Cable Socks

I finished the Celtic Cable Socks from Sockamania. We had a choice this month of doing a "whole" sock or a shortie sock. Since it's been 100° nearly everyday for two months, I chose a shortie sock.

When I pulled out the plastic tub of sock yarn, the man I married walked into the room and asked what I was doing. I told him I was selecting yarn for my July socks. He carefully studied the picture of the sock to be made and looked through all of my yarn (picture soon). Then he picked out some purple and black Tofutsies yarn. I actually had two skeins of the same color - I'd purchased one and I'd received the same color in a yarn swap.

Being the yarn conservationist (i.e. kook) that I am, I decided to make one shortie sock from each skein so I'd still have enough yarn to make a full pair from each skein. Apparently I didn't think ahead - I could have returned one skein and gotten another color; but it's too late now.

The pattern was pretty straight forward. Plain sock, very fancy cabled heel. I got to the cables on the first heel. I read the instructions several times. They seemed odd to me, but since Anni's patterns have always been wonderful, I decided to trust them.

All was well. The pattern is 16 rows long. I made it through the first 16 rows of cables; very proud of myself. Then, and I swear I read the pattern at least seven times, I thought the pattern said to do row 11 and then continue on to the sock. (For non knitters, you read patterns by the row, and for some socks you work on the heel and then reconnect to the front of the sock).

So, thinking that the directions were odd, but trusting Anni; I did row 11 and continued on.

Well, that was wrong. What the pattern ACTUALLY said was to do row 1-11! I'd missed 10 rows of pattern. Not only did I have to un-knit three wrong rows, but two of the rows were cable rows. That meant that I had to un-knit stitches that were in the back or in the front. Eeek! I almost threw in the towel.

But - I'd sworn that I would always at least give it my best try to get each months patterns finished for this group. So, I carefully pulled out the stitches that were wrong and knit them again.

Sometimes it's the strangest things that motivate us. For these socks it was learning that even if I made a huge mistake (not life altering, but still big), I could fix it and move on. Not exactly a "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger" type thing, but still a learning experience. It's good for my kids to see me mess up and keep going. It's good for me to mess up and keep going.

Also, it's hot here and these are the only socks that I've knit that aren't wool.