Getting Back in the Groove

I know that it takes me less than 14 hours to knit a pair of socks. I know this because I knit one sock on a flight from Minnesota to Alaska. So, why is it I have two pairs of socks on the sticks since November?

My poor mom has been waiting for her Christmas present, her first pair of socks knit by me. They are my first attempt to take a lace pattern and create my "own" sock pattern. A couple weeks ago, I was on the home stretch, about to pick up the gusset and finish the legs. But, I wasn't terribly happy with them. The pattern had a k2tog tbl after a yo, which left the left tilting stitches in a zig-zag. I wasn't happy with the zig zag and tried a ssk in place of the recommended stitch and was happy with the results, but not happy with the earlier rows.

I wrestled then; frogging and starting over? I kept going. It's been such a long time I have knit socks, so when I divided for the heel, I forgot to slip the first stitch of each row and when I went to attempt to pick up stitches I realized my mistake.

"To frog or limp along?" became my question. I frogged back to where I'd divided for the heel, picked up stitches and managed to leave ridges on both socks, no matter how many times I'd drop stitches, and pick them up, I couldn't get rid of the ridge, so I in frustraion, I frogged the socks all the way!

I am happy I frogged and started over. My poor mom states that, with all the frogging and reknitting, by the time she gets her socks, they will be "used"! But the lace pattern is looking great, and now I just have to start carrying my project bag everywhere and get those socks done.

The other pair of socks I have been working on are for my dear cousin, Tracie. She too is waiting her Christmas present!

I know that it "only" takes me about 7 hours per socks (thanks to knitting one sock on a flight from Minnesota to Alaska), so, why is it taking me half a year!?

So, my goal is set -- have them both done before the end of May. We are going as a family to Las Vegas in early June and I will be seeing my cousin -- so both socks MUST be done.

Now that I have posted that goal, I have to make it happen!!!!