Ready, steady.....

.... no, it's not GO until tomorrow. I need tonight to double check the pattern and make one or two alterations. Things have gone a bit wrong this weekend as I've spent 3 days in bed. The socks were done befroe the weekend but ended up being smaller than I'd planned so I decided to do a larger size too. I prefer to knit up any change in sizes just to make sure it works. Well I started and .... well, let's just say I did enough to double check all my numbers and make sure all the numbers work for the heel/ gusset etc but the larger sock's not finished. Did no knitting at all on Saturday, only a tiny bit (heel flap) on Sunday and have done the heel turn and gusset today but it was a struggle.

What's wrong with me? Well, I've got an awful toothache - abcess. sTarted on Friday and wasn't too bad but went to dentish for antibiotics. Thought it was just a flare up of a severe abcess I had in January. By Saturday evenign my whole right side of my face was swollen and I felt rather ill. Swelling is finally starting to go down and the pain is under control but I'm feeling really ill. All I want to do is sleep and drink lots of water which is apparently what I'm supposed to do.

The pattern will be e-mailed out tomorrow morning. I'll get on to it as soon as the kids have gone to school. I'd actually planned to do it tonight as I wanted to go to a knitting club tomorrow, but the club is an hours drive away and there's no way I'm up to it, unfortunately. At least I'll be hope to do all the e-mailing.

I'll post a message on here when I've done the e-mailing. Get your needles ready. You'll need US size 2 or 2.75 mm (2.5mm will do though) needles and fingering weight yarn (yarn I used is from Bright Dyes (see sidebar) and it's similar to Opal).

OMG

I haven't looked on here since I signed up and I thought I'd better check how it was going, as May is nearly upon us. 50 members!!! that is great! And what gorgeous Bright Dyes yarn. What lovely buttons, I'm putting one on my blog right now! I'm really looking forward to seeing the first pattern. Guess I'd better finish the socks I have OTN first (gulp)

Can't Wait!!!

Hello, my name is Orchid, I come from Mama Llama Knits and I would like to be knitted into something pretty very soon. I have been waiting in Audrey's stash box since Christmas and I now feel the urge to unravel my secrets. You cannot beat them out of me with sticks, as I have no bones, but you can certainly knit them and wear them on your feet. Please Audrey, set me free!

Okay, I haven't had enough caffeine today! I just wanted to say I was looking forward to May 1st :)

As I like to think of myself as a bit of a maverick, I've never done a KAL before. I'm not sure if doing this one is an exercise in knitting solidarity or just another sign of my fiber-induced insanity, but I intend to have a lot of fun!
Naomi

Anni - Will it look ok in a solid also? I live about 75 to 100 miles from the nearest yarn store where I can get nice sock yarn and I like to see it before buying so don't really want to buy online. Although I have bought some from knitpicks. Anyway, my sock stash is enough yarn for 3 pair of socks and all three will be solid, lol. At least until I can get to a nice yarn store.

busyJ

Pattern Decision made

Hi all and a huge welcome to all the new members who've posted since my last post and to those of you who haven't posted yet.

After agonising over the pattern for the May socks I've finally made my decision. I had decided on a design but the yarn Chrissy donated to be used for the socks didn't go well with the pattern, so I had to rethink. I've been swatching like mad for the last few days but nothing grabbed me. But this morning I had a break through. I was doing some knitting just after I had my breakfast and it just clicked. The design I've chosen works great with variegated or self striping yarn and looks great with a busier yarn too. I've done two pattern repeats now. This is the yarn I chose - it's the Easter Parade colourway from Bright Dyes. The other two skeins that Chrissy donated are the prize yarns for May. Yes, there will be two prizes for May.

To help you all get ready for May 1st the needles you'll need are US size 2 or 2.5/2.75mm. I'm using my 'Boyes' dpns which are American size 2 and US size 2 translates to 2.75mm, but 2.75mm aren't that easy to get hold over here in the UK so if you've got some 2.5mm they'll do just fine. I wish the whole world would use the same needle classification system - would make things a whole lot easier.

