Lots and lots of Blue Sock(s)

So I finished my first Yukon sock. It became a good technique-learning sock and I'm really pleased with the results (except that it's a little large...)


I was really careful in the construction of this sock and I think it is the first sock I've ever made where there are no mistakes (did I just jinx myself?). I learned some stuff too -- I learned to pick up the front half of the chain stitch instead of the whole stitch when picking up along the heel flap. If you knit the front half through the back of the loop, you don't get those annoying little holes all along the heel flat.


This is also the first time I've shaped the toe by even spacing the decreases at the end of each needle, rather than at the end of needles 1 and 3 and the beginning of needles 2 and 4 (is there a name for this kind of toe shaping?).


I'm not crazy about the yarn. I think I'm tired of variegated yarn, or at least yarn with such large color changes. I want to make patterned socks, and this yarn fails. I began this sock as the Conwy sock from Knitting on the Road. You can see where I began the pattern at the top of the sock, and the fact that the yarn completely obscures all detail. I just shifted into a nice rib and made the sock, and again, it's a perfectly serviceable sock. But... I think I'm done for a while with variegated sock yarn (at least, I'm not buying any more of it... I still have several skeins in my stash I'll probably use to make similarly 'boring' and yet serviceable and tecnique-enhancing socks). Eunny made a nice point of variation, and while I love the color combos in variegated yarn, and find myself drawn to sharp color contrasts in yarn-in-a-hank, I'm never as pleased when I see it knit up. The distraction if it now is too much... it's time to grow up and embrace solids :)


I also need to get size 0 needes. I used US 1 for these and they knit big. I'd like a denser fabric with this yarn.

P.S. I hate blogger. It took me all day to post this. grrr...