Friday, April 4, 2014

Purple yarn to the rescue

So glad it's Friday: it is just plain weird to post only every other day, and I'm not sure how long I can keep it up.  But in the meantime, here are some guilty socks!  They are all done, and aren't they pretty?

handknit socks, kitchener stitch

I had almost made up my mind to give them away even though I really, really want to keep them, because of all the purple.  But they are just, well... so pretty.  And I am sure I will need them on my springtime holiday, which is going to involve a lot of the kind of walking that requires comfy handknit socks in happy springtime colours.

vesper sock yarn

That being the case, isn't it lucky that a giant box of Twisted Fiber Art yarn turned up on my kitchen counter the other day, and contained this?

twisted fiber art yarn

Can't get more purple and purple-matchy than actual purple yarn with a coordinating purple and brown stripe, can you.  

Tell you what though, the box itself was pretty lucky.  I'd had to go out that morning, even though Ray was dropping in to deliver the new flooring we hope one day to have installed in our still-flooding basement room, and when I got back there was the box.  And the odd thing about that (odder even than finding a parcel on your counter instead of on the porch outside) is that if a Twisted shipment to Canada requires an actual box, it's gonna involve customs and duty fees.  Which generally have to be paid before you get to take possession of said box.

Guess who paid the fees?

Yep, Ray.  And if that isn't the mark of Your Dream Contractor, then you'd better take a look at the sort of work he does.  (hint: he's awesome.)

So, thanks to Ray, I have not only the fabulous purple yarn, but also this cute combo:

Twisted Fiber Art yarn
Shade is maybe not the best way to achieve true colour representation

and this other one too:

Twisted Fiber Art yarn
Just doublechecking that shade thing and Nope: still doesn't work

All of these yarns were from Twisted's 'Downton Abbey' club, and when I opened the box I will admit to a sharp intake of breath plus a moment of panic, because I didn't remember why on earth I ordered any of it.  I mean, I made an actual list this time and I had a purpose for everything I chose.  I am pretty sure I even recall agonizing about leaving things off the list because I didn't want to be swamped with tons more yarn.

Ahem.

Did I mention the box also had this in it?

twisted fiber art roving

Some roving, to go with one of the sets of blues.

Eventually I remembered what I'd been thinking.  If I can get two pairs of socks out of the purple-and-brown yarn and the straight purple, they will go to my two sockworthy, purple-loving girlfriends.  The two sets of blues are for the Sock Monsters; I decided to knit them each another pair of socks for next winter, prepping them right up to the toe before the fall, then checking their current size and finishing them off to Exactly Right or even A Bit Long, instead of Just A Bit Short.  The roving... well, I think I was planning to use up any remaining sock yarn to set up a scarf on the loom, and then make handspun to go with it.

Unrealistic as this list is, it's still huge progress with my acquisition problem.  I mean, I had an actual plan before I bought the yarn!  I definitely deserve a biscuit for that.

Meanwhile, I couldn't help but notice this cute sample in the bottom of the box.

Again with the shade.  It was super cold out when I took these pictures so I was mostly thinking Get Back Inside.

Lannie would love a pair of socks out of that.  It might be three years before I'd get around to starting and finishing them, but they'd be fantastic, so I might just watch the site, hawklike, for the day this colour goes back into production.

(okay, so maybe I'm not as much improved as I'd like to think I am on the acquisition problem.)

Want another look at my pretty, finished socks? Mary asked, by way of changing the subject before more in-depth questions could be asked...


I am so glad I can keep these without guilt. And look how perfectly the toes came out - both ending on the same colour, no single round of the next stripe marking just one of them as so often happens to me:


Hard not to be happy with a victory like that on the table.

I sure hope you have a good victory these weekend.  Have fun with your makes, and I'll see you on Monday!


p.s. you know what happens when you finish off your emergency knitting, right?  Yep, you cast on another.


Just in case you were worried I'm not knitting enough to live on, now that I'm trying to write more. 

2 comments:

Leslie said...

You convinced me to buy some Twisted Fiber yarns...you could probably take a cut :)

Mary Keenan said...

You're in for a treat Leslie! if you can decide on a colour and a base yarn that is... there are so many amazing options ;^)