Who would have guessed?

I had a whole long post nearly written when my computer crashed. This time, I am composing in Word and will copy and paste. Yesterday, I ran what seemed to be a million errands. In reality, it was probably closer to 5 places, but one of them I tried on clothes so it seemed like more. One of the items on my list was to return the flawed skein of Barefoot to the snooty yarn shop. I have to say that the ladies were much more gracious than I expected. They were horrified by the skein once I showed it to them and obviously agreed to exchange it. I spent an inordinate amount of time choosing a replacement.* The remaining Barefoot did not call out to me as the original had. There were a few skeins of Schaefer Anne, but it was more comfortable on the shelf than in my stash. While the yarns are beautiful, some of the color combinations are too jarring for me. I finally decided to go with 2 skeins of Koigu’s PPPM as a replacement. I took them up to the counter and pulled out the receipt for the Barefoot and realized that the PPPM was three dollars more expensive for the pair of socks. The lady was very generous and let me make a direct exchange because of all of the trouble. I thanked her profusely and left the store thinking that all was right in the universe. Hmm, usually that signals trouble, doesn’t it? I should have known better. I set up the ball winder and dragged the lamp over as a swift. Everything started well enough. I was enthralled by the colors, the silky texture of the yarn as it slipped through my fingers, the pearl-like appearance of the plies. It was a short-lived bliss. About halfway through the skein a few slubs appeared. At first I was irritated. But I rationalized that yarn is a natural thing and that natural things aren’t perfect. Besides, knitted up tightly, the slubs shouldn’t cause any problems. Then IT appeared. One of the plies was slightly longer than the other and had twisted up on itself causing a small lump. I was moderately irritated. But again, I thought to myself, yarn is natural. One little thing like this, no problem. I can cut it out and who cares about 1 join in a sock, its only 4 ends. It seemed that there was smooth winding ahead. We all know how appearances can be deceiving, don’t we? A few minutes later, the first knot appeared (notice I say first). My irritation boiled just below the surface. Now there would have to be 2 joins in the sock. That’s 6 ends to weave in on one single-colored sock. Because I was about three-quarters of the way through winding, I pushed onward. Then I found a SECOND knot. I fumed. Eight frickin’ ends? No frickin’ way was that going to happen, not on a skein that run $12.50. I finished winding the skein and resolved to take the hateful thing back. Unfortunately the second skein must have noticed my bad attitude because, while it was free of flaws, it tangled terribly and took nearly an hour to wind. Guess that shows me. Now, if only I could find a sock pattern that matches the gauge I am getting. I have lots for 7st/in, some for 8, but for most of yarns laying around the house, I am getting 9st/in. How crazy is that. There are a few patterns from Vintage socks that I should be able to modify to fit my purpose and gauge. Hopefully I will have more to post on that later. Progress report on the tank top – I have reached the bust increases on both front and back. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the yardage will be sufficient. Peacock Feathers is progressing. I am through row 42. Once I finish this chart (and it stops raining) I will post more pictures. *I have a very hard time making a decision when there are a lot of options. When I was a kid, if given money to buy a candy bar, I would often leave the store with the coins still in my pocket, paralyzed by indecision, overwhelmed by the myriad of options. Unfortunately, I still struggle with the same issue today. I have found a solution when it comes to yarn though. I simply purchase most of the items that strike my fancy. Hey – notice I didn’t say this was an affordable solution, simply a solution. Just don’t tell Eric – he has no clue how much yarn I have.