Sock it to me

File this under "life lessons I learned from knitting."

Any knitting pattern begins with a very important row: the set-up row. This is where you establish the pattern that you carry through for the rest of the knitted object. Some knitted objects, particularly those that have three-dimensional shape, require multiple steps where a new pattern is introduced and established midway through your project. Like socks. For the most part, a sock is just a tube closed at one end, but the heel shaping is what makes it anatomically correct and infinitely more comfortable to wear. Except for the afterthought heel, every kind of sock heel requires a change in pattern midway through the knitting.

So. This pair of socks was supposed to be done by Christmas. Unfortunately, all Vern got was a ball of yarn. My next goal was to finish them by his birthday (March 13). I was way ahead of schedule, all set to finish the pair by the end of January... when Babycakes got into the yarn and created a snarl unlike any I have seen before. It took me six weeks to unravel what she accomplished in 5 minutes... there's another life lesson there, but that's another story.

Ok. Thanks to my mom and sister, the yarn was duly untangled and rewound into a ball by March 3, and I happily finished the second sock, with only this much yarn left over:

All was well with the world. Just before kitchener stitching the toe shut, I tried on the socks just to admire them, and to my horror, I noticed this:

So... um, can you see the problem? The cable pattern on the side is on the same side for both socks. I knit two right socks...

After some weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, I decided there was nothing to do but unravel the second sock up to the beginning of the heel and re-knit it on the opposite side. Folks, this was heartbreaking. Despite having overcome the setback of the tangled yarn, I was poised to meet my deadline... to no avail. One moment of inattention while establishing the heel pattern led to this.

So the "life lesson" here is: pay attention to your set-up row. Establishing your pattern right at the start will save you much pain and anguish* later on down the road.

*I am exaggerating slightly for dramatic effect