On the fourth day of December

I had just cast off a pair of socks, and was casting on a hat.

Specs: L’s Blue Jay Socks
Pattern: Thelonious
Designer: Cookie A
Size: Large

Yarn: Knit Pick’s Kettle Dyed Essentials
Yardage: nearly 2 balls
Needles: 2mm dpns

Cast On: Nov. 24. 08
Bound Off: Dec. 3. 08
Notes: My biggest problem was remembering that they were mirror images (as in I had to drop and reknit about 11 rows on the first sock because I wasn’t paying attention). But once my brain grasped how the pattern developed, it was smooth sailing (as in the second sock was much faster). I can’t wait to try my next Cookie A socks.

The hat is a Meret (which is apparently quite popular this year) and will be for a friend. So far I’m still casting on so there isn’t much to report.

I’m going to use up some Decor from the stash, the colour is really good for the intended recipent

However, I’m slightly miffed right now. The yarn I used for the Thelonious came from one of Knit Picks sampler packs, and while the blue was great and the black, brown and green also seem fine the two reds (wine and auburn) don’t match. They are different colours, despite being the same dye lots! I expected variations, but in this case it isn’t tonal variation throughout a skein, but serious differences between two – arrrggh!!! I’m debating whether or not I should try to cast on my next pair of socks (which I had wanted to do in auburn) and see how different they are or if I should scrap that and try a different colour rather than potentially waste the knitting time (which just before Christmas is a much bigger deal than other times of the year).
[EDIT::] I just got off the phone with Knit Picks and they are sending me replacements – really really great customer service. 

Anyway, that is my great concern for the day (I wish), but I really should get back to the thesis monster, before it tries to eat me.