Monday, November 13, 2006

How Turtle Got Her Groove Back

Yo My mojo was gone. It seemed every sock yarn I touched was cursed. First, it was the Anastasia Socks. I wasn't facing facts for that post. I cleverly arranged the socks such that they appeared the same. But in fact, one cuff was an inch longer than the other. An inch! Then, it was the Fixation socks. Again, I cleverly arranged the socks so that they looked the same. In fact, there was a gaping hole at the top of one gusset. Then, there was the Diamante. I wanted to do the pattern, and I wanted to use that yarn, problem was, they didn't work together. So, I frogged. So I started a simple feather and fan sock. I used the magic cast-on, size 0 (!) needles, 72 stitches, the Diamante heel - all was well. Then I started the cuff and promptly screwed the pooch on that. First, I was repeating it wrong and ending up with too many stitches. Then, after I fixed that and had done about 3 inches of cuff, I went to try it on. I couldn't get it on. It didn't help that I was knitting it so tightly that I was getting at least 11 stitches to the inch. I didn't want to admit that I'd screwed it up again. I thought the yarn was cursed. I put it down for a few days. I didn't want to have to frog it. I thought of making them for my mom instead, with the narrow foot. Surely she would be able to get it on. But I really wanted this yarn for myself. I put it in it's bag and let it sit. It mocked me from inside it's bag. "You'll never get me right! You'll keep frogging me until I fray and can't be knit any more!" My sock knitting was a joke. It felt like I couldn't knit a sock to fit my foot to save my life. Sure, I'd successfully knit a few pairs in the past for myself. But overall, I've failed more than I've succeeded. Or so it seemed. I needed to get my confidence back. First, I ripped back the cuff of the shorter Anastasia and knit it to the appropriate length. That felt good to get that done. So I did what any knitter would do. I started another sock. With yarn I love. Lorna's Laces. Sensational KS  Sock Progress - something rib The pattern is from the book Sensational Knitted Socks. Knit on 80 stitches on size 1s (9.5 stitches to the inch - tight knitter that I apparently am) these suckers are sure to fit me. It's a 24 row pattern, so I'm using my row counter bracelet. You're looking at 2 repeats right there. It felt good to get that done. Then, I patched up the hole in the fixation sock. And I felt even better. Then I was ready to face it. I picked up the bag with the cursed sock inside, and opened it. The needles were already off of it because I needed them for the Anastasia sock. All I had to do was pull. How far though? If I rip back to the beginning of the cuff, right after I finished the heel, and then start on 1s, it would probably fit, but I couldn't be sure. I didn't want to screw it up again. So I kept pulling. and frogged that heel. I frogged back to the last gusset round. And I added a few more stitches, and a few more rows. Then I started that heel over again. BBF Feather & Fan Progress And dammit, it felt good. This one is going to fit. And so will the Lorna's Laces one. My sock knitting career is looking up.

19 comments:

Tvini said...

Oooh, the Lorna's Laces one in particular is a lovely pattern. I'll have to check into that.

You're a good knitter - I'm glad you're rockin' your mojo again!

DPUTiger said...

Wow. I'm so impressed! As much as I drool over sock yarns, I just can't see me getting really into knitting socks. Love the green sock in the last picture. Awesome! :)

cpurl17 said...

Glad you got your mojo back--I bet it never left--just took a little vacation!

DomesticOverlord said...

If you end up with extra mojo, I could use some. I have a sock that really needs a toe.

Jo said...

Yay on the improving sock luck :) Want to finish the hemp pair I'm working on for my Dad's Christmas present? I like the rectangle glasses - they suit you.

Bezzie said...

Whip those socks into shape woman!!! I love the pattern on that Lorna's sock. Very purty!

Zonda said...

Yay!!! Glad your sock mojo is back! (it never left, it was just taunting you to see if you'd give it up!) Way to stick w/it!! :)

sheep#100 said...

Good stuff, Turtle!

Sourire11 said...

Glad you got your groove back! That lorna's sock is going to be beautiful... and so is the green and yellow one.... Yeah for socks that fit!

kemtee said...

They're both great. Honey, if you only knew how NOT ALONE you were in your previous sock misery…. Keep on going.

Where in SKS was that beeeyoutiful pattern you're using for the Lorna's? Never mind… I found it….

Knittypants said...

Yay!! to overcoming your sock issues! You are going to have some very well clad feet.

roxy =^o^= said...

Well damn girlie, you are a phenomenal knitter... don't let a few hiccups throw your groove. I mean, the apocalypse is upon us - I managed to turn a heel LOL

Love ya babe,


TTYS

~A

Mamma said...

Completely off topic, but my goodness is your skin beautiful. If I had flawless skin like that I'd be putting pictures of myself on my blog every single day, sometimes twice a day.

Rain said...

Yay! I always think of you as the ultimate sock knitter so it must have been torture to lose your mojo. Glad you've got it back. Both socks look fantastic.

Anonymous said...

Hey - wanna hear something creepy? I'm mid-sock in Lorna's from Sensational Knitted Socks myself. Creepier? I actually knit a pair from the same pattern you're using (I think - the Ribbed Lace, no?) a couple of months ago. From Lorna's.

Because the truth is that Lorna's will always be the cure for what ails you. :)

LOVE the purples and blues. Delicious. Hang in there - I would say for every sock I've knit there are about six that get frogged (usually after about four rows because of some stupid mistake).

If they weren't so darn addictive...

LadyLinoleum said...

Yay! Hey girl, happens to the best of us. I was just designing a bag for publication and believe me, I frogged the damn thing a bazillion times. Eventually, it worked out. Occupational hazard. So happy you're sock days are looking up!

I just bought that book, Sensational Knitted Socks. Looking forward to digging in.

Batty said...

Oh, wow! The groove has definitely returned, no doubt about it.

ZantiMissKnit said...

Off topic, but. . .

Are you, in reality, only 18 years old? Do you go to the spa every week? Or do you just have really super genes? Because your skin is absolutely gorgeous!

On topic: I plan on using that same pattern from SKS, but I haven't decide on the yarn yet.

veritas said...

::fans face with hands:: whoa. you are one sexy turtle. sorry, but it had to be said.

now i will feel all shy and girlish around you and your prettiness.
::blushes::
not to mention a pheeenomenal yarnographer.