I started my knitting journey last May, a few months into quarantine, and fell into the niche of sock-knitting. After sharing my first few projects on Instagram, I began receiving requests from friends to knit them custom socks. I had just received a shipment of yarns in beautiful, warm autumn colors and decided it was the perfect palette for a fall sock collection. This was around the time when I began my nomad trip, so I packed a few balls of yarns with me and opened shop on the road.
My first two customers were in Boston and coincidentally, I had plans to visit Boston in November. I worked on the two socks through October and hand-delivered the final products to minimize shipping costs. As I posted pictures of my progress, I received three more orders from friends in California. I worked feverishly to finish the socks so my customers wouldn’t have to wait too long after placing an order with me. After closing out my travels in Boston, I flew back to San Francisco to hand-deliver the three pairs of socks
By this point, I was familiar enough with the sock pattern and didn’t need to reference it anymore. I was averaging 1-2 weeks per pair of socks, which was quick knitting for me. In early December, my mom placed an order for five pairs of socks, one for each family member as a gift. These socks kept me busy through the holidays and into the new year. Since then, the orders have continued to roll in. In total, I’ve knit 13 socks and am currently working on my 14th!
My knitting journey so far has been deeply satisfying. Since I began, I have not put down my knitting needles at all. I worried that I would run out of things to knit, but the continuous orders have kept me busy. This hobby is so integrated into who I am now, that on days when I don’t knit, I feel a bit empty. It is by no means a lucrative business because of the hours I spend on each sock (albeit multitasking), but it’s a hobby I truly enjoy. I get to share my passion with others, create value, and the compensation simply helps offset yarn costs. Thanks to all those who have been supporting my knitting journey!! And for reading this rambly appreciation post for how much I love knitting and how much it’s given back to me 🙂
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