They’re Done! Sort of. Mostly.

What do you do when you know you’re not going to meet your goal?  Create a new one!  When I realized I wasn’t going to complete my Colorful Tube Socks (as they’re titled on Ravelry) by the closing ceremony of the Olympic games (of which I watched only the men’s bicycling road race, but it was a good and dramatic event!), I created a new one.  I should have said I’d finish them by the end of August, but I went with the much more nebulous “I’ll finish them when I finish them.”  Besides, on August 3o, I wasn’t sure I’d be done by the end of August.

When I finally reached the colored portion of the first sock, it looked awfully big.  I pulled it over my leg, and it was too big.  So I unraveled the whole thing (which is now apparently called called “frogging” instead of “unraveling”)* and began again, making the smaller size.  Turns out knitting 48 stitches goes quite a bit faster than 60 stitches.   Plus, I decided to “grin and bear it,” using a little bit of disciple to keep working and actually finish a project.  (I have five other projects in the works, three  of which are much too hot and heavy to work on during this ridiculously hot summer.) **

I finished the first sock on the day after the closing ceremony, so that was kind of close; although technically, by Ravelry’s rules,  you must finish both socks to say you are done.  I finished knitting the the second sock on August 31st.  So I guess I could have gone with the more defined goal and still made it, at least by my definition of “finished. For me, “finished” means being done with the knitting portion.  I still had to weave in the ends (which I did the following day).  Even now, I still have to block the socks, which will smooth out the stitches and hopefully restore the ribbing.  I’m waiting on some blocking mats and pins I ordered from Amazon before I tackle that final portion.

*”Frogging” comes from the sound a frog makes.  “Rip it, rip it.”  I remember when you said you unraveled it.
**Those other projects include a sweater, an afghan/baby blanket, a tee-shirt, and two scarves.  Oh, and I just added another project, a small crochet bag, begun mainly to use up some yarn I had lying around.

Update: Since I started this post, I began and finished crocheting a cute little project bag.  I’d originally bought the yarn to make a baby gift, but that didn’t work out.  Then I thought I’d use it to make a little soft bedding for Romeo’s cat carrier, since he’s been to the vet three times in the past two weeks.***  But I found the pattern for the bag, so together it came.  Not to worry, I still have plenty of yarn to soften Romeo’s cat carrier for when he goes to get his teeth cleaned.

By the way, the socks are really comfy!  And the longer they stay on, the more comfy they become.  They’re soft and warm, without being too warm.  So there’s one more reason to look forward to fall and winter, bringing the total up to four.  😉

***For those concerned about Romeo, I was trying to clean up his rear end and cut his leg open.  Waaah!  He had the cut stapled (yes, it was a big cut.  Waaaaaah!)  Then he pulled one or two of the staples out, on a Sunday, thus another emergency vet trip.  Then he had the staples out.  Now he has to go back to get his teeth cleaned.  And to think his vet trips are all my fault!  😥

Fortunately, he still loves me.