Phantom Sock Syndrome, a New Paradigm

Picture it: One day before Thanksgiving and a potentially 20-hour round trip in a car facing me. I will be the passenger. What does any self-respecting knitter do? Pack a project or two, or three.

Since I've been on a sock binge, I decided that I'd finish a pair of socks I was working on, so I packed it all in my project bag and placed it in the front seat.

And after I had about an hour under my belt in bumper-to-bumper traffic, I decided it was time to take it out and get knitting. To my dismay, I hadn't packed the completed sock to compare (and I didn't write down the measurement), and the one on the needles was just up to what might be the beginning of the toe shaping. 

Should I wing it?

But what if the sock comes out a different length?

To my dismay, to be safe I just put the project away. Each mile was an agony. Never mind I brought another skein of sock yarn to work on. I was just too depressed.

So, after a great Thanksgiving weekend with family I rarely see, I faced yet another car trip home with nothing to do but stare out at a sea of vehicles. I even fantasized about taking out the near-finished sock and frogging it just to have something to do.

When I got home, I got down to the business of finding that other sock. I looked and I looked, but I couldn't find it. I looked at the floor of the car and under the seats to make sure I hadn't dropped it when I pulled out the project. To no avail, no matter what I did, I couldn't find the sock. I sat in my office watching Beverly Hills 90210 re-runs and meditating: Where was that dang sock?

Friends, it turns out there was never a completed sock.

There was only one sock: The one sock in my project bag. The one on the needles. I had gotten my self in such a lather about finishing the pair that I imagined I had finished the first sock.

I wasted almost 20 hours of driving with nothing to do. To boot, my husband (HWWV), after I told him the story, remarked, "I was wondering why you weren't knitting during the trip."

Ugh. I did finish the *first* sock today. Ugh Ugh Ugh.

Comments

[Renee]

Oh my, I just burst out laughing at the phantom dilemma you had. Hope for better in future trips!

[Donna]

Now if I could knit socks (learning slowly) this would definitely be something that I would do. So, when I start knitting socks I may just pin on the "bag sock #1."

[Victoria Bolton]

You could title this post: Why Knitters Invented Two-at-a-Time Sock Knitting.

[Wendy]

Victoria, that is so funny! (And to think that is how I used to always knit them, but it is a bit tricky in a car. Still, no excuse!)

[Deepa]

Ha, yes! I will never go back to one-at-a-time socks on dpns! Two socks on two circs is the way to go.

Wendy, you are a phenomenal storyteller. I'm so glad you're blogging again!

[Lolly]

Oh noooooo!!!!! This is why I always bring multiple projects (usually 3 or 4 because I'm a nut.)

[Melissa]

Bummer! I'm with Lolly - never travel with fewer than three projects is my rule. Six, if there's room in the trunk....I mean, we have to stop for gasoline from time to time...

[Judith C]

I've done this before, now I do two at a time. Also it's best for me to have circular needles around my father-in-law. One year I found him picking his teeth with one of my small double points!

[Maryse]

Oh no! Don't forget this one next time :)