Second Time was the Charm

99% done! 

It has been awhile since I've had any knitting news. Life has been a little chaotic, and knitting has slipped off of my list of priorities.
So what I have been knitting on is the project I've been toting for the last year. I have a love/dislike relationship with this project.

Reasons I love these stockings:

• I'm knitting them for a friend for a very sweet reason
• They are really portable, they have been on many car trips
• I don't mind knitting socks and they are very big socks
• They have made me a better knitter
• They are DONE!

Reasons I dislike these stockings:

• The pattern was beyond my skill level
• I missed the original deadline for the project and that irks me
• I had to modify the pattern and that is outside my comfort zone

So I knit the first stocking and was really frustrated with the pattern, it was knit in a technique that I've never used. It was also knit flat, and I never knit round things flat, I will always figure out a way not to do that. 

When I started to get frustrated I put it in time out and kind of just forgot about it. Next thing I knew it was December 2015 and I was supposed to have two of them done! So I finished it too quickly and it looked really odd. That was my fault, I rushed it. 

When I started the second stocking Christmas 2015 had passed so I had a whole year to really figure this out. Stocking number 2 was so much better that there was no way I could give them together. So about a month ago I ripped out the bottom portion of stocking #1 and reknit it. They are still not perfect matches but I think you will agree, the second time around came out much better! 

I just need to block the second stocking, and see if my friend will duplicate stitch the name on. Time to start thinking about the next project! Christmas sweaters for the boys! Who know which Christmas!! LOL

I've been needing to post about knitting for some time now, but I would be amiss not to mention that Kelly's family is going through a hard time right now. A cousin was taken from them in a car accident on Tuesday. Please send all the positive thoughts and prayers right now to the Cortez/Ramirez family. If you would like to send dollar bills there is a site for that. Rest in peace Nathan, you are already dearly missed. 

My first try and stocking #1. Poor thing. 

Stocking #1 second try! 

Stocking #2!