#10 The Solution Sock

The problem : I have tons of variegated yarns which are irresistible in the skein but when knitted up they are... meh. They won't make a pattern and result in blobs of color that doesn't equal how beautiful they look when I fell for them unknit.                             

The Solution: Use two contrasting variegated yarns and let happen what happens!

Here's what I did. With the darker yarn in my left hand I knit Continental and in my right hand with the lighter yarn, I knit English. One stitch with one yarn and one stitch with the other.  It was tricky at first but I got the rhythm going and I was thrilled with what I was seeing develop.

 Even the inside of the sock looked wonderful. Those tiny circulars which I had hated became my best tool. I just love them now.

 Look at the patterning now! Vertical stripes, horizontal bands and wonderful color. Woowoo!

 The second sock was even easier because all the doubt and angst was gone and I could watch TV without getting lost. 

 I used just the darker variegated for the heel, toe and top ribbing. The foot was the same kind of yarn but solid Terra Cotta color.  The pair are in the 'brown' family but I still love them (not a brown fan). And the fit is perfect. Here's my trick for top down socks ( not my invention, but still) I cast on with long circulars and knit the cuff and then switch to the tiny circulars for the leg, and then for the foot, heel and toe, back to long circulars.

 I have so much dark and murky variegated yarn that I am considering buying more in lighter values. O dear, I'm falling down the rabbit hole, again!. 

Koigu Hand Painted Premium Merino and Prism Merino, Madeline Tosh Sock for the lighter variegated, size 2 needles throughout. Cast on 64. Afterthought heel.