Some socks are not meant to be

Once in a while the universe shouts loudly that I have too many projects on the needles. As it was Yarn Shop Day today, I wanted to cast on my limited-edition West Yorkshire Spinners self-striping yarn in their Yarn Shop Day colourway. I had the yarn ready, and yesterday posted the options for heels and toes to Instagram for a few opinions (overwhelmingly blue, if you discount the many people that suggested mix and match; anyone who has ever seen my sock drawer is aware that is not an option). I knew I would need another ball of whichever yarn I chose as a contrast, so popped into the yarn shop in town yesterday lunchtime to pick up a ball, only to find that they were out of stock of both colourways! Rather than hunt through all my cupboards to find some 2 mm needles, I had also decided to get another set of needles for this cast on (yes I have plenty, but all the good ones are in use), and there were none of those in stock either.

Not one for quitting, this morning I drove to the next-nearest yarn shop, where I bought one ball of the pink and one of the blue (still a little undecided in which colour to go for), and my son added a ball of blue self-striping for some socks for him (he commented on the way home that it wasn't fair that only one person in the house could knit, as he'd like to knit socks too, so that's a future wet weekend sorted), but still no 2 mm needles.

Blue stripes that have been claimed by my son

Before we'd gone out I had located a Knit Pro Zing 2 mm circular needle, but when I took it out of the bag to cast on, I remembered my (almost) irrational fear of knitting socks on Zings; I don't like them and they don't like me (many reasons, but I can't get consistent gauge with them, which is the main one). So when we got home, I dug out the bag of emergency needles: magazine freebies, half pairs and cheap needles purchased when nothing else was available. Hooray, a 2 mm 80 cm circular needle. And I cast on.

I'm using blue for the contrast, and the needle is totally fine. A bit stickier than I'm used too, and the join isn't the smoothest, but certainly not too bad. And I am making excellent progress. Sorry to all the other sock projects, you might be on the sideline for a little longer...

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I am blogging every day in May. If you'd like to read the other posts, click this link.

Yarn Shop Day 2017

This Saturday is Yarn Shop Day, a celebration of the local yarn shop and their role in the community. I don't have one single yarn shop that is my 'local', but I do have several local favourites where I go to see yarn in the flesh (colours and textures are always better in real life than they are over the internet), talk to the staff about yarn and patterns (yarn shop staff at small yarn shops, at least the ones I've come across, are generally very knowledgeable and willing to help) and get involved in the local knitting community. Many also run classes and events, which can be excellent places to expand your crafting knowledge.

Many local yarn shops are holding events to celebrate Yarn Shop Day, a map of yarn shops taking part can be found here, so if you're free, why not pop along to your local and see what's happening. Or you could try out somewhere new.

Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to make it to any yarn shops this Saturday as we already have plans, but I will be knitting some of this exciting self-striping sock yarn, a limited-edition release from West Yorkshire Spinners on their Signature 4ply base, which I've raved about previously. And if I get a minute tomorrow, I will be popping into a yarn shop to get hold of some yarn to use as a contrast for the heels, cuffs and toes. The yarn is only available through yarn shops, not on the internet, so if you want some for yourself, you'll have to head to a yarn shop and hunt some down!

Are you doing anything for Yarn Shop Day? Which is your favourite yarn shop?

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I'm blogging every day in May. This post is the fourth. If you'd like to read the others, follow this link. If you're getting involved, let me know in the comments!