It's hard to always live life on the straight and narrow. Sometimes it's opportunity and sometimes it's temptation, but let's face it, we all cheat. The human mind is very flexible and will find ways to justify just about anything. It will convince us that we were being resourceful, or we were trying to spare hurt feelings. But at the end of the day, we have effecteively found a short cut to getting around a problem. So, what am I prattling on about? Judge for yourself.
Opportunity and Temptation knocked and I opened the door. If I didn't tell you last night that I was one skein short of a pair of socks, would you be able tell from this undoctored scan of my Walking-Away (now dubbed by Alpaca Woman as the 'Pleased to meet you' Sock ), that I've subbed to finish the foot. Not only did I sub with a different brand (Cygnet), but a different blend yarn with a different tension. I took a skinny 4 ply yarn and knitted it double. Yes, you can feel the difference, but it's hard to see the difference. So these hybrid socks were born from my hunt for skein #2, which has to be somewhere around here... Do you think my mom would mind if she found out? What if the shoe was on your foot?
Digging through my yarn, I've also noticed an alarming tendency (no, I'm not referring to the quantity) to buy similar colours. Otherwise, how would I had ended up being able to find another sock yarn so similar?
After finishing, this sock and unable to start the next foot, what choice did I have but to cast-on something new. Here are my peak experience socks. Yes, I know, I'm slowly working my way through my Fiber Trend patterns. But after the debacle on the W-A-S or P-2-M-U-S, could you blame me.
Rumour has it that stripey socks knit up faster. So maybe these will also get done in record time. Yes, it's all a bit of a sock fest here at the moment.
Posted by atu at January 12, 2004 08:45 AMAnd now for something completely different. I couldn't help thinking about you, Polly, when I read this article. Though it might apply to nearly all of us. http://www.knittersreview.com/article_yarn.asp?article=/review/profile/040108_a.asp
Posted by: Thomas at January 15, 2004 01:33 PMOh goody... if you all can't tell the differnce, Mom will no doubt think I was very clever and thrifty (all Chinese mothers from my mom's generation are thrifty). I'm not going to try and sell her that it was a design feature, although I'll have that in my bag, just in case... thanks everyone. I feel much more reassured and will not rip. I finally found the other skein tonight, unfortunately, have misplaced a few other things. Tidiness is not my strong point.
Posted by: Polly at January 14, 2004 11:14 PMWow! The mini Ringels are like deja-vu! I just completed wavy sock in exact same colorway in December (http://www.hot.ee/citikas/archive/2003_12_01_archive.html#107040038105749436). This sort of pattern is perfect for stripey yarns.
The socks for mom are very cool and I can't see any difference in yarn. Excellent substitution!.
Posted by: Vaire at January 14, 2004 06:11 PMHuh? What change? Dang Polly, even your "changes" are better looking than mine! ;)
LOVE Alpaca Woman's name for them. I think Alpaca Woman needs a blog to share all this with us herself!
wow, you cannot tell at all from looking at them!! great fix em up!!! and btw, the yarn on the new sock, i think that's the same regia i used on my knee highs (or knee high, i should say, only one done so far), i love it it's so bright and fun!! ;) p.s. did you get my email? let me know by thurs night if you want anything.... :)
Posted by: carolyn at January 13, 2004 12:58 PMHey Louise, my Mum used to say that too (and I never quite understood it either!!). Polly always love your socks (and everything else that appears on this blog) and admire you for the patience in completing them. Socks are definitely not in my repetoire (did I spell that right?)
Posted by: Lesley at January 13, 2004 08:33 AMPolly, it is a perfect substitute. I can`t see the changes either. I like the rib pattern on the back of the leg. I`m sure that`ll make a perfect fit.
Posted by: Sissel at January 13, 2004 01:10 AMHope your 'Peaks' fly ! They look delicious.I love wavy stripes.
Your mother will love her extremely good lokking grey socks with the extra warm toes.And no,I can't see where the yarn changes.
Hope you got a little,white padded envelope...I worry. :0)
A blind man on a gallopping horse.... as my mother says. Never sure what she means by it, but I'm sure your mother would be pleased at your ingenuity in finishing the sock.
I just love your colourful Peak Experience sock, Polly. I did the Angel's Rest pattern for part of my exchange gift to Yvonne, they were a joy to knit, the pattern just zipped along.
Posted by: Louise at January 13, 2004 12:10 AMHi Polly
Well done, gosh I can't even see any difference in the yarn (haven't got me reading specs on though).
As we used to say when I was studying fashion and tailoring at college and some disaster befell a garment we were working on "Let's make it a design feature!".
Luv Jacinta