I may give you all a tiny sneak preview in a few days. ......... or maybe not.

And, I've decided to let Miss V (aka my daughter, Ness) join us. She's not had a go at socks yet and I told her she had to learn - she didn't seem to keen but I'll work on her. She's an honorary member and I may even let her post on her. LOL. She said she only wanted to join to get the free patterns as she likes freebies - what's she like?!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend and getting lots of knitting done. We've had glorious weather and I slept on the beach yesterday afternoon and in the garden this afternoon - had planned to knit this afternoon but slept for 2 hours instead. LOL.

Back to my socks now.

Happy Knitting!

I'm glad to join too, and am looking forward to getting my first pattern. I may need help, as I'm notorious for frogging patterned socks!!! I agree, you should teach Miss V to knit socks ;)

whee!

I knit socks just a wee bit... like maybe every day! So I can't wait for patterns and knitting along with you guys. What a fun opportunity, thanks.

Hi, I just wanted to chime in with everyone else and say thanks for letting me join your group after you had your initial 25. I am looking forward to the first pattern. I am working on my first pair of socks right now. I am teaching my 11 year old as I learn myself and we are really enjoying ourselves.
Paula

I have to agree

Anni -

I must say any child who is willing to write such a well written letter of complaint deserves to be allowed to join! I mean, heck I got in and all I had to do was say "Please!!!" Well, okay, I may have begged....I try to blot that from memory - it's not so pretty.

Let Miss V join the fun!

Miss V

Anni - Let her in. It would thrill me if my daughter wanted to learn to knit. She is 25 and has no desire to learn. Lucky you!!

Judy

Complaint

Look what arrived in my inbox this morning:

Re: sockamania club

To whom this may concern,

I would like to lodge a complaint on the unfairness of this club these are my reasons.
1. Due to me not having a blogger acount i can't join.
2. You say i can't join because i can't knit socks

These are my reasons why i should join
1. I live in the same house as you so that means i shouldn't need a blogger acount
2. I would like to improve my knitting
3. I like free stuff

I hope you are well and reply soon,
Yours scincerly
Miss V

A complaint from my daughter, Vanessa. So do I let her become and honorary member and teach her to knit socks? She's got initiative and her reasons are good. And they have obviously taught her something at school or does she get her complaint writing talent from her Mum (does who know me in real life think I'm prettty good at complaining and a bit stroppy, okay, a lot stroppy.)

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Gorgeous weather here in Cornwall. I was supposed to be sock knitting but finished a shawl instead. Pics on my blog soon. But I'm back on the socks now.

Anni,
Thank you for giving me the information to join. I am really excited and a little nervous I am brand new to sock knitting I just started first one this week only on the cuff and feeling unsure, but I am looking forward to having help thru the tricky parts from everyone here. Thank you for offering me this opportunity
Jacqueline

Very Excited . . .

Just wanted to say hello to everyone, thank you very much to Anni, and that I'm so excited to get started! I just got 6 skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the mail today and am anxiously awaiting casting some of it on.

Looking forward to knitting along with all of you,

Laurie

Look at this

Look at these goodies which my postie delivered this morning and I had a job trying to explain to Simon that 'no I hadn't bought any more yarn'. These 3 skeins are from Bright Dyes. Chrissy has kindly donated 2 skeins as prize yarn and one skein for me to knit up the May socks. Aren't I lucky? But how do I choose which one to knit with. They're all so gorgeous. Due to Chrissy's generous donation I'm thinking of offering two separate prizes for May so we'll have two winners instead of one.

Child's Play:

Easter Parade:

Landscape:

Okay, I'm off to carry on drooling over this gorgeous yarn now. I'm hoping to get some knitting done today. I wasn't very well at all yesterday and went to bed at 8.30pm feeling realy ,really sick, leaving Simon to supervise Vanessa's sleepover party. Poor man had to supervise 7 12 year old girls. He stayed down stairs till about 11pm and then came to bed and left them to it in the lounge. They weren't too noisy and a couple of them even got some sleep. Vanessa didn't sleep at all though and is not very well at all today. I'm feeling better but not 100% so having a realaxing afternoon.

