Crap. Crap. Crap.

My workplace is kind of relaxed. If I have to have an office job, I feel pretty fortunate to have landed one that allows for me to have some freedoms. I'm not micromanaged, I work at my own speed, I get time off when I want it. I put in lots of time there every week but I can still sneak outside on a nice day and sit in the park for a couple hours on occasion.

My boss doesn't care that I knit during meetings or conference calls. I'm not able to knit a lot, but I do manage to get a row here and there done. I find it easier when I'm on a conference call to pay attention if my hands are occupied. Otherwise, the computer distracts me and I start zoning out while answering emails and getting caught up with work, instead of focusing on what I should be.

I was on a call Friday, knitting away on my Big Cables Little Ones Too sweater. I started it back in February and put it down a few times since. I finished a sleeve and have most of the second sleeve done. So I'm plugging away listening to a call and I put the sweater down on my desk in order to take some notes. Except I couldn't find my sharpie pen. Where could it be?



Yup. Right underneath my sweater. Behold the wicking power of wool.



I found a Tide Stick (which makes me always want to say "Thai Stick") and after soaking it and loading it up with handsoap and club soda, I went to work with the stain-remover pen. Lots of gentle blotting.



I got home, soaked it more and then put laundry detergent directly on the spot. More ink leeched out.

So now I have a sweater that has a wee bit more sleeve to go. The ink stain is at the top right of the neckline. It's about the size of a quarter. It's faded, but it still looks like a stain. I was very careful to be gentle, but all the blotting and futzing has made the area a little felted- the stitches aren't as well defined. Since it's top-down, if I tore it back from the neck, the stitches wouldn't line up perfectly since I would be then knitting bottom-up. I'm going to try to duplicate stitch over the spot, or maybe just wear it as a badge of stupidity.