The Ethics of Ripping Apart September 15, 2011

I walked yesterday and today.

I have been thinking about the socks I ripped apart yesterday.  I mean, really, I had about 2 inches to go.  Although there were many small mistakes in the pattern, a zig where there should have been a zag, they were beautiful.  They looked like a birthday cake.  And who looks closely at socks?  However, they would not have fit.  I could possibly have given them to someone else.  But they were super short and fat, and who could wear that? 

So when do you accept a few errors and go on?  How many mistakes are too many?  It made me think of city projects, like the Big Dig in Boston.  When do you deem a project a failure?  O course, socks are not bridges, and people's lives aren't in danger if the socks are too small, or have ladders.  But I had spent considerable time and effort on these socks, and starting over means that there will be no socks ready for Hannah's birthday.  It sets me back a ton on my sock goals for the year. 

I am definitely not a perfectionist.  I was not happy with the ladders.  Really the zig errors were not a problem to me.  But fit?  I draw the line at way too small.  Too large?  Possibly ok... you could wear them as slippers.  A gift?  this makes all the decisions harder.  Why should someone accept a badly knitted pair of socks?  Well, I am learning.  That is important to remember.  And although, nothing I make is perfect, it is knitted with love, and the thought of the recipient in mind.  That being said, I will make these socks, and they will be beautiful AND fit.  Just not this month.

Where am I in my knitting today?  I have finished about 4 inches of the legs of the Glass Slippers  socks for Samantha.  They really look good.

The pattern calls for about 5 inches of leg, but Samantha loves knee socks, so she wants them to be about 9 inches long.  This makes me worry that I might run out of yarn.  I looked at buying some more, but this gorgeous Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn in Midway is about $25 per hank.  How expensive are these socks going to be???  I guess I will keep looking for the yarn for sale.

I did cast on (CO) the Mystery Sock for the Ravelry Sockdown 2011.  The pattern is Watercress Socks by Lise Brackbill.  In order to have them count for the Sockdown, I am knitting them in my chartreuse yarn.

I am making them for my youngest kid, Luke.  He wants a pair of socks to wear over his ballet slippers, to keep his feet and ankles warm before, after, and between classes.  He has long, narrow feet.  I will make the wide size though, to fit over his feet and the ballet shoes.

Here is a photo of my cast on:

These are knit toe-up.  I am a bit more familiar with this method.  I won't work on them too much until I finish the Glass Slippers.  But at least I have cast on in September, so they will count for the challenge. 

I promise, in October, I will make 1 pair of socks only!

C. A. Losi