The World's Slowest Socks

I've lately been referring to the Rose socks as the world's slowest socks. Which isn't strictly fair. The issue is, I'm used to thinking of socks as a 2-3 week project. These have been on the needles for two months. But looking over my crafting activity, it's not hard to see why these have dragged. I started them Christmas week while I was on vacation, but since then, I've finished one sweater, knit a quarter of another, worked on two others, knit 15 pairs of mittens/fingerless mitts and a pair of gloves. And then there's the fact that they're a bit longer than I usually make (I'm using up all the yarn again) and on 00 needles...and the upshot is that I have really been ready for these socks to be done for a couple of weeks now.

I do love them- the yarn is very pretty, I like the pattern, they're going to be super-comfortable to wear. It's just that there are so many sock yarns in the world, and while I like this one, there are all those other sock yarns over there looking greener in the stash bucket. But. Project knitter. Casting on another pair of socks and abandoning these unfinished would Just Be Wrong. (Not to mention the first step down the path that leads UFOs in every corner and closet.) So I have persevered. The socks have gone out to lunch, dinner and the grocery store. They've gone to the vet's office, and the veterinary ER. (Three times, but that's another story.) They go to work and they go in the car and they go to the local knitting group. And, as frequently happens when you doggedly knit one stitch after another, they have progressed. Slowly.

So this week after I'd done a few pattern repeats up the leg of the second sock, I thought, "Gee. Leg of the second sock. One of these decades these socks might actually be done. Wonder how many thousands of pattern repeats I have left to go?" So I stopped and counted. The first sock has thirteen repeats up the leg...the second? Had four. Nine repeats to go. Single digit number of pattern repeats! Hot diggity! You know what that means? The end is in sight.

So, with a fire freshly lit under my needles, I applied myself with renewed vigor to the cause. Tuesday, 9 repeats to go. Wednesday, 7 repeats left to go. Thursday, 2 repeats...Saturday:

Rose Arch Socks, Deborah Norville Serenity

I'm thrilled. I love them. They're my new favoritest socks ever. I even forgive them for being slow.

But the next ones? Will not be on 00 needles.