Genesis

In the beginning, God created man, the animals, water, and plants, the stars and the moon. Then Woman was created. Within a month, she was bored, tired of wandering around aimlessly, and decided to create something. She called it a craft. Eve said to Adam: 'Hey Adam, I know this naked thing is fun and all, but we need clothes. And I'm not talking animal skins, cause that's gross, but I think I could make us fur..' Adam rolled his eyes and said 'sure honey, whatever makes you happy.' So Eve put together 2 sticks, made the first spindle, and chased down a fluffy sheep who she named Joseph cause his coat was multi colored. Pretty soon, she was spinning yarn, and it was only a matter of time before knitting and weaving were added to her full schedule. Meanwhile Adam was trying to invent the first football game utilizing Zebras vs Lions - with negative results.

After my first aborted sock attempt, I put the project on the back burner for a bit. But this spring, I renewed my interest.

First I dusted off the several books I had on socks, and found one I thought I could use. In this book, the author swore you could knit TWO socks at once on circular needles! Two! On circulars! I could be in business! So I made my first trip to the Local Yarn Shop, known online as a LYS. The LYS I had used before had sadly gone out of business, so I located a new one that had rave reviews. I wandered in, and got totally confused, leaving with a small skein of novelty yarn (currently being made into a fat lacy scarf). But I gathered up my courage, and trucked on back. This time with a list. I armed myself with the correct Addi turbo lace needles, and headed home. The lady at the front counter assured me that the hard part was casting on, and that I'd love making the socks.

So I cast on, following the directions, laid out the stitches and then realized I had no idea what to do. I had 4 needles, and this was no better than 4 DPNs. Perserve I did though, and eventually I had an inch of ribbing started. All was well till the next day when I picked it up, started knitting, and promptly used the wrong needle, tangled the yarn into a knot, and was stuck. After an hour I threw it all down in disgust and went to yarn shop trip #2.

Oh, oops, actually it was yarn shop trip #3. #2 was to a small yarn shop down the road from me where I had purchased larger needles in the same lengths required for the 2 circ knitting, and also a 20.00 skein of merino/angora sock yarn (soo pretty! Who could resist? And it's good for the economy and all that).

So yarn shop trip #3. By this time I am frustrated, mad, and ready to stab myself in the eye with a lace needle. I decide to switch to the magic loop system. I had watched a Youtube video, but I'd had no luck finding a pattern. I decided I might be best off actually asking for help (novel concept, that) and marched up to the poor scared clerk announcing I was going to knit socks on a magic loop and I needed everything for that method. She jumped back, blinked, and recovered quickly handing me another book on socks (good cause I need an even 10) and long Addi needles, saying it's her favorite method. Uh huh. Heard that one before. From there I head to Borders, because I am still confused about the pattern issue. What do you use? I mean the book has one basic pattern, but the others just have instructions. There I find 20 books on socks, and start comparing. Finally I get it, all are the SAME just a different system. Ok, maybe I have it.

I head to bed, determined that tomorrow, yes tomorrow I shall have something resembling a sock..

And here beginneth the sock quest

First let me say I am a spinner. My knitting is simply a way to utilize the yarn I spin. Spinning is relaxing, spinning is a way I keep in touch with the earth. After all, the earth spins too.

Knitting was a rebellious thing. First see above about utilizing yarn. Second, I came from a crocheting family. A conservative crocheting family. I am a liberal knitter. It was my version of mild rebellion. Besides, crocheting involves counting. Inevitably when I crochet my straight lines become curves, knitting I don't have to count - as much.

So I am a champion scarf knitter. Thick scarves, skinny scarves, short ones, fat ones. My scarves are a veritable Seuss book of variety. I never wear them, I simply gaze at them where they sit in a drawer interspersed with hats, and crocheted items done by my fiber talented mother and sister. My knitted scarves simply exist to be.

And then there is the sock dilemma. I have no interest in championship fair-isle knitting, or in learning entrelac technique. I am quite thrilled with my knit and purl stitch. But I posses a burning desire to knit a sock. Actually a pair of socks. This has sat in the back of my mind for 2 years now while I churned out yarn and scarves. Just a basic sock is all. I did attempt it once.. I got about an inch in, realized it was too small and set it down never to find it again.

But lately, I have refocused and resolved to knit a sock. Actually a pair of socks. Socks that I will wear on the cold frigid Minnesota winter nights. This is late April. That means I have approximately 4 months or 16 weeks before winter nights are here again.

And so begins the sock quest..