Monkey Off My Back

In her description of her Monkey socks Cookie A. writes, “…the true driving force behind these socks was ADDICTION. There was no other way to get them off my back than to knit them.” Sadly, the driving force behind these socks for me was a sense of obligation (self-imposed, I might add).

I have really enjoyed being a member of Ravelry’s Sock Knitters Anonymous and taking part in the group’s monthly Sockdown challenge. Through it I have been exposed to new designers, patterns, yarns, and—best of all—knitters. Furthermore, knitting to a deadline has provided great motivation for me to finish a pair instead of giving into the dreaded SSS. When I learned that Cookie A. would be the designer for September’s Sockdown I was really happy because it gave me the opportunity to finally knit Monkey, a pattern that had been in my queue forever. I had even found the perfect yarn for them this summer, some beautiful teal/jade Koigu KPPPM, one of my very favourite sock yarns.

I happily cast on for these socks at the first opportunity on September 1st and worked through the cuff and a few pattern repeats fairly quickly.

And then I stalled.

I knit a few rows here and knit a few rows there but I couldn’t get into them. Eventually I found myself grafting the toe of the first sock and promptly cast on the second.

And then I stalled.

I can’t explain it. I’d wanted to knit these socks for a long time. I love the yarn. The pattern is simple and easy to memorize. Why was it such an effort to stay focused?

I still don’t know the answer to that question. What I did know was that I needed to get this particular Monkey off my own back. It was weighing me down and preventing me from completely enjoying the other projects that I was working on.

And so on Tuesday night I picked up the second Monkey and I knit and knit. By the time I went to bed I had finished the heel turn. Yesterday morning I picked it up again and did not let myself knit anything else all day, finally finishing about 7:30 last night.

I love these socks. I love the colour. I love the pattern. I love the way they fit. I am pretty sure I will love wearing them.

I am only sorry that I did not love making them.