A Trip to the Frog Pond

Hamster-Flipping Perfectionist Tendencies after I've arsed something up...

You know I'm working on these really exciting 2x2 rib orange socks out of some yarn by Plucky.

At some point I knit the heel flap on Sock 1 but didn't do the decreases--just the 25 rows.  So that whole "eat up the stitches" that actually makes the heel cup never happened. Now, this wouldn't be a problem had I then come back to my knitting the next time and done the heel cup and proceeded down the foot.  In what can only be termed a fit of complete inattention, I skipped that step. I picked up the stitches for the gusset, did a ridiculous amount of decrease rounds, and merrily worked my way down the foot (2x2 rib on the top/stockinette sole) and toe.

My ability to be oblivious amazes even me.

I cast on the second sock right away, heaven forbid I only have ONE sock on the needles. I worked and I looked at the first sock and was so pleased that perhaps I'd manage to get a project done in the month of April, even if it wasn't anything that I'd originally planned.

The knitting goddess (Athena, I'm looking at you) was laughing.

Finally, the error was apparent to me.  But hey, I told myself, the first sock didn't fit that badly. It's a little roomy but this is really nice yarn and it could just be a gift pair for someone else. Since I really only wear my handknit socks round the house or in my winter boots in the very depth of winter, these could be given as really comfy bedsocks and it'd be fine, right?

Only...it wasn't. I knew it wasn't.  I knew I'd made a completely bizarre error.  I knew I'd made it twice because--since the socks need to match--I deliberately repeated it last night while watching the new BBC version of Hamlet. (And immediately put the DVD on my wish list--it's excellent!) I worked down the foot of Sock 2.  I would just get them done.  So what if the ankles were baggy. Just because the yarn had 10% cashmere and was some of the squishiest yarn ever.

 Knit knit knit knit.....

I dreamed about the socks in the wee hours of the morning--post Gypsy getting me up the first time (this starts about 5 a.m. these days) and when the alarm actually went off. When you're laying there dreaming about heel flaps, it's time to rip back.

I frogged.

Sock 1 is back to the heel flap and on a pair of metal needles, waiting for those heel cup decreases. Sock 2 is on the original wooden needles (I've gotten used to the 4" DPNs surprisingly fast) and has also been ripped back to the completed heel flap.

This time, I will make sure I do the decreases.

The good news?  The ball of yarn attached to Sock 2 is bigger than the one attached to Sock 1....so assuming it takes about the same amount of yarn (it should) to reknit Sock 1-- I shouldn't run out of wool on this one.  Might have to do a little bit of adding down by the toe of Sock 1.  But overall, I should be using most of the yardage without running out. 

Gypsy thinks I should be spending more time fishing her mice toys out from under the refrigerator.