I got a phone call from my sister Donna not quite two weeks ago – “You don’t happen to have a pair of men’s socks in your stash, do you?” I didn’t. However, I had just started another pair – was at the heel on the first sock so it was no problem making the foot long enough to fit a man’s foot. “What size shoe?” “The same as Ian’s (her husband).” So a man’s size 9 shoe – 60 rows from the end of the heel gusset to toe-off.

They’re a gift for a friend of hers so I’m charging. “My socks are $50 a pair….”

No pause – “Not a problem.”

I knit a longer foot – 10 rows longer than I do for my generic women’s socks that fit size 7 1/2 – 8.

A Pair Of Men’s Socks

And now I’m knitting under pressure.

Donna is going away on the 18th so I have to have the socks done before that. There’s no putting my knitting aside in the evening to do anything else – the socks have to be finished before the 16th which is fast approaching.

Got the second toe completed last night – whew! I’ll deliver the socks tomorrow in time for them to be gifted before Donna leaves town.

That’s a relief and now I am on to more relaxed knitting and sewing and baking and whatever.

I hate working to deadlines – I have little trouble setting them for myself, but when they are external ones it sends my blood pressure up (probably not literally – I haven’t checked, though); I certainly feel the stress.