one sad sock
April 14, 2013
on my way to paris,
i decided to knit a sock.
sock knitting is perfect for airplanes, and
i was drawn to the colorway from the last month of last year’s sock club.
since school timing makes going to maryland sheep and wool impossible,
i decided i would treat myself to a knot hysteria retreat this summer.
and since it’s my tradition to always knit something for the harlot when i see her, the sock would be perfect.
her pattern.
tina’s yarn.
tiny feet.
perfect.
and then, the bomb drops while i’m in paris:
tina and stephanie broke up.
no more sock summits.
no more knot hysteria retreats.
frankly, i’m shocked,
and i know a lot of people are.
within 20 minutes of the post, texts were flying between knitters
asking who knew what? how did this happen?*
all i knew,
was i was knitting a sock for an event that would not happen.
never would i participate in yarn-dying melée.
never would i learn more about fiber in a day than i have in the past 3 years. never would i get the chance to spin and knit and make friends and steal my favorite soap that looks like a rock from the port ludlow resort’s maid’s cart. (and i’m on my last fucking bar!)
i made some life-long friends at my first retreat
i learned to spin, just so i could go, and now i’m a spinner.
and now it’s all over.
and there’s this sock
that has no mate, as of yet,
and i can’t seem to bring myself to cast on the next one.
it’s really pretty, and i love this pattern,
but the intension that bore it
can never be fulfilled.
so what should i do?
leave the pair unfinished, in honor of the loss of knot hysteria?
quit whining, knit the second one, and give them away?
you decide.
i can’t.
**my personal hypothesis is that knot hysteria dissolved because tina and stephanie were sick of dealing with the same whackos that showed up to every single event. i mean, there were some awesome folks who went, people that i love. but some of those regulars . . . if you saw them on the bus, you’d get off and wait for the next one to come. just sayin’.
Bitches Get Stitches 
April 14, 2013 at 6:36 pm
I’m really sad too. Was looking forward to seeing you and the rest of the crew in June. 😦
April 14, 2013 at 6:43 pm
Knit it, it will find it’s mate and owner. That is a terribly sad moment though, completely embodied by your WIP.
April 14, 2013 at 8:13 pm
I was so surprised! I knew I wouldn’t be able to attend this year but was looking forward to next year and now… no this year AND no next year!
I’ve only been once but it was AWESOME and I just can’t accept it won’t happen again. So I think you should knit its mate AND hang onto it because somehow Knot Hysteria will rise again!
My hypothesis is they both felt it was competing for their primary sources of income : writing books for Stephanie and selling yarn for Tina. I used to participate in organizing an annual conference and let me tell you it was a HUGE time suck. Along the way I also learned there’s an inherent catch-22 in any type of event planning : people who will be successful at it are organized, meticulous over-achievers and people who will be driven crazy by it are — you guessed it — organized, meticulous over-achievers.
You can’t have a perfect event. But you can die trying.
(I would love to know what the burnout rate is for professional party planners! )
April 14, 2013 at 8:30 pm
The soaps come from here: http://www.sweetlifefarm.com/skincare.html?page=shop.browse&category_id=34
Sad… I say knit the other sock anyway. They will find a nice home.
April 14, 2013 at 8:50 pm
I think the Harlot should still get them 🙂
April 14, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Steven, why don’t you just knit the sock anyways, the second one that is, and send them to the Harlot as a gift for everything that she has taught you? After all they were a gift for her to begin with so….
April 14, 2013 at 8:57 pm
I agree! Knit it for Stephanie! She’ll love a pair of socks knit by you and given to her! Then knit a pair for Tina! It’s sad when wonderful things must come to an end, but that’s what memories are made of. After all, I met you at Sock Summit! What a wonderful memory! ❤
April 14, 2013 at 11:11 pm
I think you should knit the 2nd sock and send it to Stephanie in lieu of a hug, she probably needs it.
April 15, 2013 at 9:09 am
Just think of them as your Paris socks instead….
April 15, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Hey! I was a regular! lol
April 15, 2013 at 3:06 pm
I would knit the other and send them both to Stephanie, she probably needs some handknit love right now.
April 15, 2013 at 8:11 pm
Knit the other sock, as the colors aren’t quite suitable for most people’s idea of a Christmas stocking. Send the pair to Stephanie along with a plea for her to come teach something at your LYS. Then knit a pair for Tina, perhaps in colors reminiscent of a certain chicken. . .;-)!
April 30, 2013 at 8:48 am
I was also sad because of the news. I ran across your blog post about the regulars that come to every event and I laughed so hard coffee almost blew out my nose!! Thanks for the laugh.Your blog is one of my faves now!
July 27, 2013 at 3:42 pm
[…] these socks was a bittersweet event for me. as you may recall, i began these socks with the intention of giving them to stephanie pearl-mcphee at the next knot […]