Tuesday, August 15, 2006

*Waving a white flag* I concede defeat

In keeping with the UFO August spirit I turned my attention to the River Rapid Socks.

If you remember their saga, they were knit. Completely finito. Then I realized the fabric was too dense. It felt like wearing iron. So to the frog pond they went. They were ripped out. The yarn was washed and dried to get the kinks out. And pretty hank of blue potential were twisted.

I got out a hank, and with the eager arms of Pork Chop I turned that hank into a pretty blue ball. I got out the pattern and actually looked at what needle size the pattern called for. In my defense I've always used my 0s for socks and it's always worked well, so I was knitting in good faith when I used my 0s for this pattern (and if memory serves, I knit a pair of River Rapid socks for my Sister-in-Law on my size 0s and they turned out fine). The pattern calls for US size 2, or 2.5 mm needles. As it turns out I have 2.25 mm dpns, and 2.75 dpns, but no 2.5 mm dpns. To be on the safe side I used the 2.75. I started Monday night after the children went to bed. Somewhere between Days of Our Lives and Passions an Tuesday afternoon I finished the leg of the first sock. I tried it on, and it was HUGE. Entirely too large for my leg. It slumped down like the slouchy socks I wore in eighth grade. Unacceptable.

So I frogged.

I recast on using the 2.25 mm dpns. I was lucky the kids were feeling lazy and I got a lot done while they watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. After the kids went to bed I knit and knit and knit (instead of the blocking I should be doing) and I finished the leg of the first sock. I tried it on, and it was still HUGE. Not as large as the earlier sock, but still to large for my leg.

So in one twenty four hour period I've knit the leg of this sock twice, and both times it's been unsuitable. I could have knit the entire sock by now.

I give up.

I quit.

Obviously I was not meant to have these socks.

I was not meant to use this yarn with this pattern.

The Knitting Gods are looking down on me with displeasure and I don't know why.

Maybe it's because I'm neglecting my unblocked knitting.

I've decided to use this yarn to knit a sock pattern I've had in the back of my mind for several months. Just a simple stitch that mimics bamboo. I think it would show off well with this muted blue variegated yarn. It's a very organic kind of texture that would go well with the nature beauty of the yarn. And hopefully this won't break any UFO August rules. After all I was knitting pair of socks with this yarn. Would it really break the rules to change the pattern? I'm still knitting socks. I'm still using the same yarn. It should be alright.

Just to be on the safe side, to appease the Knitting Gods, I'm going to block my two UFOs before I cast on for the socks.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your socks!! UGH! I hate it when things are too big..as I've recently found out! Hope your new pattern idea works out! Sounds cool! :) CASP2 ;)

Bitterknitter said...

You got me curious with this story, Mamma. I dug out the pattern, and at the suggested gauge, the leg circumference is 8.5 inches. That's big. The uber-wide socks I'm making for the DH are 9 inches and my foot swims in them. It's probably best to move on. Can't wait to see what you've got in mind!

-Lisa

ICJ said...

Aaargh! I hate when that happens!

I had the same problem but my sock (Tropicana) was too thight... I am redoing it with larger size dbpn (2.5US) right now...

May the Knitting Gods be by your side... ;)

Isabelle aka Tricotine

Anonymous said...

TOTALLY LEGAL! Knit on sister!