Diehard sock knitters will tell you that there's nothing like pulling a pair of handknit socks onto your feet. As a knitter who loves to knit socks and wears handknit socks as much as possible, I can testify to that. Just think--a pair of socks made specifically for your feet. Not your general foot size, made to stretch if needed, but made to your exact measurements.

The array of sock yarns available today is dizzying. Sock yarns are made in just about any color you can imagine and in thousands of combinations and variations. If you want plain, one-color yarn, you got it. You want self-striping, to look more complex without being so? You got that, too. If you want sock yarn that mimics Fair Isle designs, guess what? It's there. The choices are practically endless.

Besides having your pick of color, there are tons of patterns made for socks. You no longer have to knit socks in simple stockinette--although there is a beauty in simplicity. You can knit lacy socks, cabled socks, ribbed socks, and any combination you desire.

People who still don't see the allure in hand-knitted socks may say, "But you can buy socks for so much cheaper." And most of the time, you can. Some sock yarns can get pricey--if you want to knit cashmere socks, there's plenty of cashmere yarn available. These wouldn't be inexpensive socks, but they'd feel divine on your feet. Sock knitters don't knit socks because they're trying to save money. Still, sock knitting can be seen as a bargain when compared to knitting a sweater. Many sock knitters see sock yarn as a very small investment. You may spend $50-$100 (or more) on yarn for a sweater, but you can buy enough yarn for a pair of socks for as little as $10-20.

Then there are the many fibers available. Besides wool, you can knit socks in cotton or wool/cotton blends. Or wool/silk blends. Many sock yarns contain polyamide or nylon to make the socks more durable, an important consideration when you think about the fact that this product is designed to be walked on.

Socks are a perfectly portable project. If you're a knitter who commutes to work or school on the bus or train, instead of dragging along a big sweater or afghan, you can bring your socks to work on. Socks-in-progress don't necessarily require their own bag, either--if your handbag is roomy enough, you can stow the socks in there.

Socks are good, too, for practicing new stitch patterns. Instead of tackling a new lace pattern on a large object like a shawl, you can test it out on a pair of socks. That way, if you make a mistake or you don't like it, you won't have invested as much time or yarn.

There are many variations to making socks so that you may find you have a preference for one. You can knit socks cuff down or toe up, you can use double-pointed needles (DPNs) or circular needles. There's no one right way to knit a sock, so everyone should be able to find a way they like and obtain the same result: a sock made specifically for someone's foot.

Here are some links to just a few of the many free patterns on the Internet:

Rockin' Strat Men's Socks

Monkey Socks

Periwinkle Socks

Aran Braid Socks

Need more? Check this site: Knitting Pattern Central-Socks

If you've never knit socks before, now is a great time to learn. It's not as complex as you might think and like many sock knitters who've come before you, you may well find yourself addicted to making them.