Pretty Yarn

I realized I'm behind!

For those who remember my post about Tanis Fiber Art's ETSY shop update?

Well, my yarn came a while ago (late Febuary), and I realized that I've been neglecting my readers and didn't put up pictures of my new yarn.

So:

Tanis Fiber Arts Purple Label in Periwinkle.  I plan for this to be a second pair of Mercury Socks.

Tanis Fiber Arts Purple Label in Fjord.  I want to do a second pair of Flying Hearts Socks (with a longer cuff) with this.

Tanis Fiber Arts Amber Label in Aurora.  This was a new base that Tanis created for this update, it's a Merino/Cashmere/Silk blend that's wonderfully squishy.    I want to use this as the contrast colour for a pair of Snowfling Mittens (I still have to get my hands on the pattern, but that can sit for now!)

And last but not least, Tanis Fiber Arts Green Label, also in Aurora.  It the same colourway as the Amber Label, above, but it looks quite different in the skein.  These are going to be an attempt to make aran-weight socks two-at-a-time. 

I haven't yet broken my attempt at not buying yarn (I'm still being good, I promise), but I did realize that I hadn't posted these pretty things.  

. . . So it helps if you read the pattern. . .

It really, really does.

Remember my tension fail I wrote about last week?

Well, it's not so much that my tension got screwed up, it's that I didn't actually read the pattern.   I thought it was supposed to be 6 repeats of the colour-work chart.

No, it's 1 repeat of the chart all the way around with the rest of the sock in the stripe pattern.

. . . .

Well, don't I feel stupid.

On the plus side, I've frogged right back on this sock, and I'm taking the opportunity to learn two-at-a-time socks. I tried once before, but Magic Loop left me with a headache and a horrible tangle. 

But, as usual, with so many tutorials out there, finally something 'clicked.'   In this case, it was Silver's Sock Class' Two Toe-Up Socks on One Circular Needle Tutorial, which has been absurdly helpful, and finally made sense to my head. 

I'm hoping doing my socks (and sleeves, and gloves) two-at-a-time, will eliminate second sock/mitten/sleeve syndrome, which I have in spades.  I have very few finished socks and many socks without mates. 

I'm actually really excited about the idea two-at-a-time.  So far it's been really interesting.