I'm Baaaack

I have been so negligent with the posting - as you know if you have checked here in the last three months. So much for my resolve to post more frequently in 2009. Life has been hectic here. I think it is knitting that has helped me keep my sanity.

This year I almost didn't sign up for Sock Madness. I didn't think I would have the opportunity to knit in the competition. I did sign up and surprised myself with how well I did. Truth be told, though, I stayed in as long as I did because I was not placed (randomly) in one of the fastest groups. The patterns this year were excellent and a lot of fun to knit. The family kept urging me on, checking on my progress, and cheering me to finish the socks before the round ended. Amazingly, I made it through to the sixth round where I was eliminated only an hour after the first finisher (only one of us could advance in this round). Socks knit in the competition rounds have to be knit to pattern specs. There was something new, different, or unusual for me to learn and do in every round, in addition to knitting quickly enough to advance to the next round.

So here are my first six pairs...

Round 1 (blue) - Tropical Mer-tini
Round 2 (grey & red) - Tokena
Round 3 (small green) - Talia's Wings
Round 4 (black & multi) - Lucky Diamonds
Round 5 (red, white, blue) - Dimpled Diamonds
Round 6 (brown & orange) - Fire on the Mountain

For the seventh and final round, I was out of the competition so I modified the socks to better fit me. I changed the short row heel as written in the pattern to a gusset and flap. This pattern was so fun to knit and the socks are quite different from any other socks I've made to date. I love them!