What a Heel

I'm up early today. My 5 year old woke me at 5 am after having an accident. He then got in our bed. And then out. And then in again. And then out. And then in again bringing the cat with him. And then out to get pillows to build a barrier wall so the cat wouldn't drool on him. And then back in. And then out--more pillows. And then back in. And then out to get his own comforter. At which point I said screw it and got up. I'm wrapped in my Birch shawl (ends still not woven in) and am enjoying a cup of coffee.

But what I really want to tell you about is this.



Molly gave me this yarn for Christmas. It's Regia 6 fadig. In the skein it looked like mottled gray, burgundy and black. I started knitting Japanese Feather Socks knowing the variegation would obscure the lace a bit. Then it came out striped. Oh dear. I couldn't see the pattern at all. Besides I wanted a simple, mindless project. Can you see where this is going yet? Thus began a saga worthy of a chapter--or at least a page--in the bookbookbook. I knit the leg of the first sock. I started to feel the colors were a bit masculine and asked Wes if he liked it. He did so the socks became his. This is the first time I ever made socks for him. Okay, this is the first time I ever made anything besides the one super-easy hat I made him this winter. I measured his foot. It's .75" longer than mine and the same circumference. Man, I've got big feet.

Back to the sock knitting. I knit the heel flap. In a tizzy of mindlessness and knitting enthusiasm I picked up the gusset stitches without ever turning the heel. What the hell? I realized after a few rounds that my heel is seriously screwed up. I ripped it back to the flap and started knitting the heel. Now what? It wasn't working because I didn't have my stitches evenly divided on my needle (magic loop) but just assumed I did. Rip. Reknit the flap on the right number of stitches. Pick up the gusset stitches without ever turning the heel again! What in the @&%!$#* hell?! And I knit this monstrous heel for many, many rounds before thinking, "Hey, this heel is monstrous." I ripped it back to the flap turned the heel and finally finished the cursed sock.

Here's the little troublemaker.



Last night I finished knitting the leg on the second sock (totally fraternal btw, I'm no Teresa). I knit the heel flap. I started to turn the heel. I didn't have my stitches evenly divided again!!!! What is wrong with me? This was supposed to be my easy project! Bah!