New Dawn

It's a new day, it's a new dawn -- it's a new life.

It's a new day, it's a new dawn -- it's a new life.

And I'm feeling good.*

Actually, I could be feeling better today, but I wanted to get this blog started so that it can go somewhere.  I haven't decided yet, if this will remain mostly a blog, or if I want to transform it into a sort of web page like my writing blogs, so bear with me while I continue to make transitions.  It's so hard to find a decent webhost these days if you aren't interested in paying.  I know, they're pretty cheap, but when you don't keep it up, it's just not worth the extra money every month.

SOCKS!!

Anyway, I guess my first post should be about socks in general -- I've been trying to get some definitive information for the first socks and where socks come from and here's what I've learned:

Sock, pronounced [sok] is usually defined as a short stocking usually reaching to the calf or just about the ankle.  It has it's origins before 900 B.C.E. and comes from the Latin soccus, meaning slipper.  Some of the earliest socks were found in Egypt, and were noted to be knitted toe-up.  This is important because it allowed easier rework of the toe and heel when they fell out of repair due to use.  These are usually the first parts of the sock to be worn through, and today, they are often reinforced to keep them in tact.  Knitting toe-up also allows the creator to fit the sock as it grows, which allowed for a more uniform and comfortable fit.

Earliest socks were made of animal skins and fur and used predominately by tying them on the feet with strings to protect the foot from cold.    Later, the Greeks used them on actors in comedies as they could be easily slipped on and off.  By 1,000 B.C.E. socks were used as a symbol of purity and status among the nobility, since only the richest could afford decorative stockings and socks.


With the invention of the knitting machine in the 1800's, socks could be produced at a much faster rate and by 1938, the invention of nylon made making blended socks with cotton, wool, and linen easier with ensured fit and stretch.  Today, we still used nylon and a blending method to ensure sock fit.  Creators can blend a variety of colors and designs to create socks in all shapes and sizes from ankle length to over the knee.  Team socks are even used to distinguish one team from another based on the color of the socks.

There are several different types of socks and styles, but we'll save that for another day and I'll leave you with a picture of one of the earliest recorded
socks!

*Feeling Good by Nina Simone