said,
October 29, 2009 @ 9:14 am
I’m taking a sock knitting class in November to find out basically what I’m doing wrong on my heel. I have my first sock, sitting in a bag waiting to be finished. Yellow sounds like a color that would definately be on my list to order for my next pair.
Joyce said,
October 29, 2009 @ 9:50 am
I used to live in Chicago, and we had a spell one winter where it was cloudy for 3 solid weeks. Even the weatherman was keeping a tally of how many days without sun! It was definitely “Frank” time. I like bright pink for a good “Frank” color.
Suellen said,
October 29, 2009 @ 9:54 am
My first effort at dyeing was with lime kool aid – bright green! The yarn became my very favorite “frank” socks, and are always a possibility when the day is dark and gloomy!
Robin said,
October 29, 2009 @ 11:26 am
I like a mix of colors in my stash but my favorite sock colors for Franks are red and purple- I wear those colors together a lot!! My favorite Martha’s are warm cocoa colored and snuggly.
Seanna Lea said,
October 29, 2009 @ 3:44 pm
I have a pair of bright yellow green socks (almost neon) hand dyed from a local shop, and a second basic pair in the bright Caribbean colorway that I bought at TLE. When it is grey out, those are the two pairs of socks I reach for first.
Lou said,
October 29, 2009 @ 4:59 pm
I hear ya sister! It’s been the same here too. Though it was sunny yesterday, I had to spend it in teh hospital waiting room while my DH had a minor procedure. I’m more of a cool Martha color wearer, but I’m gravitaing to the warmer colors of fall right now, though I’m not working on any of those colors rght now.
Laurie said,
October 30, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
We just arrived home after a Caribbean cruise and guess what? It’s rainy and cloudy here in Seattle! Your mention of yellow is a good reminder to me to finish the bright yellow socks I started in September. Time to get those done and on my feet to brighten up the days.
Castiron said,
October 30, 2009 @ 4:42 pm
My sock yarn is about 3/4 Frank (described by one or more of the words multicolored, rainbow, neon, loud) and 1/4 Martha (solids and semisolids, mostly in blue).
I’m planning to start some socks in Cascade Heritage, color Citron, for my husband to wear to dancing. They’re Frank socks in loudness and Martha socks in non-busyness.
Sherry said,
October 31, 2009 @ 3:27 pm
I couldn’t resist answering this question because I see you just started carrying Madelinetosh Sock Yarn. My favorite cheer me up socks are http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkknitter/1033399781/ . They’re Monkey socks made from Madelinetosh in the color Nasturtium.
We’ve had lots of rain in Boston too. But, rain or shine & especially in the Fall, my Monkeys are my current fav!