Not Croc'd

Where's the Croc?

No progress made on the Holographic Sweater tonight. Got home later than normal from work (for good reasons -- we're prepping a completed genome for customer delivery) and then John and I went on our regular Wednesday date -- the best ribs in Chicagoland from a place called Merle's in Evanston. But it's a little bit of a car ride from central Chicago to Evanston, so I go a chance to work a little on my next pair of socks in Opal Croc 10.

So far I am a little disappointed. My socks aren't croc'ing. To see what they are supposed to look like, click here. To see what I think they are going to look like, click here and scroll about midway down. I'm doing my socks on 2.25 mm (US 1), and it looks like I am getting about 8 stitches/inch. Any looser seems like it would be too loose for comfort and wear. Ah well, they were just for me anyway. Strange stuff, Opal. Since 2 out of the 3 skeins of patterning Opal I've knit with have had some little oddities, I think I will be reserving Opal for knitting socks for myself. Regia seems a little more trustworthy for gift knitting purposes. I must say that this Croc yarn is a lot softer than the other two skeins I knit with, so I'm looking forward to wearing them.

But there was more than one skein of Opal in my life today. Guess what came in the mail for me?

Yummy Yummy Yarn from Karine

This is 500 meters (200 g) of Opal Batikgarn in stunning colorway 3, accompanied by some very fab Regia Mini Ringel in color 5217 from Karine in Norway. The Opal is a little richer looking in person, the reds are a little less raspberry and more deep fuschia. It's a hand dyed superwash and I think it's destiny will be something that I can wear close to my skin. Maybe a hat and a scarf and mitts? It seems like it's a little heavier than fingering weight. Is that sport weight? I can never remember these things.

This was part of a trade via my trading blog (which I will be updating soon, I promise!). I sent her this Kureyon which she's planning on turning into a Booga Bag. I acquired all the skeins randomly, and never thought about combining into one project, but looking at them now, I think they go together quite well -- that rusty stripe is actually present in all three skeins. I'm looking forward to seeing how Karine combines them.

I'll be on hiatus tomorrow... John and I have to make a trek up to northern Michigan to say a final goodbye to one of my aunts who lost her battle with chronic heart disease and our travel schedule isn't going to permit me time to get a Friday post up. It'll be good to see some of my cousins who I haven't seen in a long time, but I have to admit I'm feeling a little guilty about becoming a weddings and funerals family member. Then we're going to drive back to Ann Arbor with my parents. Mom's going to help me get Culdesac finished up and a little trip to Knit A Round is planned. Lots of driving so I'll be taking the Croc socks my new stripey Regia and some of my unfinished scarves.

Have a great Halloween everyone!