So here's how it went:
In case you missed it, I mentioned in a previous post that I decided to frog an almost half done sock (just one, not like a full half a sock) because I just plain didn't like how the pattern was looking when I had to decrease the stitch count to fit my obnoxiously narrow feet. I knew I still wanted to keep with a similar theme (the project was for the KnerdGirl Knits podcast's Women in Science KAL. I was using a local-ish yarn in the Prairie Grass colourway and wanted to knit something with a butterfly theme in honour of myself... because I am a prairie ecologist and I used to work on butterflies), and I found a pair of knee-high socks in my Knitted Knee Highs book that would work out perfectly. So I ripped out and re-swatched (on February 5) then started the socks on February 6. I figured even with knee-highs I could still get them done by the end of February, especially since I knew I had a mid-month conference that would involve airplanes and a lot of time sitting in airports. So I took a leap, cast on for the socks and surged forward.
The pattern is actually really straight forward and easy to memorise. I misread a few things, but ultimately cruised along in knitting the socks (modifying the stitch counts to better match gauge and my weird-shaped calves that are apparently wide and then abruptly narrow and remain straight for a lot of inches). I actually finished the first sock by February 15, well on track to make it through.
And then it didn't fit.
Because the gauge is measured in pattern (a thing I sort of understand, but also really dislike, especially with a pattern that's kinda knit on the bias), it was really hard for me to actually measure my gauge and then calculate the right stitch count. I thought I had done it, but what happened was the top of the sock was way too big and because I'd just uniformly decreased according to the pattern, my heel wouldn't even go through the ankle/turned heel stitches. Plus I'd somehow counted wrong and made the foot too short even if my foot had gone into the sock. I don't have any photos of it, but the sock DID NOT FIT.
So I took a deep breath, pulled out the second half of the ball of yarn, recalculated the pattern (I hate math... there was a lot of math. Not awesome.), and cast on hopefully the correct number of stitches. The socks were supposed to be knit on a 2.75mm needle, so I cast on a size down and worked the first pattern repeat into the ribbing on a 2.25mm needle instead, hoping it will tighten up more on my leg and perhaps my socks won't always fall down if I wear them without my boots. I figured out the pattern repeats I needed, packed up my knitting, and made up my mind to get this thing done on the plane.
And I did make amazing progress, actually. Between the time in the airport, the time on the planes, and the downtime I managed to snag in my hotel room at the conference, I got to the point where I was nearly done with the second (better fitting) sock.
And then I ran out of yarn. Just before the toe decreases. Even though I had weighed the ball and I should have had more than 50g.
So I took a deep breath, then looked at the sock. Turns out I had done an extra pattern repeat just before I started the heel flap. So I'd have to rip back to there and re-knit the foot. Not the worst thing ever since the foot had no patterning and was just 6.5" of straight stockinette and then the toe. It wasn't the happiest situation in the world, but it wasn't terrible. I figured worst case scenario I had *technically* knit a pair of socks (even though they weren't remotely the same size) and could still count them for the KAL if I didn't manage to re-knit this one and then re-knit the other one in time.
Then, while I was looking at the sock to rip back to the extra pattern repeat I saw something.
I'd messed up the pattern.
Somewhere on repeat 3 out of 11.
It wasn't a big deal. Probably no one would notice. But I would know. And I don't know a single knitter that hasn't been in that situation. As the Knitmore Girls like to say... "If it bothers you now, it will bother you 100 rows from now."
So I ripped back.
To here.
I'd had a nearly completed sock. And now I had this. Two plane rides, four hours in an airport, and three-days worth of scattered hotel room downtime all for nothing except this much yarn that needed winding back into a ball.
Fortunately (well, fortunately for my sock) my travels the next day started with a two-hour delay while I waited for a late inbound aircraft, moved into a ground delay in the destination airport that led to me having to sit on the runway for another hour, then needing to wait half an hour for a gate once I got where I was going, then another hour wait for the bus since I had missed TWO of them while I was waiting for airplanes. That, combined with another few hours in the car the next day when I drove home yielded me a sock. Complete with enough yarn to actually finish the toe and have some left over.
I don't know which of these is the first (non-fitting) one and which is the one I finished in the car, but I technically had two socks at this point! One didn't fit at all, but I had two complete socks. So that was something.
Immediately, I took the first sock that didn't fit, pulled out the toe and cast on. I didn't bother to wind the ball, I just knit straight from one sock to another. This proved a bad idea though, as this messed up my gauge, so even though I followed the exact same pattern, the second sock is way too small and I'll have to re-knit it again. But not now...later. Sometime later... for now, these socks and I need a break.
I will say though. This is the first time I've knit with BFL of any kind (it's a BFL/nylon) and I loved it. Even through being ripped out and re-wound and basically abused, this stuff held up like it was brand new. This is great yarn and the colour is lovely. I can't wait to knit the other skein of this yarn I purchased and to pick up some more at the next opportunity.
But again...maybe not for a while, yeah?
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