Love, not infatuation

Dear Evelyn A. Clark,

You amaze me. Truly. Let me explain:

Last summer, I decided (rather bullheadedly)that I was going to knit some socks. So I did what I would normally do. No, I didn't take a class. No, I didn't find a pattern labelled "starter socks" or "basic socks." I pulled out an issue of IWknits(winter, 2004), found a sock pattern I liked (in this case, retro ribbed socks, see right), and cast on.

I knew that the pattern was only a page long. I realized it was all text. And I knew that eventually I was going to have to knit a gusset even though I had no idea what one was or what one looked like. I had faith in you Evelyn. I had faith in my ability to knit a pattern. You did not let me down.

It was a wild success. Using only the words and abbreviations I knit some socks. I amazed my grandmother with my fearless conquering of needles the size of toothpicks (ok, well maybe size 2's aren't quite toothpicks, but still ...) and I loved the slow satisfaction of knitting a pair of socks.

The pattern, with it's twisted knit stitches and blocks of purls is incredible. It was easy to memorize and looks incredible. You are a goddess, Evelyn.

Now, It didn't take me long to start to take your pattern and think outside the box. I tried to use the skeleton, the bare bones numbers of your incredible socks and simply use a different stitch pattern in making my next set of socks.

But I am not you. I do not have your creativity, your gift of knowing what patterns work best on feet. I bow to your craft.

Anyway, I was ecstatic when I picked up a back issue of Knits with a (new to me) pair of your socks(waving lace). It's cute, it's fun and I have the perfect skein of hand-dyed yarn in mind ... And it uses a stitch pattern I'd never have thought to use on socks. So I will try to emulate you, but realize and try to accept that I may never succeed.

In the meantime, I'll knit your patterns.

Anyway, I write, to simply say - You rock my socks! Really Evelyn, I'm not exaggerating. And so, to that, I present, in thine honor, a button. Because, really, I love your socks.

(to fellow Evelyn admirers - steal away, but link to your own bandwith, not mine)