Seems things always take longer than I think they will.
For example, this is a blog post about 10 months in the making. I took so long to write it that our computer ate our photos and I lost some pictures I wanted to share. Actually, it just ate some pictures I really want, period.
Last October I took part in Through the Loops mystery sock KAL. I used Karin's lovely yarn from Periwinkle Sheep - plum crumble, the yarn that first took me to her website. The same Karin of Sock Summit indulgence.
I started the socks on the flight back from Australia. I'd finished Partner's Christmas socks that morning on the train to the airport. Now, I was prepared to settle in and crank out a lot of sock on the 16 hour flight. I swatched and swatched after screwing up my KAL socks last year. I tried 64 stitches on size 2s. Too big. 64 stitches on 1s. Too big. 64 stitches on 0s? Too small. Finally, 72 stitches on size 0s? How could that be? I've never used 72 stitches or size 0s. I started but couldn't shake lingering fear that I'd screwed up my swatch and my 72 stitch socks would be far too large. I put the sock away when I was about half way down the leg.
The socks languished. I dreaded putting the sock on waste yarn, pulling it on and discovering that - despite my measuring and remeasuring and measuring again – I had screwed up and would have to tear out hours of work. Finally, before Christmas I mustered the courage and... it was almost too tight? How could that be? But it fit, so I knit. And I was working on my socks when Rocky and I drove up north for Christmas.
Christmas Eve we woke up and Rocky said he'd like to take the coast route. I admit to being slightly annoyed that he thought he would mention he wanted to take the 13 hour route and not the 7 hour route on the day we were leaving. I told him it was impossible. He seemed so disappointed that I jumped up, did some quick figuring on the computer and said if we hustled, we'd make it.
We're on the road and he mentions stopping at Stump Beach. Suggests we go for a talk. A talk? Or a walk? Well, despite our timeline, I can't resist a stop at Stump Beach.
So walk we did. And took fun pictures. And watched the crashing waves. And he asked me what my favorite memory was from the beach. And asked me to check our self portrait on the tripod.
And I turned around after checking the camera and there was a box. A little box. That kind of box.
And I said yes.
{insert beautiful, happy picture of the smiling couple here.}
And we kissed and laughed. I cried like a dumb girl. We walked some more and then walked back to the car to keep driving.
{more happy pictures of the ring, the beach, each other}
Well, here is a picture of us at Stump, but not that day.
Rocky drove and I knit on my mystery socks.
I figured if I was going to share the story here it made sense to show the finished socks too. Of course I thought I'd be done long ago. Rmemeber what I said about things taking longer than I think. You saw the first sock before sock summit.
But good news! I did manage to finish them before the wedding!
I'm getting married in just a 10 days.
I think the days may be speeding up! We're doing a very eclectic wedding and that takes a bit more effort. It's one of the reasons I've been quiet around here – there hasn't been a lot of knitting lately!
I wouldn't be a knitter if I wasn't going to knit my wedding shawl.
Remember how I said that it seems things always take longer than I think they will? In it's current state it looks suspiciously like a lace choker.
Sigh.
Fortunately I have two knitterly friends attending and both are bringing green shawls “just in case.” They know me so well!
These are special socks, forever linked to the day we became engaged. We've known each other for nearly 10 years. It's been a journey and I can't wait for the next step.
Pattern: Through the Loops, Mystery Sock 2010
Final measurements: 72 stitches on size 0s
Yarn: Periwinkle Sheep, the Old Watercolors, Plum Crumble, 399 yards
Modifications: An extra repeat on the leg
Knitting yardage total 2011: 1924