Wednesday 8 April 2015

Reading is not my best subject


 

I have been knitting socks for some time now. I have made at least 10 pairs, which does not seem many to some but to me it is loads. My first pair where made with my sister helping and guiding me along the way with hints that she had found from the internet. Then in my infinite wisdom I believed I could do it!

I have brought a variety of books with ideas in and cobbled together a mish-mash of styles and patterns that generally turn out to be wearable socks. My favourite book is still Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee (that book has travelled). Now all the time I have been doing this I have spent little more than £4-£8 on yarn. If I had seen it on special in Lidl I would even buy there. So with this in mind, I wasn’t too concerned with the outcome as long as someone could get their foot inside and wear them. I love, loved my socks.


But to my horror last night I realised that I had not been knitting the pattern correctly.

On the heel flap the pattern calls for *Sl1, K1*, repeat * to end. I had been reading this as: Sl1, K to end. There is a big difference to the pattern and my interpretation. Well, sock 1 had been finished, so I turned to by husband and said sock 1 is wrong. He muttered and smiled at me. I continued to show him my mistake and went on to explain that sock 2 would be different. He muttered and smiled adoringly back to me. Sock 2 is indeed different, it has a super squishy, comfortable heel flap. This goes on to explain why my heel flaps are wearing a little thin. Happily, my husband doesn’t mind wearing odd socks, and probably won’t notice.

Why am I even bothered by this, you could ask, it’s like this…

I decided to splash out on sock yarn. I had spent much more than usual because I wanted to support the great indie dyers on Etsy and across the UK. I was meant to be knitting a great pair of socks to show my support of all things British. (I have been working on British Values at work and how to promote this in Schools). Have I failed?

Of course I haven’t, I have done better than that…. I have learnt something new. Next pair of socks will be better for it.

My next challenge will be to join a KAL. Summer term is busy at work, but I am always looking for ways to enjoy the time I can find.

*As my husband turns to me mutters and gives me a super, wicked smile.*

 

‘The wealth of a man is the number of things which he loves and blesses, which he is loved and blessed by.’ 

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)

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