Niqkita's Sock Journal

The O Marled are among very-very favorite socks, in the top five for sure!
But on chilly days, or nights, nothing beats snuggling into a cozy pair of our
Super Marled Dream Stockings (except maybe the Super Dreamy Stockings…)
So, why were we out of these for the past couple of years? The mill we work with was having trouble getting the yarn and we could get lots more over the knees out of the supply than we could these thigh highed Super version. This year we’re thrilled to be fully stocked on both lengths!

These come all the way to the tops of my thighs and stay up pretty well for around the house. They are super comfy for pulling on first thing in the morning or for a cozy layer under your pants. They are 90% cotton and a heavier knit than the Super & O Dreamy stockings. The Dreamies, being an acrylic blend, have that super soft feel, almost a fluffiness to them, the Marled are very soft also, but it is different…
more substantial.

For my size 8.5 feets I prefer the small size
…though they both fit me, the small is just right and the large is loose. So I found it funny that I ended up keeping the large black cherry pair we used in the images and EG was accidentally sent a small pair for her size 11 feet.

I assured her that my large pair is indeed larger than the one she received
and we are sending her a new pair so she can give you the full run down on how they fit larger feet later this week or next. If only we could have merely switched pairs this morning when I read her email!

My pair is about 42 inches long from heel to rolled cuff.

One final thought before I open the discussion up for the rest of your thoughts….
the ankles can get baggy when they start to ease slowly down your legs. I tried wearing them with a pair of ankle boots so they could hang over the tops like leg warmers or leggings and it looked super cute, the top image shows this minus the boots which I had just removed before taking the picture.
(because I’m silly like that sometimes!)

This has been my absolute favorite pair of socks since they arrived as a sample pair a couple of years ago. Knowing you’d all want them in thigh highs we started ordering them. And while I love those too, these have remained my one truly dreamiest sock, just over my knees, often hanging out just under them. They get softer and softer every time I pull them out of the dryer.
Now this great length is here for everyone to enjoy.
Many of the days since they arrived you can find at least a couple of pairs being worn around Sock Dreams so it seems they are well loved by many already.

I was super happy when the timing worked out perfectly for taking them up on my little sock getaway in Seattle with Raubynn last weekend…

We had lots of fun running around town taking pictures in our socks.

Surely some people thought us mad

I was mesmerized by the hibiscus, such pretty colors!

