Happy Holidays!

I wish all of you love and blessings, and someone to stay warm with....

Fit problems

Here's the finished and felted moebius basket that I showed in the unfelted state a couple of posts ago...

I think it turned out pretty nice. I like the way the yarn pooled into a lightening bolt pattern around the basket. I was sort of envisioning it as a cozy cat basket, where perhaps a sort small cat could have a cozy little nap. Though, it was an experiment of sorts because I really had no specific pattern and was knitting it from stash, in a size much larger than any I have made before.


The rim of the moebius strip was knit from a different yarn from the rest of the bowl to make sure I didn't run out while doing the I-cord bind off, and I also wanted some contrast. So as it felted, the yarns shrunk down at different rates. This is fine and is something I was anticipating----however, unfortunately for some small cat, this caused the rim to shrink to the point where the basket is better suited for a nap if you are a cobra rather than a cat.....

"Hey, here's that basket that mom made, lying on the floor again! Let's just see here.....If I climb inside I can have a warm nap again....mmmmm...nap."

"Something seems to be wrong here...."

"HEY! WTF! I know I fit in this thing just the other day!"

"Mom's shrinkin' stuff in the wash again. Hmmmmfph. This just won't do...."

Oh well, better luck next time for the cat basket idea. I guess I'll have to knit one the size of the sofa before felting to get it to stay big enough for a cat to fit into! However, after dragging this one up, sopping wet, out of the washer several times to check the felting progress, I don't think my biceps could take felting anything any larger. Just about killed myself dragging this one up and down out of the water---felt like about 30 pounds of wet wool! I'm sure it wasn't quite that heavy, but it certainly seemed like it was I think the minions will be getting a nice unfelted cat bed!

This large felted basket can be currently found holding a nice little portion of my yarn stash, and it's working out great!

But don't ask the Toe-cat his opinion on the matter....

Tempting

Here are the world's most impossible socks---impossible to knit on without a microscope and a giant halogen boom light, impossible to finish for some reason even though I swear to buddha that I have knit 5 trillion rows on these freakin things since I started them at the turn of the century, and impossible to photograph. This would be photographic attempt #15,378.....

and #15, 379....


You will notice, despite the blurring and poor definition, that these socks still have no heels. Yes, I started a heel flap and then frogged it---between the splitting of the yarn, the slipperiness causing a giant long stitch at the start of the heel flap that didn't become apparent until 10 rows later, and the size zero needles they are being knit upon which is making me blind, they seem to just really be going nowhere right now.

But for reasons unknown to even me, I have forbidden myself to cast on another pair of socks until I somehow suffer my way through this pair to the bitter end. I mean, I didn't always have the hate for these socks---I love the cuff pattern and the colors. But suddenly it seems to be a case of them against me, so I have to come up with a solution to finish the rotten things somehow.

I'm not feeling the love for the standard heel flap, especially with this tiny, splitty yarn, so I'm thinking I might want to try a short-row heel, but.....

I have never yet tried to knit a short-row heel and I'm not sure how I feel about doing my first new heel experiment on a pair of socks that took so long to get this far. Perhaps I should save that attempt for a more plain sock that I haven't spent so much time on up to this point. I'm sorta feeling that there may be more bad juju ahead if I try my first attempt at a new technique on these socks, but there is always the lifeline option.

And there is a third solution that I have been pondering (besides frogging their nasty little butts into oblivion).....How about if they don't become socks at all? How about if they become a very lovely pair of nice, and better yet, almost finished, wrist warmers?! Ooooh, pretty!

Oooooh yeah---pretty TEMPTING!

Obviously, I can't seem to make a decision and if I don't make one soon, I will never get to cast on another pair of socks! (Again, I don't know why I feel I cannot cheat on these socks with a new pair---I guess I'm too loyal and feel I should have closure on this relationship before I move on to another.)

So what do you all think?

Slog back through the regular heel flaps?

Take a risk and try the short-row heels (keeping in mind that I usually screw up grandly the first time I try something new---that's how I learn), risking the demise of the pretty socks altogether?

Or turn them into a lovely pair of wrist warmers and move on to a relationship with a new sock. A sock that fulfills me and supports me emotionally. A sock that gives as well as takes.

I leave it to you to advise me whether I should kick the socks to the curb or give them another chance....

Meanwhile, you can find me fondling my sock yarn stash and hunting for that one special yarn, dreaming about if whether we could have a future together. Maybe even a sport-weight (yes, size does matter!). One without the tendency to split on me when things get rough. One that won't laugh at my size 2 or 3 needles, or leave me blind and alone at night when I need it most. One who has my need for warm feet in less than 5 years at the top of its priority list.

A good relationship is hard to find, my friends.

ETA: Oooh! Oooh! Found a great swap for the New Year! Go check out the Mmmm....Hot Cocoa Knitters Swap. Who couldn't use a little chocolatey and yarney goodness during the darkest, dullest part of the year? (If you decide to join in the fun, be sure to let them know in your comment that you saw it here!)