Oh, what a night! Yarn Portraits and more

This past Thursday Julie and I had a date to meet up at Romni's, little did I know that she had some ulterior motives for her location choice, sneaky kitten. She said that we were there because she was going to buy me some yarn and that was that. I long ago learned not put up a fight with her on these occasions. (Who'd want to? Please don't buy me some pretty yarn Julie, I would not like to work with some outstanding fiber on a garment of my choice!) A little while later we found these three special skeins of Misti Alpaca. 80% Baby Suri Alpaca 20% Silk Hand painted with more colors that any Dream In Color yarn I've seen. This specific colorway (#15, lot#80110) is so incredibly awesome that I took picture after picture loving the twists and contrasts in the color play. These three were taken in a northern facing window on a cloudy day. The next were with a makeshift light box to get a softer effect. It's even softer than it looks, practically dancing over my skin. I am very lucky girl. Which brings me to the second reason Julie wanted to meet up... She asked me to be a maid of honor at her wedding! I accepted enthusiastically through a flurry of hugs and tears. I will be happily sharing my maid of honourdom with our fantastic mutual friend Monica. I'm peanut butter jelly time excited this and my new yarn! Woo! Here is the ideal that I have for it. I sketched this ages ago and this yarn has inspired me to figure it out for real. 1. lying flat: a round cabled shrug with detailed rectangular back piece 2. around the neck: a cushy collar that naturally falls high 3. big twist: the main cable needs to be simple and defined 4. from behind: a look at how the piece sits 5. (seems I skipped 5 altogether) 6. supplemental: if the first idea doesn't work out... 7. coverage: the priority areas that need warmth I can picture this alternate version with ribbing of some sort around the arm holes to give it more finishing. A cable with texture in the center, big detailed stitches perhaps? As you can see, I have some hammering out to do. I tried on a great vestish piece at Fraiche (great store on Queen) a while back. I wonder if I could deconstruct it...and if I have the patience for the cables? The back is knit sideways and the front pieces look separate but seem to be attached by the cable. Two modish buttons close and cross the panels for an overlapping collar. Inspiration is oozing out of me. Now, if only I could get rid of this second sock syndrome. I've been stuck on the second of the spiral socks for forever and a day. I simply couldn't get it to match in gauge, that sock has been frogged more times than miss piggy. At the moment the heel turn has just finished and it's onto the home stretch gusset and instep! The time it would take to knit these socks was horribly miscalculated!