22. A Luring

I know I said I was going to knit on my Spice sweater, and I did. A little. Very little.

But the lure of a warm neck, a quick finished object, and working with Jean's pretty and soft handspun was impossible to resist. 

I made Bonne Marie's Favorite Cowl, 77 stitches knitted on U.S. 11s, in Jean's handspun, and I was all done by the time we hit the High Peaks rest area on I-87 on Saturday.  (see tomorrow's post for High Peaks hijinks)

Here are some pictures of it in progress.

Here is what it looks like now. 

It was gi-nor-mous, and would have had zero effect on warming my neck, so I ripped it out.  I couldn't bring myself to immediately cast it back on, with only 60 stitches, which would have seemed to be right, rather than 77, so instead I did something radical.  Hang onto your stomachs; it could be a rough ride.

I'm knitting a sock.
Honest, it is really me.
The blog was not hacked.

(Trekking Zitron 158, first seen here, after which I immediately ordered a skein.) 

I don't know what came over me. It must have been the Adirondack air and, oh, yes:  I'm sure it was also the lure of the color orange.

The cowl was a bust
Now I'm trying for a sock
Will I fail this too?

Comments

[Tressa in NC]

Just what I need - a cowl to keep my neck warm while here at the coast! Thanks, Norma! And I just happen to have already made plans to visit the nice LYS in Southport first thing in the morning!

[Kristen]

No really, Norma, that green sweater is gorgeous on you! Now stop it, you do NOT need a bag over your head! Put the bag down. Now. Don't make me come over there, young lady!

[Debi]

Ok who are you and what have you done with my Norma? Socks indeed!

[sandy]

Haiku for Norma:

Norma knits a sock
Thought I'd never see the day
Proving, life is weird.
~~

[Dave Daniels]

Well...your lipstick looked nice. ;)

[ann]

Wow_ Norma the bag lady, never thought Id see the day. forget the cowl. go for a hat the unoriginal hat...I love the sweater. would you mind sharing the pattern info on it. I know that i have seen it elsewhere. fatso in vermont

[ann]

Wow_ Norma the bag lady, never thought Id see the day. forget the cowl. go for a hat the unoriginal hat...I love the sweater. would you mind sharing the pattern info on it. I know that i have seen it elsewhere.

[ann]

uurrgh sorry for the double post. I did not want you to think I was calling you fat. I have gained 15 pounds since all 3 of my daughters are back at home. 14,,18, and 20, Oh god have mercy! LOL

[Nora]

Too bad you couldn't find someone with a huge melon head to wear your cowl as a hat - it could have been quite fetching!

[Kae]

That reminds me... I need to knit a cowl. Now the pressing question is... before, during, or after I finish knitting the duster? Hrm. *checks temperature outside* maybe I should aim for before?

[margene]

Hey! At least you're KNITTING!!!

[marianne]

Seriously, I was immediately distracted from the text seeing that photo and thinking, O'Norma..hat for a giant...but oooh, how lovely the green (Peace Fleece?) sweater and orange neck T looks against your skin... AND you're beautiful in RED?!?!
....sigh..... Knit on with the sock! You'll do fine with the sock, those colours are just happy and.... juicey.

[marianne]

ferfucksake... 'juicy'....

[Sara]

Ok, seriously? That sock yarn is friggen gorgeous... and I am doing my damndest to not order any right now. See... this is why you are actually knitting this sock... to tempt us into buying more sock yarn. Doggone temptress.

[Mike]

Words Again

Wanted to follow up on yesterday’s “rant” on words. I hope not to dilute creative and humorous knitting chat with boring academic irrelevancy, but your rant touched upon it. I won’t post again.

Though it may seem obvious, it isn’t: People can see/hear in a word a shared meaning, but often they don’t. The word becomes the presence of their past, a projection of their experience. The latter includes everything - fears, wishes, uncertainties, ignorance, knowledge, beliefs, default assumptions, etc., etc. which project out upon the word and create meaning not shared by others. It’s a real bummer for communication, and probably why the world is often a quarrelsome and difficult place. Projection of this sort is like the water fish swim in and are unaware of. We all do it, all the time.

[naomi]

Oooh, I love the colors in that sock.

[Marcia Cooke]

That photo is hysterical...I thought you were a six-year old at first! And, thanks for reminding me that I need to make that sweater!

[Roxie]

Did you rip the cowl all the way down? You could have ripped half-way, then decreased to 60. Wear the snug side inside and the loose side outside like a turned down turtleneck. Loved the picture! Love the sock! Citrus zest.

[claudia]

What an interesting viewpoint Mike brings to the word discussion.

An orange sock. My heart is proud.

[Celia]

No wonder you bought that yarn. Now that I've seen it, I want some for myself.

[Carol]

Fanfootytastic! And that's a mighty purdy sweater you're wearing! I hope you're enjoying your new found lurve:)

[Cookie]

I like Nora's idea. Then again, I've got a giant melon of a head... and need a cowl. Oh well...

A sock? I am very impressed.

[Kelly]

No wonder you immediately bought that sock yarn! Photographing it with those clementines is both brilliant and sneaky because day-um they look good!

[Katie B.]

mmm... socks...

[Joan in Reno]

Ooooooh, my favorite green sweater. It has been on my to-do list and you just reminded me how much I like it.

[Beverly]

Still choking on the photo of you with a wool bucket on your head...mwaaahhhah ;-)

[Vicki]

At first, I thought your hat was too big. ; ) Oooh, how I love something warm 'round my neck in cold weather.

[Jean]

Think how much faster the redo will go! That sweater is GORGEOUS!

[anne]

oooh, i have a sweater that matches your green one . . mine is "thyme" and in the kid classic, it is super-light but mega-warm.

i love the sock . . good luck with it.

[Doris]

When I say the phot, I thought it was a face-warmer... guess I was wrong. Love the sock yarn, and you will not fail.

[Doris]

That was supposed to say photo...guess I should have used the preview feature!

[Teresa C]

Sock on with your badself!

[Wanda]

Whoo-hoo socks make another entry on Norma's blog!! :-) I still love that green cardigan, such a beautiful green.

[cari]

A sock? should we worry?

[Beth S.]

I almost bought that very sock yarn once. I carried it around the shop, put it down, picked it back up, etc. Now that I see it knit up, I wish I'd taken it home with me. Damn. ;-)