I finished the first cabled sock yesterday, which was a moment of great satisfaction that quickly turned to concern. Knitting cables takes more wool than knitting flat. I knew that. Knitting at a really tight gauge takes more wool. I knew that too. I did both of those things anyway, and when I looked down at my completed sock and then at what was left of the 440-yard ball of wool, I got a little worried. The ball, you see, was really small. It definitely seemed like less than half of what I started with. I thought back to my wastefully indulgent long-tail cast-on, and how generous a tail I’d given myself to Kitchener the toe and I got worried. I tried holding the wool in one hand and the completed sock in the other for comparison, but it was too close to tell.

My first reaction was to head to my LYS to pick up an insurance skein. I figured I wouldn’t need it until at least the foot, but still, planning ahead can’t hurt. They didn’t have any. After that, there was only one choice: buy a scale. And look! It turns out I might be okay.

45 grams is definitely less than 54 grams! I agree that it’s strange that the numbers are flipped, but I don’t care. That’s nine extra grams! If I can knit exactly the same sock a second time, I’ll be fine.

After this success, I basically wanted to weight everything. I thought about weighing Ganymede, but she gave me one cold look that said not a chance, so I settled on my tea cup.

Obviously, this isn’t relevant to anything. But I am pleased.

After all the weighing was over, I turned my lights out for Earth Hour and knit the ribbing for the second sock by candlelight. It turns out, oddly, that I actually don’t mind knitting 2×2 rib  as much when I can’t see it. It’s also a good rhythm, and allows you to feel your way along, knowing whether or not you’ve accidentally dropped a stitch in the dark. Also, it looks nice, no?