When I came home I found out the last couple of colors were in so I put them on

and climbed my favorite tree…

We also got this new color that we happily ordered in both lengths…

some said they looked like patina, some preferred antique. In honor of Amanda officially taking over the Dream Stocking section I gave her the final say…
antique it is, and gorgeous too!
~~~{:::=:::}~~~
I nearly forgot to add this one from before my trip…

These are indeed dreamy as a knee high on fuller legs!

It was a gorgeous day today…
dense fog in the morning, followed by a day of sunshine.
I was doing some work in the warehouse when I heard footsteps overhead.
I snuck up the ladder and peeked out over the roof…

and there I spied Liz
with two of our coworkers posing in socks.
You see, we have new Dream Stockings
and Liz, leader of the Dream Stocking section
is getting pictures of them for you…
what you don’t see is that Sixten is off to the side
in the new & improved M Squareds
and sock garters, because Lily, our resident sewing ninja
is sewing up oodles of sock garters so we may finally stay in stock
and we need pictures, lots and lots of pictures.
More on these latest items in the days ahead.

Sock Inspector Lola says: Get down from there at once!
…surely being so far from the ground is a safety hazard.

We packed up and headed to the coast when the holiday rush slowed down.
While there I gave my new pair of striped over the knee Toe Toe socks a try.
Tonight I’m wearing them again and loving them! When I first pull them up they are fairly thigh high, but they stay really well just above my knees.
Those aren’t what I wore for the stormy drive out though…

I wore my beloved charcoal M Squared knee highs, still a personal favorite even if they cause a little controversy. I didn’t take them off til around the middle of the second day there when I wanted to try on my toesocks and get pictures by the coast in them. Mr Natosi chose my newly acquired blackcurrant Diamond Ribbed knee highs. I love the color!!! I was coveting them for weeks before I decided I must have a pair, and wouldn’t you know it? he likes them too!

Other socks were enjoyed at the beach
and more new stuff will be showing up over the coming days including this beauty…

B.ella’s Kalana wool tights, made in Italy, totally warm & comfy!

shhhh … I mean it!!

Keep it down now …. cause once it gets out that THESE ARE SOOO fANTASTIC  everybody and their mother is going to buy multiple pairs and deplete the stock before I get more. Envision an old movie department store scene where people are grabbing anything, and mutiple tug’s of war breakout…  ”mine, mine, mine” “I had it first” “let go of my sock” “Unhand that thigh high you cad“  :O)

Simone brought our fall order in the other day…
I have been eagerly testing them out every day since!
I’ve photographed all but two styles (will add those next week) and am editing away tonight/tomorrow til I have them all ready to go. As soon as I do I’ll make them all live, should be by tomorrow afternoon. I already added in the four new argyles.
I went with small amounts of everything for this first order because they are fine Italian made socks and could put a dent in anyone’s sock budget, even mine. After trying nearly all of them I am most excited about the ribbed wool OTKs and will be ordering oodles to keep you all warm in the wee winter months ahead…

notice how the larger size on the left are indeed longer than the smaller size on their right …and the stretch amazed us! unfortunately it was far too warm to really give those a try, but I saw enough to know you are all going to love them!

btw, do any of you know the name and/or origin of the flower symbol on these?

Sometimes I want to eat dessert before dinner

(maybe I’m a freak, but sweet stuff makes me hungry for a main meal)

Sometimes I like white after labor day

(especially when it FEELS like summer well into November)

Sometimes I wear inappropriate shoes

(I once wore combat boots with a gown to a ball, yes an actual “ball”…

and even though “Muffy” stole my jacket that night, I had a blast)

Sometimes red and green are not just for the holidaze

(despite occasionally rude commentary from confused people when I wear my red/green mstripes year round. hey, remember that old Crazy Eddy commercial guy… “it’s Christmas in July”!!)

Sometimes I put on ankle length leggings or long socks even though it’s hot as an oven outside

(They are my legs and I’ll dress them as I please when I please, thank you… and hey, didn’t those old fashioned bathing beauties actually wear long wool socks or sometimes even tights with their cool bathing suits?)

Today it’s nearly 100 degrees outside and I’m sitting here in the lovely AC, wearing boxer shorts, sipping cinnamon tea, and wearing my brownie brown (that’s what I call them) Cronert Cotton Overknee socks. Am I breaking some sort of summer rule? Am I tempting the fashion police with my seasonal disregard? Who cares! I’m comfy, cozy and cool just the way I am.

The Cronert Cotton Overknee are an excellent light weight OTK in rich deep colors. In my dreams (my sock dreams that is), I have always wanted a pair of basic black OTK in a lighter thin knit, with no shine, soft flat matte or brushed texture, that of course would fit my feet and go well over my knees. I once had a pair (way back when) that was PERFECT and fit my specifications to a “T”. Then for years I could not find any.

When I first sought out our sock Goddess, this dream sock was what I was looking for. She led me to the E.G. Smith Solid Over the Knee Stockings, Though close enough to my dream to become a sock wardrobe staple for me, they still left a little to be desired in size and length. I’m happy to say that these Cronerts (though pricier than the EG Smiths) do come just a bit closer to my dream size wise, and texture wise these have a lovely almost brushed texture, but do have a little shine when pulled taught over a larger calf.

From previous experience with the Cronert spring striped anklets, I had anticipated these to be much friendlier to the larger footed. Though slightly more forgiving than the EG Smith’s, these still come out a bit snug on my toes when the heel is properly lined up (and surprisingly, the larges don’t seem to me to be significantly larger in the feet than the small, but they do seem slightly longer in length). And although they do make it over my knee, it is not by much, yet still a smidgeon more than the EG’s. If I had to choose between the two, I think I would choose the Cronerts for size and the Smiths for price. But luckily, here at SD I can have a pair (or three) of each :O)

