A Study in Self-Justification

My husband and I are heading off on Friday for a long-anticipated trip to a warm climate.  The forecast is for a high of 9 degrees here at home on Thursday, and a high of 78 at our destination on Friday.  I can live with this.  But with a 15 hour flight each way and relaxing downtime in between, I'm obviously going to need to bring along some knitting.  Something that will not get sweaty or uncomfortable in my shorts-clad lap.  And given the number of projects already in need of my attention and the somewhat sensitive nature of my budget, it ought to be something either already in my cue or ready to jump out of my previously purchased stash of yarn.  I'm thinking socks.

I've done socks before.  Many pairs of thick felted wool socks according to my brother's pattern, and exactly three pairs of finer-gauge socks:

1. A pair in a basic pattern using the Red Heart sock yarn with aloe, which really wasn't that bad to work with.  That's the pair of socks which taught me my gauge was a bit too loose for the heel and toe, and that when the pattern said it needed 20 rows of ribbing, it really did need it.  I have to be quite a bit behind in my laundry before I wear those socks.

2. A pair in a lace pattern, made with some fabulous silk blend picked up from my favorite alpaca shop, which were requested specifically by my Father as a gift for his new wife.  I never would have done them for anyone else, but Dad almost never requests knitting and I wanted to honor his faith in my abilities.  I found out after the socks were delivered (and after hours and hours and hours of knitting lace on tiny needles) that his wife is also a knitter.  I've often wondered since what she really thought of those socks - but he gave them to her when I wasn't there, so I didn't get the chance to watch her reaction.

3.  A pair made for my own use out of some yarn from the sale rack at JoAnn's, mostly to keep my fingers busy during the videos and tests while I was substitute teaching.  They're still sitting in my work basket, waiting for me to weave in the ends and put them on.  I really should do that, but I'm a bit afraid that the "loose heel" issue from #1 will resurface.  So long as they're still in the work basket, I can pretend that they'll be perfect.

So here I am, with another whole skein from the purple/pink/blue silk lace socks but with some emotional scars from my loose heel stitch problem.  Also, I do owe my friend Candy a pair of socks in recompense for the CPR certification course she taught on short notice in my living room just for me and my daughter.  And I found a toe-up pattern on Ravelry which might side-step the loose stitch issue.  And sock yarn packs small.

So, monogamy be damned.  I think I'm taking the purple silk for me, and some sturdy merino for Candy.  Wish me luck.