Surprise

I had a free hour before dashing over to Sandra's yesterday, so I cast on for the new socks (that's 8 projects again in case you were counting.)  They are going to be so cute.  Also: sensible, because I don't have any other emergency knitting of the sort one can throw into one's bag for unexpected outings or waiting room sits, a scenario which comes up ever so much more than you'd think, let alone want.

Then at the door I hesitated.  I'd set out two little Tinyhappy bags - one packed with the Stripey, one with the Socks - and because my hands were still sore neither project was any better than the other.  So I put in Stripey, and then I thought GAH and put in Socks, and then I thought GAH again and took out Socks and ran out the door.

(I was so flustered by then that I got lost on the way to Sandra's house.  Admittedly her house is about a 20 minute walk from mine so there is opportunity for getting turned around, but I've known her little area very well for lo these 12 or 13 years so that is pretty embarrassing, and cut into our knitting time too.  I didn't even have her number to call and ask for directions; I had to call another friend and explain that I was standing on the corner of this and that and could I please know how to get to there?  Terrible.  But good that we have mobile phones now.)

When I finally got to her oasis of calm and tucked up on her very nice sofa with a cup of excellent tea in one hand and a chocolate-topped cookie in the other - okay, of course I mean after I'd eaten the cookie and put down the tea but you don't get the same effect if I don't mention them - I opened up the bag and

Surprise!

I had neither Stripey nor Socks but Sock Sweater Sleeve #1.  Oops!

Yes, there are two sleeves since I last showed Sock Sweater, in aid of travel knitting.  I hadn't considered bringing this particular one because it was so close to decision point, but getting lost meant that I still had enough to do with it in the time we still had.  Also, Sandra was able to help with the decision, which was to put priority on the fact that it fits as it is over the fact that the stitch count isn't going to be what I was aiming for on paper.

Since we're talking about it, I've also exhausted the travel potential of the body portion of Sock Sweater:

I'm done with the first ball, and have I think slightly more length than I planned, so I have to stop working on it till the sleeves are up to where they need to be.

Here is what occurred to me while working on the sleeve:

I have alternated 2 skeins on the body to ensure colour uniformity.  I should also do this with the sleeves even though it looks like I will have enough yarn to finish them without even starting a second skein, just in case.  BUT

... after so much care, how do I account for the fact that the dye batch for the sleeves is slightly different from that of the body? What happens when I join body and sleeve - and should I go on then with the body's yarn, or the sleeves'?

Here is what I think I will do: break with brown before I get to the top of the sleeves, and throw in some more Fair Isle.  It might look odd just having that on the sleeves just there, but it might also look fab.  (and if it doesn't, I can always rip back and try something else, right?)