Hope you all have a happy, knitterly weekend.

Whee!

Annie

thank you so much for going beyond the original 25.
I am excited about trying out new patterns and seeing how everyone executes the same concept.

Don't worry about the blog part, it will run itself as we all post our finished socks and cheer each other on.

-Holly
Heidelberg Germany

Glad I'm Here

I'm glad I signed up to this KAL - I loved Anni's "Falling in Love" sock pattern so I can't wait to see what she comes up with for our first month's sock pattern. :0)

Thanks!!

Anni, Thanks so much for doing this. I think it is going to be great fun. Will give me a reason to finish the WIP before I start something else. LOL

We're full - SIGN UPS CLOSED.

I'm overwhelmed with the response to this KAL. I never imagined so many would want to join. It's so exciting and a bit scary. I said 25 members for the first month and we've got about 47 now I think. I'm allowing 3 more sign ups to make it en even 50 members, but I'm sorry that's it. I hate saying no to people but I want to keep this manageable for me while I'm learning. It's the admin side of running this KAL/blog that worries me as I've never done this before but I've found the best way to learn is to jump in at the deep end. LOL. So I'm sorry, if you haven't signed up already, I will allow the next 3 who e-mails me to join and then that's it, I'll have to be tough and say no, as much as I hate it. I'm hoping to allow more people to join in the future though.

I'm planning a quite weekend with lots of knitting. Want to get my top secret mag submission socks finished and posted off next week. First one is done. Then I want to get the Sockamania May socks done. I've changed my mind about the yarn I was going to use (again). And I've been taking pics of my toe (well, not my toe but the sock's toe) for the tutorial. Next week my main focus will be to get everything ready to kick off this KAL on 1st May.

And a huge thank you to everyone who's joined - I really, really am very overwhelmed. Get your needles ready and start warming up for 1st May.

Happy Knitting!

I Can't Wait To Get Started!

Hi All!

Just a note to say Hi to everyone and thank you to Anni. I can't wait to get started!

Patty

http://stitchesinpink.typepad.com

Happy to be here!

Anni and all,
I'm so excited to join this group. I can't wait for the first pattern.
Andrea

YAY!

Thank you so much for letting me in on the fun! I can't wait for the fun to begin :-)

Julie
http://noolieknits.typepad.com

Hello everyone and thanks for the invite Anni. I am so excited to be part of this and am really hopeful that it will encourage me to get my act together and make more time to knit! I am the master of the WIP, it's the finishing off I have a problem with. Oh gotta dash, allotment time in the gorgeous sunshine....look forward to blogging with you all soon.
Kaye

Hi Everyone

Anni, thanks for organizing this. I'm very happy to be included, and look forward to getting started.

-Stacy

Flyin' Needles

YAY!

Thank you so much for the invite! I can't wait to get started! I think this is a great way to inspire some more "regular" sock knitting/progress! Thanks again!

Decisions, decisions

I finished the foot on the May sock last night. And I'm happy with the pattern and construction etc (it's a toe up but I'm doing cuff down version of the same sock too). But I'm not happy iwth my knitting. So I'm starting again. I did the first foot in Yarn Yard March Clubyarn solid (N dyed some extra for me) and I love it but I've done several socks in YY lately and fancy a change. Got naother YY socks otn too at the moment. So how do I decide.

Here's my choice: Posh Saskia, Posh Emily and YY March club yarn solid (on the right). I wish I could knit all three simulataneously. Think it will be Emily as I havne't knitted anythign in Emily before and I've been wanting to try it for ages. The Emily yarn came today btw. Was going to knit somethign for my Emily in it but it's so gorgeous it's going to be for me. Feels too luxurious for socks but my feet deserve some pampering too.

