Socks in Summer?

Last summer I was sitting in my kitchen, knitting away when a friend of mine asked what I was making.  I said it was a sock.  She looked at me like I was crazy.  "Socks in summer?" she asked.  "Why would you knit socks in summer?  It' not like you're going to wear them."  I gave her some vague answer about simply wanting to make them at the time.  I didn't put much thought into it at the time, but it is a good question.  Why was I knitting socks in the summer?

Knitting socks in summer makes perfect sense if you look at it in a logical and practical way.  Socks are the perfect project for summer.  They're small and light, so you can work without having a good deal of fabric sprawled across your lap.  Their size makes them easy to transport, making them perfect for summer vacations and days at the park or beach.  Even just a day in the yard or on the deck is wonderful for sock knitting.  There's no worry of the project tumbling off your lap because it's simply too big and getting dirty.  Socks are excellent for those summer months when everyone is getting out and being active.

Though I go around barefoot or in sandals much of the year since I've come to Texas, making socks even when I don't need them is a logical choice.  While I may not wear socks in the summer, or most of the spring and fall, it would be impractical to wait until I needed something to make it.  Socks, mittens, scarves, hats, and other necessities of the winter months are best made ahead of time, then put away so there's no last minute scramble to make them when needed.  Planning and preparing for winter ahead of time ensures the easiest transition to those colder months where you really want to bust out those winter woolies!

Perhaps it's time we all started to connect with the patterns of the land.  Maybe we should all look to preparing for winter in the summer, well enough in advance to put plenty away for winter.  It's just one more way we can connect with the natural cycles of the land we live on and get back to the older ways.  If we can develop habits that allow us to live more naturally in the world around us, it will help find a way to be even more self-reliant.  There will no longer be a need to buy from stores last minute because instead, we'll be more prepared in the first place!