Our Story Thus Far

About two months ago, your intrepid blogger saw the notices advertising Sock Madness III and signed up immediately, vying for a spot amongst 199 other hopefuls. This was her first competitive sock knitting experience and she had no idea if she would make the cut. So she waited. And waited. And on that fine day when the competitors were listed she found her name in the Great Knitspectations division and wondered how she may fare against the other, more experienced, sock knitter she would face.

Round 1: A general culling from 200 down to 160. After this round cuts will be made evenly across the divisions.
Pattern: Tropical Mertini by Ronni Smith
Started March 19
Completed March 22
Yarn: Araucnia Ranco

Our competitor was surprised and delighted to finish within the top 10 of her division. Perhaps she was faster than she had thought. She had made it through to Round 2 and if this was as far as she made it she could proudly say she hadn't been cut in the first round.

Round 2: Only the first 20 knitters in each division will make the cut
Pattern: Tokena by Tricia Weatherston
Started April 4
Completed April 7
Yarn: Shibui Knits Sock

The pressure was truly on in this round. With her limited Stranded Knitting skills and the countdown to Pesach upon her, she bravely knit on and finished 5 in her division. Although she had sailed through to Round 3 she worried that it would start without her and she would be out due to inability to knit through the religious holiday.

Fortuitously the competition seemed to grind to halt during the holiday with Round 3 announced to begin almost a week after the end of Passover.

Round 3: Only the top 12 in each division will make it through
Pattern: Talia's Wings by Heatherly Walker
Started April 20
Completed April 23
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy

This toe-up sock seemed simple enough but felt like it took a lot of time. The foot of Sock 1 was completed the first night, the foot of Sock 2 on the second. The legs were worked night 3 until, with only 14 rows and the ribbing on Sock 2 to go, bleary eyed and pained of back, her body screamed "enough". Our blogger passed out for the night. Not prepared to be beaten, she rose with the sun (or the alarm if you will) at 6:15 this morning and just over two hours later was sending in my pics and specs of the completed pair. When she had gone to sleep only 3 people in her division had finished. Though the sleep nourished her aching, exhausted body, it robbed her of position and she finished the round in the number 7 position. Oh, and she walked around work like a Zombie. Even with the caffeine injections.

Still, this means I've made it through to Round 4. As I speculate on what the pattern will be and when it will be released, I resign myself to sleepless nights as well. I am determined to make it through another round. Are you with me?

Flying Needles

Want to know what I did this weekend? I transformed this:

into this!
How long exactly did it take me? You know I cast on Thursday night (Ok, I tried to cast on in the car on the way to work but that was a disaster!) And you know that by Friday afternoon I was just at Sock 1's toe section before I stopped for Shabbos. Saturday night I was back again. Finishing the toe, casting on for Sock 2 and making it through 16 pattern rows before I fell, exhausted, into my bed.

Sunday I was up and at it again. The results had not been updated (to the best of my knowledge) and it looked like quite a few people had posted finished pics in Ravelry. I was so nervous I'd be cut from the first round. So onward, onward.

I left the house for my very necessary Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte. I ate at some point. Other wise it was knit, knit, knit. By 6 I had grafted the second toe. I'm sure I broke for dinner at that point. Here's a closeup of the stitch pattern (that wavy X is repeated three times from cuff to toe):

Then it was on to the heels. Afterthought heels, remember? My first afterthought heels, and it took more time than expected to remove the waste yarn. When I use this technique in the future I will definitely modify. But I am very, very happy with them.

I finished at about 11:45 pm. And immediately photographed and posted my entry. (That late night photo was pretty awful. I took these pics today.) At 9:15 I received a reply to my email that my socks had been registered. I went to my division page to see if I'd made the cut. Now, I had checked it the night before and there were only 9 people who had finished. But I had no idea of how often the mods were updating. I still may not have made it through! So imagine my surprise when I checked the page this morning. 11 people in my division!!! I have no way of knowing if I was 10 or 11 but I do know that both those numbers are lower than 40. So it looks like I made it to Round 2! Of course what happens next is anyone's guess. If pattern 2 is released very soon, Very Soon, and I have time before Pesach, there is a shot I could go to Round 3. But if it is released too close or during, then I'm out for the count. I'll keep you posted.

Tropical Mertini by Raspberry (Ronni Smith)
Yarn: Araucania Ranco Solid in Sky Blue
Needles: KP fixed circs 2.75mm
Cast on: March 19, 2009
Bind off: March 22, 2009
Sock Madness III, Round 1

Fierce Competition

Sock Madness III. 200 participants. 4 groups. 10 from each group will be cut at the end of round 1. At leas two people have finished their socks from a pattern that was released yesterday morning. 1 hour until Shabbos. 26 hours before I return. Is there any hope I'll make through the first round?

The Pattern: Tropical Mertini by Ronni Smith
(I call them Am I Blue on my Rav project page.)

Directions must be followed to the letter. The only changes allowed: Choice of yarn and needle size. Finished sock must be a minimum of US 7.

Since I am a size 10 with a widish foot, I am using a 2.75 mm needle. Looks like the extra width gives me also the extra length necessary and I have made NO changes to the pattern!

The Cast: Twisted German CO. Fortunately, my CO of choice.

The pattern: Since it's Round 1 the pattern is a combination of knits and purls. The chart is 32 sts wide, so it is repeated twice for the leg, once for the foot with basic stockinette in the sole.

The heel: Afterthought with an "Eye of Fauxtridge" Heel Flap.

My first Afterthought heel and it went just fine! These detailed photos supplied by the designer made it a breeze. I'm going to use this again, especially with multi-colorways. What a great way to stop that pooling that occurs with gusset decreases!

And I've already started the toe decreases. I should definitely get this toe finished tomorrow night and will immediately cast on for Sock 2. I'll do both heels last.

Will I make up for lost time and stay in the competition? Stay tuned...