I was thinking about this Silkwood sock yarn as a prize for May but then Chrissy pm'd me and offered to donate a prize. Check out her website. Her yarn is gorgeous - stunning colours. I've got another little suprise for the May prize too but I'm not revealing that.... yet.

And a big welcome to the latest members to join us. I've gone over 25 now but can't say no to people. The more the merrier (I hope).

More yarn candy on my main blog.

Hi, and thanks a lot for letting me participate! I'm new to this-not to knitting or crafts,that I have done for nearly 40 years now...(I was 4 or 5 when my grandmother taught me to crochet, and I never stopped)new to blogs and knitalongs and that stuff. Hopefully I don't screw up! Anyway- it is always nice to try something new, so I'm really looking forward to this sockamania!
Marit

Thank you Anni

Thanks for organising this Anni.

I'm really looking forward to it. I've never taken part in a KAL before, so hope I can keep up with it all!

Thanks for letting me join

I am so excited about this! I have never done a KAL to ask your patience & understand with a newbie in this regards. Looking forward to starting the socks! Maybe I can keep my Mom from putting the bad hand on them (this time......right.....LOL)

Patricia in SC

New buttons

Audrey has been busy again and made some more buttons for us. Some sock ones this time. Thank you very much Audrey. You must have been busy. I love these socks ones. It's hard to choose between them thoough. LOL.

We've got 25 members now. I only picked the max number of 25 out of thin air, there was no reason for it. I just wanted to keep it manaegable for the first month so that if I don't manage to work out how to do bulk e-mails (when I e-mail out the pattern) I won't have too many to send out manually by e-mail. But I'm feeling mean. So what shall I do? Let some more in or make them wait until June? Everyone who's requested to join so far have been sent an invitation, so if you have't received one please e-mail me.

This is getting really exciting and I just hope I live up to the expectations. Better continue working on those socks tonight.

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to pop in and say hi! I, too, am very excited to start this KAL. I recently started sock knitting about 2 months ago and was immediately hooked! Thanks so much to Anni for putting together this KAL. Can't wait to start knitting and to see everyone's creations.

This is exciting.

I'm so happy to be in, and I can't wait to see the pattern. I need to finish a project or two before we start. *back to tje needles*

I am from Norway, so please excuse my poor english.

So glad I made it in. Thank you, Anni!! Finishing up some other projects so I'll be set to go!

Some buttons suggestions

Audrey has been busy with her Photoshop and produced some buttons. Let me know which ones you all like or e-mail me with other suggestions.

Hello, Hello! :)

Thanks for doing this, Anni, and for letting me join the party! :)

This is my first KAL, so I'm really excited and maybe just a little daunted too. LOL.

Club Button

Was just thinking we need a cool Sockamania Club Blog button. Any button brains out there who want to have a go at designing one (or two or more). I've no idea how to create buttons. Need to learn though as I'd like one for my main blog, Stash Addicts Blog and website too.

Tuesday am update

I think I'm up to date with all the invites now. If you've e-mailed me before 8am UK time then I've sent you an invite. 17 members at the moment so a few spaces left. If you've e-mailed me and don't get your Blogger invite today then please e-mail me again.

If you don't already have a Blogger account you'll need to set one up. It's really easy and free and it means that you can post comments on other Blogger blogs as well contribute to this blog.

And I've changed the name. I've taken Yarn Addict out of the name and added club, as I'm hoping it'll me a sort of 'club feeling' to the kal.

I started working on the sock pattern for May last night. I've got one pattern that I've submitted to a magazine for consideration but not heard back yet and I was thinking of using that one as I really like it but as I've had no decision from the mag yet I better not use it yet. I had one or two ideas floating around so started swatching last night. I did think of using Regia Bamboo as it's a new addition to my stash but it didn't work with the pattern at all and I'm not sure I like knitting with it so changed to a beautiful hand dyed 'Opalish' yarn. I'm doing a toe up sock at the moment but I'm thinking of doing a cuff down version of the same sock too to give you all a choice for the first month. The sock is fairly easy and I'll do a tutorial for the toe up version and put some links up to other toe up tutorials. I really like the way the patterns is coming out and i'm not going to tell you what I'm doing yet.

