Finally finished

I proudly present ... the Octarine Socks!
These socks have been an effort, let me tell you. First of all, I decided to try the toes-up method again, only this time I wanted to add a little bit of a pattern to them. I decided to just throw a purl stitch in every so many stitches, which ended up in a multiple that was one stitch larger than the number of stitches in each round, so the rows of purls would spiral. Great in theory, not so great when I got to apply the math and ended up with wonky sized rows at the end of the round. See how most of them are seven stitches wide, only about 2/3rds of the way down it's only four stitches wide? Oops.
Figuring that the color would blind anyone to the initial problems with the pattern, I forged ahead, making great time and getting to the first heel turn pretty quickly. Only, I forgot that I was working on larger needles, so I had fewer stitches per round than most patterns, so when I worked to where they recommend and started the heel, the length of the foot from heel-to-toe was shorter than it should have been. I could get the sock on, but that sucker wasn't going to be comfortable. But did I notice this early on? No, I noticed it when I tried it on to decide where to start the ribbing ... you know, the LAST THING you do on the sock. Gah.

Faced with a short sock with a Frankenstein pattern problem, I did what any sane girl would do ... put it down and worked on other stuff for a while. And decided not to make the same mistakes on the second sock, which indeed was much closer to the right length and pattern.

So, when the first sock is too short and wonky, and the second sock fits, what's a girl to do? Frog the first one and start over again? Nope.
Now I've got a backup, and I didn't have to admit defeat on the wonky sock.

On the positive side of things, I have now knit enough socks with this pattern to have worked out most of the kinks with turning the heels. Not only did I not have to go back and close up any huge holes, a couple of the heels look like this:
Go me! Go me! Go me!

Oh, and the Holy Alpaca sweater is done, except for sewing and blocking. All I have left are sewing the arm and side seams, but with the weird pattern to this fabric, it's going to take me forever, so it may be next year before you get to see it. And unless I can block it down to be much smaller than it seems to be, I'm going to look like I have Orangutan Arms when I wear it.