Things that make you say, "Hmmm".

I'm working on a lot of things right now.  I know.  We all have a million different projects in the works.  But my ADD is really on the attack lately.  I think it has something to do with the twitter KAL.  That was the first project in ages where I cast on and didn't even look at or think about any other knitting, spinning, dyeing, felting, designing, blogging, photography (you get the idea) projects until I had cast off AND blocked the darn thing.  Now, I am suffering the repurcussions of that intense focus.  None.

I haven't had a sale on Etsy in 15 days.  To be fair, there's not much there in the way of my favorite thing, sock yarn.  I do have a bunch of gorgeous hand spun yarn and some pretty cool worsted weight hand dyed yarns (if you like rust, yellow and green especially).  Look under new listings.  I'm de-stashing some of the first stuff I ever dyed.

On a dyeing note, I am currently playing with my dyes.  Working on new formulations for blends of colors.  I should be doing some test runs on actual yarn in the next few days.  Once that is finished (and I get new raw materials) I plan to go full tilt in creating new colorways.  I have TONS of color combinations in mind.  Everything from almost solid, tone-on-tone to pure craziness.  What I would really apreciate from you, dear Reader, is the answer to these two questions:

1.  What is your absolute favorite, gotta-have-it color or color combination?

2.  When buying sock yarn, do you prefer buying two 50 gram skeins or one 100 gram skein?

That's all on that topic.  Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.  Seriously, your answers to those two would be a HUGE help.  Thank you.

On other topics, (and you don't need to answer this in writing unless you feel the urge)...for those of you who knit socks or want to learn how to knit socks: when using a pattern are you looking for the crazy-complex, multi-twisting cables and or lacework, or do you prefer simple but elegant?  I know they are not mutually exclusive but...  I have been working on a pair of socks for my husband, Addison.  

They are a simple ribbed sock.  The elegant part though is that at the gusset I arranged the stitches in such a way so that at the beginning of the decreases you split one of the ribbing sections and when the decreases are done they come back together.  It forms this beautiful triangle at the side of the ankle and the all-over ribbing makes the socks feel thicker and squishier than they would otherwise.  

It also makes for a better fit.  The sock gently hugs the foot.   I ask about patterns because I am thinking of submitting this to Knit Picks Independent Designer Program.  But when I looked at all of the patterns on their site, these seem awfully plain in comparison.  Yet, I have had a lot of knitters ooh-ing and ah-ing over them lately (maybe the're just being polite). Any thoughts?

And, finally: I am working on a shawl that I call "Ruby with Diamonds" because the batts I spun this from (made by @fibermonster and found here) are called Ruby and it has a diamond pattern (yea, I'm that simple). 

I have also refered to this project as "Shawl in 3 Parts".  When I started knitting this I had nothing particular in mind.  I cast on 3 stitches and just started knitting.  When I bound off I had this interesting shape. 

I thought it was so interesting that I started a second one.  Once I got far enough along I realized they would fit together.  So, further intrigued, I ordered more Ruby and spun like crazy.  I am now on the third section.  I decided that rather than do a simple join of the pieces (where's the challenge in 'simple'?) I am going to knit a square section sort of like a knit on edging where I will attach it to the two pieces as I knit it.  

Then (drumroll please) I will design some sort of edging to go all the way around.  And at that point I will say a prayer to the knitting goddess that I still have enough yarn.  Or call FiberMonster again.  Whichever.