I'm doing the toe up sock in solid but I'll do the cuff down sock in variegated so you can see how it looks in both types of yarn. I'll probably only get one done of each variety before the kal starts as I've got to type up the pattern too and the tutorial but I can then do the 2nd socks for both pairs during the month so I can knit along with the rest of you.

Only problem with starting a new sock design in the evening is that I stayed up far too late last night. Didn't start the sock till gone 9pm and then spent ages charting and swatching (while tryingto watch a rather complicated film and completely lost the plot - of the film that is). By the time I had decided what to do and started on the actual sock it was already past my bedtime but I wanted to do enough to see how the pattern would work. And finally hit the sack just after midnight happy iwth the way the sock was looking. Today I've got to focus on a submission sock and my friend's birthday sock (it's her birthday on Thursday and I've got half a sock left to do).

This morning I had a mad idea which may panic you all, how about a 'Super Sock Challenge' - a pair of socks in a week? No, terrifies most of you. Okay, perhaps we'll talk about it in a few months for those of you who are really, really superfast with the needles. I can think of one or two forum friends who wouldn't have any problems with that. LOL. Don't worry, I get these crazy ideas sometime, but it soon passes.

Happy Knitting and get all those sock wips finished so you're ready to go on the 1st May. I'll suggest yarn (although any 4ply/fingering/sock weight yarn should be okay) and needles size a week or so before the end of April so you're ready to go.

Thanks Anni. :)

I got here, so onto sock knitting! I've already started Pomatomus in Lucia. And looking forward to another challenge after that. :D

WOW

I've got lots of e-mails already asking to join. And everyone who's e-mailed me so far (8pm UK tiem) are definitely in. I'll sort out invitations and send them out in the next few days so don't panic if you don't get a reply yet. I'm overwhelmed that so many want to join.

Got about 15 so far. So if you want to join be quick as it's filling up quickly.

Sockamania is open for sign ups

Fancy joining me for a new sock knitalong? Then e-mail me on stashaddicts@hotmail.co.uk.

This is the idea of this club - I will send out an exclusive Anni Design/Yarn Addict sock pattern each month (sign up by the 10th May to receive the first month's pattern). Yes we start in May by the way. There may be bonus patterns on some months but the bonus patterns may not be exclusive to Sockamania (ie they may be offered for sale on my website). The Sockamania patterns will be exclusive to the kal and will only be available to current members. You cannot get previous months' patterns. But 6 months after the pattern was offered as a KAL pattern I reserve the right to release the pattern for sale on my website.

There will be a different theme each month covering topics like lace, cables, fair isle etc. You can use any yarn you like although I will make a recommendation to go with the pattern (all yarn recommendations will be available to order from online stores).

There will be a prize draw each month for any socks finished by the last day of the month - you have to post a pic to qualify for the prize draw. The prize will be at least enough yarn for a pair of socks but there may be extras thrown in. I'll provide the prizes, but as this is a free club/kal if you would like to contribute a yarn or related prize please e-mail me.

I'll do some tutorials to go along with the patterns too, so if you're inexperienced please join and I'll help you all I can.

This is a fantastic way of trying out patterns you may otherwise not have tried and learn new techniques. I'll try to include new techqniques for heels, toes and sock construction from time to time.

This kal will run for an indefinite time period but you can ask to be removed from the kal at any point. Also if you don't take part (ie post a pic of that months sock) for 3 consequtive months your membership will be cancelled. The reason for this is that I'm limiting the membership to 25 people to start with and don't want inactive members filling up those spaces. There may be more spaces offered as the months go by.

If you've been working on the socks but don't have time to finish them you'll still be an active member but will only qualify for the prize draw if you complete the socks in the designated month.

Any questions or to join, please e-mail me on stashaddicts@hotmail.co.uk