Sock Gone Bad

WARNING: The following images may be disturbing to some. Proceed at your own risk.

Ahhhh, sock knitting...it is addicting! After starting a pair of worsted weight socks for my brother, I decided to cast on a more "decorative" pair with smaller needles and self-striping yarn. I loved the ruffled edged sock pattern, so I chose the yarn and started. You knit the ruffled part of the cuff and then push it through the center of the needles so that you can knit the rest of the sock. You can see how pretty it was--and how nicely the yarn striped on the heel flap. I had done the heel flap, turned the heel and did the gusset decreases and was well on my way to the toe.

Here's a picture of the sock with the ruffled part unfolded. See how it is the wrong side now while the rest of the sock is right side out.

Well, there was just something about this sock that wasn't right. Nothing I could really put my finger on, but I just knew I would never knit the second one even if I finished the first. And my goal is to have no unfinished knitting projects. (Over 120 unfinished quilting projects cured me of that!) I spent several days looking and trying to decide what was holding me back. Even knit a few more rows thinking that if I got far enough (!) that I might change me mind. But, alas, this sock was not meant to be. After photographing it for your amusement, this is what happened. (Those of you with faint hearts may want to cover your eyes!)

Yes, I pulled out my 40 inch circular needle, removed the markers and gave the yarn a good tug--resulting in the mass of crimped yarn you see above. Then I proceeded to hand-roll the entire skein into a center-pull ball that has been cast on for a new sock like my first pair--good old K3 P1 ribbing and plain old stockinette stitch foot. But I have to say--I think it may be the yarn--I'm still not having that truly euphoric sock knitting experience even so. But fear not, I have multiple skeins of sock yarn--already rolled into center-pull balls--from which to choose should I pull the fickle route with this sock too. I only have 13 more rows on the cuff on my brother's second sock and then I can do the fun stuff--heel flap, heel turn, decreases--yes, yes, I can see you shaking your heads--she's sooooo weird to like that stuff. But remember I am the one who loves to hand piece the blocks with the most set-ins I can get--that's the fun stuff!

You may be wondering about my sanity--to be honest, sometimes I do too!--but you won't have to wonder again about the sock gone bad--it no longer exists. That all problems could be dispelled so easily! (And, no, I have not suffered remorse--so it was the right choice.)

OK--go stitch something--either quilting, knitting, embroidery--whatever makes your heart sing. And, for you inquiring minds--yes I have been hand-quilting--only the border to finish on a small wallhanging, and working on hand-pieced hexagon blocks for the fall. I'll be waiting for you, my pretties!