The Sock Report Review

If you're cold sheeping or on a sock yarn diet, stay away from this one.  On the other hand, if you're cold sheeping or on a sock yarn diet, this could really help you.

The Sock Report is a magazine devoted solely (pun intended) to sock yarn.  If ever there was a knitting magazine designed specifically for me, this is it.  The first issue contains 16 patterns: 6 sock patterns, 6 shawl patterns, 1 pair of  fingerless mitts, 1 scarf, 1 sweater, and an adorable set of stuffies called Pocket Pals (of course, the owl is my favorite).  There are quite a number of patterns that are by very familiar names.  The Pocket Pals are by Chris de Longpré.  There are patterns by Kirsten Kapur, Hunter Hammersen, Kristi Geraci, Star Athena, and editor-in-chief Janel Laidman.  All of the photography is fantastic.  It reminds me very much of Twist Collective.  In fact, that's a really good way to think about this magazine: the Twist Collective for sock yarn.

In addition to the patterns, the magazine contains sock pattern book reviews, a page called "Stuff We Love" with links to the sellers (some of which is yarn—I'm warning you to stay away from that page if you don't want to accumulate more stash), technique tutorials, and short stories.  Yes, you read that right.  This was the only part of the magazine that was "iffy" to me.  But it doesn't detract from the magazine.  

Janel Laidman writes, in her first letter from the editor, "Here at the sock report we are not ashamed to admit our love affair with sock yarn.  We love squishy sock yarn, sturdy sock yarn, cashmere sock yarn and exotic fibers.   There isn’t much about sock yarn that we don’t love.  In fact, we have been known to actually purchase sock yarn without a project in mind!  And then add it to a special cupboard known as “stash” and then dream and pet it until it begs to be converted into something glorious."  Which is where the part about cold sheeping comes in.  If you're cold sheeping, and you have a not-so-small amount of sock yarn stash, this magazine could really help you.  After all, these patterns are designed to convert that stash into something glorious.  However, in order to show off all these lovely patterns, the samples are knit out of some pretty delectable yarns.  And there is a "Yarns We Used" page in the back of the magazine (avoid that).  Not to mention the advertisements for yarn.  Stay away from those.  Ask me how I know and I'll tell you it has something to do with the advertisement on the contents page for Cephalopod Yarns Bugga! in Hawaiian Bobtail Squid.  I almost hit the Pay Now button, but in a final moment of reason, I exited out of the browser instead.  Aren't you proud of me?

All this talk of cold sheeping reminds me that I haven't told you.  Yep, I'm back on the sheep.  I'm allowing myself $50.00 at the Michigan Fiber Festival, and other than that, no yarn purchases through the year.  Wish me luck!