Monday, March 31, 2008

Erm, does anyone see a theme here...

I think there's a joke about the dangers of listening to the voices in your head - where the punchline is something about it only being bad when you start talking back to them.

I don't know about that, but here's a story about the dangers of not listening to the voices in your head. You know, where you decide to make a lovely pair of soft red socks for CanAssist using yummy red Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, and you have a pattern which will be quick and easy and uses that very yarn, which you have in your stash. And the pattern says to use 2.75mm sticks, which for me, using a sportweight yarn, was something I knew to be dangerous. Here's how it went:

Voice In My Head: Go up a stick size (at least) - they'll be too tight

Me: Nah, it'll be ok, they don't have to fit me, so it won't matter if they're a bit smaller

VIMH: Yeah, but you want them to actually fit someone, don't you?

Me: They'll fit! And besides, I'm using my 3mm sticks for something else, and I don't want to use 3.25mm sticks or otherwise they'll be too loose...

VIMH: Gah! Well, don't say I didn't tell you...

So of course I cast on and was merrily knitting away. Every so often I'd hear:

VIMH: I knew they'd be too tight. Look how they don't stretch very far. TOO TIGHT!
Me: Shut up. They'll be fine.

And I got to the toe. And I had a work colleague with very slim feet and ankles to try them on. She couldn't get them over her heel.

VIMH: Remember what I said...?
Me: SHUT UP! They'll stretch a bit when I block them.
And so I finished the toe...but didn't kitchener it...the Voice was wearing me down.

And yesterday:
VIMH: HA! I TOLD YOU SO!
Me: (whimpering) shut up...

14 comments:

Bells said...

Great post! Great lesson! I love the final picture. It's like, 'pesky sock comes to bad end.'

VIMH is so wise. And you can no longer say you never frog things.

Denise said...

Curses for the Voices In Our Head that so often know best....! Ah well, you have joined the illustrious ranks of Those Who Frog :)

Rachael Elswyk said...

oh no!
But hurrah for you, you had the balls to frog it!!!

Diana said...

That was drastic. Surely they would fit someone? Pretty too so I hope you can knit them again.

Ann said...

I do have those moments too & end up paying for my stubborness. I am sure you will be knitting it up again in no time with bigger needles.

MadMad said...

Oooh, too funny! I mean, sad. But funny.

Em said...

Those VIMH moments are the worst. One gets plenty of nagging in the rest of one's life, one should be able to do something without nagging oneself about it. And the voice in one's head should never be right.

I hate to see a pretty sock get pulled out, but I have confidence it will be even more lovely the second time around.

Sarah said...

Oh dear - don't you just hate it when you're right!

Linda said...

Its very important to listen to the voices! What a shame though, they looked great socks.

kgirlknits said...

what is it about our logic that demands we ignore that Voice, despite precedent, despite it's persistence?!

at least you still have the wool...

Anonymous said...

Oh, noooooo!! Unfortunately, my entire knitting life exists of mishaps like the one you've described. When will we learn...?

Anonymous said...

Don't you hate that?? Pooh. The sock was lovely.

Alwen said...

Wah! I've done that, too. The curse of the 12-inch heel (er, around, not high).

The only thing worse is when you try the sock on and the yarn or a needle snaps!

lilypotter said...

Frogging can be so painful, especially on such a beautiful sock. Also, the Voice can be so smug and annoying... or maybe that's just mine...

(BTW, I would have done the same exact thing. Once I start knitting something I hate to start over, even if I'm only two rows into it and I know there's something terribly wrong with it. I'll just keep going. Weird, I know.)