Can I get a yarn exorcism?

I swear this ball of yarn is cursed. Not to say I don't still think it's pretty, the colors are fun and I think someday it will become something lovely, but first, I think it needs a good dousing in holy water...

I cast on with this ball for the first time while Bean was in the hospital back in March. After a couple of inches, I realized that I wasn't doing the pattern properly. So I frogged them. Then I cast on again, deciding to work from the toe up, but soon discovered that I wasn't capable of working a decent heel in that technique yet, so I frogged it again. So tried again, this time discovering that it was too tight and there was no way it was going to fit over my heel. Ribbit, ribbit, my friends. This last time I tried to cast on the same pattern, I switched to larger needles and threw in a couple extra stitches. Still wasn't liking the result, the fabric didn't have a whole lot of stretch to it and I've decided, for now, that I will not be working that pattern. Which is a shame, because I like the way the pattern looks in the pictures, but I'm just not executing properly. I'm not going to show you a picture however, because I don't want this to seem like I'm putting it, or the designer down. I like them both, the pattern's just not for me right now.

So, yesterday I decided to cast on Pomatomus by Cookie A. These are some really great looking socks with lots of stretch and I think they will look awesome in this yarn. Plus, they are named after the genus name for the bluefish, which my brother and I used to shore fish for when we were kids. However, after working the leg, I realized that, yet again, they wouldn't fit over my heel. Dammit! I checked the instructions and realized, that like a complete moron, I had used a needle a size too small. Fortunately I realized this before I finished the stupid thing, but still, to frog this yarn for the fifth time is really demoralizing.

On a happier note, I do finally have a finished object to show off. It's been nearly a month, but I have finally finished a pair of socks. I worked them over 64 stitches in a moss stitch rib from the toe up. Yes, my friends, I finally figured out how to do a reinforced heel from the toe up. Woot! They were supposed to be for Wes, but they are too small for him, so I guess I get to keep them.

I know I've been pretty silent lately and for that I am sorry. I owe you a few stories about how Lilly is doing at camp, the fun that was Camo night and our knit in public event at the World War II museum, but for now, I'm just going to be satisfied with the fact that I finally opened my blogger publisher and will promise you the rest soon.