Socks suck

Dear Sock Pal,
Hi! How are you? Things here in Texas are fine - some nice rain today, lower temperatures, very nice. We have had NO INTERNET (DSL) and NO PHONE SERVICE for about 36 hours - but hey, who needs to check their emails/blogs/etc constantly? Not me. No. And in that nice rain this morning, yeah, that messed up the dish, so no TV either.

So I settle in for a nice day of knitting, listening to the rain (and the whines of "I'm bored), maybe reading (books, not blogs!)....things quickly deteroriate.

First, some back story. I started on your socks the day we got home from vacation (July 17). I had taken all my sock books and patterns with me to chose a worthy candidate. This was a very difficult decision - I was using a multi-colored yarn, so this affected my pattern choice. I decided on the Unst pattern from Knitting on the Road. I cast on, started motoring along, and after I passed the cuff, decided that I didn't like the way the color lined up on the pattern. So I decided no, not the pattern for me.

So I decided on Broadripple - spent much time getting gauge (as I did for the first pattern), and then knitted away. Sadly, when I tried on the sock after a few rows, as I feared, it was much too big. And I didn't like the way the colors were lining up (again).

So, I reverted to the original pattern I was going to use. I had avoided this pattern for two reasons: 1) Cable cast on - don't know how to do this, but I decided to learn. 2) Toe up - never done a sock this way, but I can learn. Had to get gauge again (hmm, will I learn to a)write this down or b) remember it?). I cast on. The cable cast on - easy peasy. The dividing the stitches onto the different needles and trying to create the "tube" - cause for much cursing.....and ripping.

More pattern searching. Settled on the Straight Laced pattern from Knit Socks. Had to get gauge AGAIN. (hating myself now) Cast on - chugging along. Didn't like the way the colors lined up. Ripped it out.

Fast forward to today:

Found pattern from Nicola. Seemed easier than first chevron pattern. HAD TO GET GAUGE AGAIN. Cast on - oooppps, too big. Went down a needle size - looked better - oooooohhhhhhh look at the way the colors are lining up - pretty.....me likey. Start the "pattern" portion of our program. Didn't like the way the colors lined up. Ripped back to the cuff - decided to just st st the sock - the color would be the "pattern." Uh oh. In st st the cool color line up didn't work. Damn it. Hate the sock.

Rip all the way out. Going to go generic - 2x2 ribbing. That's it. No fanciness. Cast on (Screw Gauge). Stitches get twisted. Take it as a sign. Rip it out. Put it aside.

Lessons learned: 1) WRITE DOWN YOUR GAUGE FOR EACH SIZE OF NEEDLES TRIED
2)Next year I'm using solid colored yarn.

So, in conclusion, I'm just under a wee bit of stress/pressure/house arrest due to the sock and its impending deadline (really, Alison meant September 15, 2006, right?) Hmmm, you might have socks by then - if they haven't taken me off to the funny farm.