The heel

I've been working on the heel of my sock for a while now. It's taking me a long time because it's my first sock ever. And now it's going to take longer.

I realized a while back that my heel wasn't looking right. By that I mean it wasn't coming out in stockinette stitch like the rest of the sock. So I thought, "well, maybe it's supposed to look different", and just kept going. I was getting so caught up in the process (I'm definitely a "process" as opposed to "finished product" sort of a crafter...it's all about the process for me), and kept ignoring the little nagging voice in my head saying, "something is wrong doofus... something is wrong".  The heel was in fact knitting up in reverse stockinette. Finally good common sense broke through and I realized I would have to do the thing I have always feared most as a knitter... frogging... rip it! rip it! 

This was scary, especially since I have never frogged on circular needles before. I've never really done much frogging at all. So I did it. Took me about an hour to get the needles back on. My glasses are old and we're talking tiny, size 2 needle stitches. But I finally got the stitches back on the needles and started again.

Now, let me say why I'm glad this happened. Yes, glad. Because I was forced to do something I feared. Because I learned more about the anatomy of stitches and how to fix dropped stitches. Because I'm not afraid to correct mistakes anymore and I feel like that fear probably kept me from trying new things as a knitter. Kept me from pushing and learning new techniques.

And as Leonard Cohen says:

Ring the bells that still can ring

forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in

Will knit for chocolate

We have been here in N. FL at the parsonage for the past week and heading into a second week here. The weather has been very nice. June and July were definitely the hottest months. It's been warm and dry, in the 80's, in the mornings, hot in the afternoon, and mild evenings. Of course anyone from up north would just think it was hot. But when you've lived in the subtropical mire that is S. FL, you can tell the difference. I'm sitting in the yard now watching a pileated woodpecker inspect a knot hole in the giant oak next door. Pretty close to Heaven for me. And this has been a rough summer, so I'm happy to be home just watching the birds. And now a sandhill crane has just wandered into the yard and is looking at me. Totally unmoved by my presence. The same can't be said for me, however. He is beautiful and very tall.

I had a fun, chocolate filled lesson in sock knitting from my knitting guru Cindy of DelightedHands. I now understand why there is such a cult following for sock knitting. It is very challenging and three dimensional. Cindy taught me Judy's magic cast on  for knitting socks toe up on circular needles. I'm using Patons Kroy Socks FX in Clover Colors on size US 2, 32" circular needles, which Cindy gave me to use as well as a sweater knitting CD, homemade soap, the best brownies you've ever had and M&M's. Well, we needed the M&M's to help us count rows and stitches. No really...

See the little toe emerging? I was reading in my copy of Vogue Knitting that socks are probably the earliest application of knitting, dating back to 1200 AD in Egypt. 

And the fiber fun didn't stop there. Bridget came over from Jax and hung out with us for the day. She brought the crochet blanket she is working on and we hung out knitting, catching up and watching TV. It was a mellow afternoon. 

The other creative offspring surprised us with this cool little fire pit that she made. Good job Che!