The trials and tribulations of a knitter

I did the unthinkable. I took apart a completely finished pair of socks and reknit them. I had even worn these socks around a bit before I admitted that I would be much happier if they fit a bit more snugly. Recently gaining the confidence to alter a pattern, I decided to do it. And finally, the reknit socks are complete. I love them! And the fit is fantastic. Although now of course I am thinking that they are too snug, and might be more prone to a hole at the toe, but I am definitely not knitting them a third time.

The tragedy has to do with the felted slippers I boasted about earlier. I finished the knitting, and decided to do the felting this morning. I also threw in the wool sweater I bought at the thrift store last month that had holes in it that I couldn't patch to my satisfaction. So I felted the sweater, and have plans to sew something out of it. Maybe a purse...I don't know. Other ideas?

But the tragedy. I suppose you want to know about the tragedy. I don't know if I can speak of it. I am so embarrassed. I feel beyond disappointment that the hours I spent knitting the damn things are lost, and I will never get them back. I just feel dumb.

So the tragedy. Well, I bought the yarn at a thrift store a while back, and it turns out it's not wool. It must be acrylic, and acrylic doesn't felt. Who knew that rough-looking, ichy-feeling yarn could be acrylic and not wool. Well, a lot of people actually, but not me. Now I have learned the hard way. So now I have a completely useless pair of large and floppy unfelted slippers. Might I remind you that this is the second time I have attempted to make these slippers? Is this is a sign? Do I quit here? Or should I go for the old "third time a charm" belief? I don't know. I think I am putting slippers on the shelf for now, even thought I desperately need a pair for myself. I have yarn for four pairs of socks (or maybe some gloves in there somewhere) waiting to be knit, and it is all beautiful, and I have a new sock pattern to try.

I should probably be reading scholarly things and writing papers anyway.