WIP: 2x2 socks and stash enhancement eye candy

After a couple of weeks of my body feeling really "off," hurting and general fatigue (and after two doctor visits/testing sessions not producing any findings), I am happy to say that starting yesterday, I feel much better as a whole. My back still hurts, but most of my symptoms have calmed down. It was hard to get any knitting done, but I did manage to finish up on the leg ribbing that I started a long while back and complete the heels. Mostly, it was just me taking care of the boys, teaching and then sleeping as much as I could.

What a difference from the last sock. This colorway speaks to me MUCH better.

Yarn: 2 skeins of Premier Yarns Deborah Norville Serenity Sock Weight Prints (Merino/Bamboo blend; colorway: Mint

Needles: Size US 1 using "Addi Turbos"

 Method: Top-down, 2-at-a-time 

Cast-on Amount: 64 sts

Stitching: 2x2 ribbed leg, a slip-stitch heel, and stockinette foot

I really think that the faux-intarsia yarn patterning looks really good with US 1 sized needles. You can find this yarn at Hobby Lobby for I think $7/ea before a coupon.

Knitting this traditional heel on just one circular needle while working them "2-at-a-time" was a little bit of a challange. Turning the heel for the first one went smoothly, but after picking up stitches on one side of that heel, I realized that I would have to take the second sock off the needles because there was no way to access the other sock anymore without breaking the yarn. So, I "cheated," turned the second heel on dpns and transferred them back on the one circular needle as if nothing wrong had happened. I'll have to google the actual process of this.

Another awkward thing I encountered (having this be my first "2-at-a-time socks" with this sort of heel) was that since the heel is cupped chaped, I had to put some of the stitches from one side of the gusset onto the needle with my instep stitches. After the gusset was done, I transfered the leftover stitches back onto the bottom of the foot needle side.

Some new stash enhancements that I'd like to share with you:

I was at the store Tuesday Morning and scored pretty big with these Miski 100% baby llama yarn in a nice red wine color. I envision knitting up a nice chunky triangular or crescent shaped shawl and making a hat with any leftover yarn. The yarn is heavenly soft and still smells like freshly dyed wool. I may have sniffed them several times like yarn crack.

So gorgeous.

Also, several weeks back, I bought some Yarn Bee's Aurora Borealis yarn in hopes to re-knit and publish my "Punk Rock Tunic" in a different type of yarn.