The Cronert Cotton Overknees stay up mostly well, though they are prone to do that rolly thingy. If you have enough length you can try folding over a cuff on top as that seems to help them not roll, but if (like me) you don’t have enough over the knee length to do that, I recommend a garter to keep them perfectly where you want em.

All in all, I’d recommend these to anyone who’s listening… I’m pretty smitten with these.. and although I am truly enjoying them now in this nasty summer weather, I think I may just end up loving them even more in the cooler fall and winter weather.

It’s taken quite a while, but finally I have both taken photos and written a review of the Super Basics. And here it is:

When receiving the SuperBasics they soon became one of my favourites. They’re thin enough to wear during this sad excuse of a summer (it’s raining pretty much all the time), they’re mostly cotton and they’re really comfy. And str-ee-tch-y. My legs are plump, my thighs are 22″ at the widest, but that’s no problem for these. And they don’t get saggy or loose either; they’re just like the O basics, just longer. This makes them excellent socks not only for cool summer days, but for lounging around at home in; wearing just socks and a t-shirt or shirt (and underwear of course. If you like).

As you can see they reach mid-thigh on me. Before washing they were even a little longer, but then my legs are short. If you have longer but thinner legs they will probably reach your mid-thigh too, but if you’re tall and plump they will probably only be OTKS. At least after washing, I think they became 1-2″ shorter, but then I wash mine in hot water, knowing that socks may shrink, because the cotton fibre needs hot water to get throughly clean. Anyway, after washing it’s important not to tumble-drye but hang-dry them. Also stretch the socks both length-wise and at the tops and they will stay stretchy and nice for a long time.

So, why do I like them so much?
Firstly: I have a weekness for historic/vintage dress and thicker, long stockings is a part of this, a part I thought I wouldn’t have access too before I encountered SockDreams; now I can have as many as I like and in almost any colour I like :)
Secondly, they’re large enough for me, but still stay up well and lastly because they come in all these fabulous colours and cost so little.
Talk about Value for Money! I’m definitely going to get some more!

(To the tune of “Wouldn’t it be lovely” from the musical ‘My Fair Lady’.)

All I want is a sock to wear,
Feet that fit with some room to spare.
In lengths that go up to “there”,

Ohhhh, wouldn’t it be Lovelies?

Lots of colors would be a treat,
Lots of sizes for lots of feet.
Comfy even in summer’s heat,

Ohhhh, wouldn’t it be Lovelies!

(tee hee)

That beautiful girl is Kaytee (my Nephew’s girlfriend who I’ve now adopted as my second niece). She came over to visit me the night I was doing an O Lovelies sock review and I was lucky to have her pose for me.

The O Lovelies fit her gorgeous legs perfectly and went well over her knees, the feet however on Kaytee were pretty loose (as where my pink shoes… She wears a size 7). She is also wearing one SD sock garter, the O Lovelies do seem to stay up decently… but as always, if they absolutely, positively must stay in place, best to grab a sock garter to be sure!

THE FEET!! These feet make me sooo HAPPY! I think they fit my size 11’s brilliantly! Prior to washing they seemed to have a tiny bit more room and I loved them like that too (and now, I know these aren’t supposed to shrink, but I swear they seem to now fit my feet perfectly after thier first bath).

I know that my Sock wishes in the future will be that O Lovelies will come in Lots of fun colors. But mostly right now I wish for a few more inches in length on the larger footed ones. On my larger and longer legs, these just barely make it past my knees (and that’s pulling on them). The difference in knit on the top band actually starts mid knee.

I’m touch obsessed with the texture of these. My memory of the sample sock was that they had felt more cottony. But my pretty pair of blush pink feels soft with an almost spongelike fluff. I can’t stop touching them! I think it may just be that sponge quality that allows them to breathe so well and be hot weather friendly. They are light and cool and look-wise Ideal for that school girl look. Oh and have I mentioned how perfectly sweet they look scrunched down around the ankles? Well, they’re adorable like that too!

And don’t even get me started on how pretty the textured vertical rib like pattern is… almost like a lacy crochet and soft like a baby’s blanket.

These really are Dreamy.

…Or, the long & short of the new lace thigh highs, restocked & reviewed.

The picture on the package is gorgeous, it shows a matching top and panty which are not included nor do we plan to get them at this time. Pity, I know, but we don’t want to get into the fit & return issues they would incur and the stockings are just so pretty we had to try them! Straight out of the package they look rather large, but that is because of the lace, it is a stretchy lace sewn into a stocking and came nearly up to the tops of my little 30 inch legs. They fit nicely and stayed up fine, they were just too long for me to wear and still be able to show off their cute ribboned tops so onto the sewing machine they went. Yes, it is a good sturdy lace, won’t snag easily…

and can certainly handle a new seam along the toes.
I think it would be best to do this on a serger, but knowing most of you don’t have one I did a simple zig zag stitch (in pink & purple) and cut off the extra length…

Much better!

When pulled up they appear to fit even in the thinner areas like above my heels, but when I loosened them you can see how there can be a little slack at the knees

Pull them up and they are all better and are sooo pretty I cannot resist them…
As for the fit at the tops, not only can you tighten that ribbon to fit the skinniest of thighs, the stretch actually fit our larger thighs, without a bulge(!!!) and we feel 23 inches around should be no problem with these.