Roses For Margaery: Another Game Of Thrones Inspired Sock

Speaking of roses, I was over at mom's house yesterday late in the afternoon.  Mom was hanging another load of laundry out on the line.  There was a gentle wind blowing and I literally froze on the deck steps.  Roses!  The air was perfumed with roses!  "Mom, what laundry detergent is that!?!"  Well, it turns out that it wasn't the detergent but the wild rose bushes Dad had planted decades ago in the sandy soil around the corner of the house.   They are a hardy breed with deep pink petals and a sharp candy scent.  Last year, during a fit of a "man-o-pause" moment, Dad had trimmed them back to almost nothing with a chainsaw.  I thought that was pretty much it for the roses, but low and behold, they are back with a vengeance.  Good thing too.  My dye pots are waiting!

Yesterday was a great day for knitting!  I had to drop my little guy off at preschool in the city and as a treat to myself, I spent several hours at my local yarn shop knitting.  Trish, the coolest yarn shop owner EVER, has comfy couches in the back where knitters can come and knit when you feel like it.  Heaven! 

The day before yesterday, I discovered a glaring mistake in my "Roses For Margaery" sock.  Right on the top of foot, I forgot to knit through the back of the loop in a section of the pattern.  At first, I thought I could just forget about it, keep knitting because they are the prototype.  Nope.  That one row was bugging me so bad, I had to rip the sucker back.  It was A LOT to rip.  Sigh.  Ever had to do that?  Make the decision to forge on or rip waaaaayyyy back because it was just bugging you? 

As painful as it was to rip, I was glad I had those golden hours at the yarn shop to knit.  I actually made it back up to where I was before and then sum.  Yes! 

But I noticed another problem that I think I was trying to ignore.   I tried the sock on and it was too tight.   Yup, all 80 stitches worth was tight on my supposed "large" version of the pattern.   What a totally sinking feeling that was.  That is my foot in the picture left. 

Trish came back to sit with me because there was a lull in customers.  I noticed her pretty, dainty feet.  With slim ankles.  Hmmmm.  Trish agreed to try them on and OH my gosh, the leg and arch fit her perfect size medium foot fantastically!  Yay!  But the foot, which was 79 stitches in circumference was a pinch too big.  She suggested to decrease to about 72 stitches for the foot.  

Trish knows her socks.  And her perfectly pretty medium foot.  So what's that I hear?  The sound of ripping coming my way.  Grrrrr.  Totally grumping about when will these (insert swear word of your choice) socks EVER be done!???  However, now I have some valuable insight on the medium and a strong idea about what to do for the large.  Yay!

Designing.  Ah, ya gotta love it.  Or go crazy.  :P

~Nin