Heil, Myself

My First Sock
Originally uploaded by Rozanne.

For a few days now--ever since it became clear that this sock was actually going to turn out well—“Heil, Myself” from The Producers has been playing in my head for some reason.*

It's because I'm pretty ding-dong proud of myself for being able to knit this sock. Not only have I never knit socks before, I boldly deviated from the pattern and added in a mock cable (something else I’ve never done). I deviated again by knitting the socks on two circular needles (instead of accursed double pointed needles), which required extra brainwork to convert the instructions accurately.

I must admit that I would have screwed up for certain if the Knitting Help videos (thanks, Cagey!) didn’t exist, but with their help I had no problem turning the heel or making the gusset—the two tricky bits to sock construction.

However, I am not quite the hotsy-totsy sock nazi I would like to think I am. Yeah, I kicked butt on the heel flap and gusset, but somewhere pretty early on I dropped a stitch and didn’t realize it, so there’s an unsightly ladder running from the ankle to the cuff. Sod it! I don’t think it’s fixable. Also, the placement of the mock cable could have been better. It’s a bit too close to the instep.

Still. For the first sock of my career, it’s not bad. And I’ve still got the second sock to do, so I should be able to do better with that one. Then perhaps I’ll move on to something more feminine and less lumberjacky. Maybe these.

*I always feel uneasy/guilty about the fact that I find The Producers so hilarious. Is it too easy to just accept that comedy is tragedy plus time? I wish I could get someone like Elie Wiesel to give me permission to enjoy The Producers without guilt.