Blog Sock...

So, long time no blog again.

Had a whirlwind week. Last week - er, about this time - we got word that the spousal euphemism's remaining grandparent, Bubbi, had begun a hunger strike, and decided she was done with it all, somewhere past 92 years of age. She passed away on Tuesday evening, with children and grandchildren at her side or nearby.

This has taken it's toll this week, on some folks near and dear and many more who are more distant to me. Not really my place to discuss what pertains to most of those others, but safe to say it's one of those occasions that, no matter how close or not to the actual deceased, gives you cause to see some interesting human interactions. Also safe to say, no matter what your involvement, it's kinda draining.

So, after being off work Thursday, with notice, and Friday, on less notice, I've spent Saturday dealing with a car stereo installation that took about 4 hours instead of one, and part of today catching up on work I didn't do Thursday and Friday.

In between the chores, I've gotten myself to the top of the heel on the very first sock I've ever knit.

For some reason, after buying my latest favourite sweater - twice, in case I wear out the first one - this fall, I decided I wanted to learn to knit again. The motivation for that was being able to reproduce this cool sweater, in a colour I like better, whenever I get around to wearing it (them) out. But I'm not there yet.

So following that, for no reason that I can particularly recall, I decided I wanted to knit socks. Now, I never WAS that skilled a knitter. Stockinette and garter stitch with no embellishments whatsoever were the limit of what I'd ever learned. And I gave up when I realized I really don't like sweaters much, and afghans less. BUT thinketh me, I like socks. I'm constantly buying weird socks and constantly annoyed at how fast they wear out. So, thinketh me, I shall knit socks.

Well, in favour of the idea, a nice sock can be knit with only my two favourite stitches, knit and purl. Generally. NOT in its favour, the idea involves learning to knit "in the round", and small at that. It's generally done using 4 to 5 thin, short little double-pointed needles.

This is a bit more challenging than just two sticks. Imagine trying to tie 100 shoes while holding a hedgehog in both hands. It's not exactly the same because a ball of sock yarn won't pee on you if it's upset, but close.

Anyway, after starting and pulling out my cast-on rows about 10 times and consequently wrecking the first couple metres of a ball of self-patterning sock yarn, the spousal euphemism's mom got me re-started on Friday and we are rolling. I've gotten the knack of keeping my hands working with all the little pokey bits sticking out at all angles rather than sticking in to me. For some reason my ribbing, which should be the tighter part at the top of the sock, is looser than the rest, and I've magically acquired 3 extra stitches by the time I got to the ankle, but I have a tube of yarn and the beginnings of a heel flap.

So, in addition to half a dozen unfinished quilting projects, and I now have the more ambulatory (think portable to boring business meetings, where a sewing machine is not) artsy complement to my textile addiction.

Looking for a 12-step program next... (hello... my name is Johanna and I'm a knitter.. er, quilter... er, knitter...).