Giant sock in Chagrin Falls is no yarn: 10 Minutes With …

By John Campanelli, The Plain Dealer

March 22, 2010, 6:56AM

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerShannon Vance, 32, is the owner of Stash Style, a coffee bar, vintage boutique and yarn shop in downtown Chagrin Falls.

Shannon Vance, 32, is the owner of Stash Style, a charming coffee bar, vintage boutique and yarn shop in the heart of downtown Chagrin Falls. Her store is home — for a few more days, at least — to a project that has knitting circles’ needles a-clicking: the world’s largest sock. When finished, it will be more than 16 feet long, with a diameter of 10½ feet. The sock is making its way around the world and will eventually end up where it started, in Europe, where the toe portion will be completed. Between stitches, Vance recently answered a few questions from PDQ’s John Campanelli.

How much does the sock weigh?

Oh my goodness. It’s a good 30 pounds.

How big is it right now?

The diameter is 10½ feet, and the height, as of right now, is just about 6 feet tall. It takes up a whole table.

What color is it?

It’s completely multicolored.

Knitters can miss stitches; are there any flaws in the sock?

It looks good. You can miss stitches, but with a project this big, you wouldn’t be able to ever tell. It would be impossible.

What size foot would this sock fit?

Oh my goodness. It’s 10 feet around. This would probably be up in the size 60s, 70s, 80s, I’m not sure.

Is there elastic in there or will it need a garter?

A garter would be perfect with this.

What’s been the reaction from local knitters?

The customers who come in get really excited. Anything that’s a big knitting project like this, in the knitting world, it’s super-cool to be a part of. They all jump on and want to knit on it and sign the book.

Where did it come from before your shop, and where is it going next?

Right before us, it came from a yarn shop in Wooster, and it was in Kent. From here, I think it’s going to Indiana.

Can more than one person knit on it at the same time?

Eight people can work on it at once. And anyone can come in the store and knit on it.

Who is going to wear this sock? Godzilla? King Kong?

The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man would fit into this sock.

Why not make a pair?

Oh, I know! We’re going to have to start another one when this one is done. Totally. Because he’ll have one cold foot and one really warm foot.

Is it going to be a full-length sock or a footie with one of those puffy balls on the back?

Not a footie. It’s probably a knee-high sock.

What are the care instructions?

I would probably hand-wash it, but you’d need a small pond.

If this thing doubled as a sleeping bag, how many people would it hold?

It can fit comfortably, probably, six.

What are the unique challenges when you’re knitting a colossal sock?

We have a very quaint, small knitting store, so finding room for the sock is going to be our biggest challenge. We have a coffee bar within our store, so people tend to stay here awhile. Knitting brings folks together, guys, girls, children, adults . . .

Guys?! You mean guys have knit on this thing?

Oh yeah. In the binder [that travels with it], there are photos of men knitting on the largest sock, little children, too.

What do you chat about when you’re knitting on a 10-foot sock?

Oh my gosh. This is like an office visit at your shrink. You talk about everything — anything and everything.

What is it about a gigantic sock that causes knitters to open up?

It’s the camaraderie of us all working together on one piece. Eight people working together, that’s pretty good.

With all these people working together, how much will you add to the sock?

The last store that had it added about four inches, and that’s a lot because it is 101/2 feet around. I’d like to think we can do the same. A few inches is a big feat.

What’s the postage to mail it?

Right now, it’s $27.

Do your kids insist on leaving the sock on the floor?

That’s funny. I have two little boys, and they definitely would. And what if it got lost by the sock monster in the dryer?

Want to add a few stitches to the world largest sock? Stash Style is at 46 N. Main St., Chagrin Falls. Call 440-247-2550 or visit stashstyle.com.