Introduction...

Hi, I'm new to the group. I'm 46, have three "almost" grown children and live in upstate NY. I'm an avid sock knitter and look forward to participating in this group. I'm also very new to any form of blogging so hopefully this will actually work :)

I've got the Celebration Sock pattern ready to go - will pick out some yarn tomorrow and get started. Should have a photo update before too long.

I just wanted to pop on and say hi. I am really looking forward to casting on the celebration socks. I am teaching myself magic loop right now and will cast on as soon as my first "practice pair" are complete.

Does anybody else do magic loop?

New bonus pattern posted

I forgot to post the other day that I posted a new bonsu pattern on the Google group. Think it was River Valley I posted. A pattern from last summer and there are toe up and top down versions.

Be quick, they'll be gone in a few days.

Happy knitting,

Anni

Sweet celebration socks finished

During knitting this socks the colour of the yarn all the time remembered me of sweets we call 'Spekkies' (for most of you it are Marshmellows).


I am happy with the result but are still not sure if I want to add some cuffs on the socks. They are quit wide now.
The yarn is from
Ewas-sockenwolle.de
colour: Frühlingsblüte
(wool, cotton, silk), needles: 2,75 (bamboo)

On the second photo you can see the colour
of the yarn (and the 'spekkies') much better.



I hadn't been eating them for years.
They are very sweet.

Thank you Anni for this patten, I am sure I will make it again.

I'm a Bit Behind...

Hi Everyone!

I'm a bit of a lurker by nature, and also a bit behind with the socks, but wanted to post sometime as an indication that I'm participating!

I finally finished my Snowflake Socks - they were my first fair-isle socks, and it took me a bit of time to get the hang of it. Here is a picture of the first sock - I will have to get pictures of the pair, but the second sock is the same colors, only reversed.Hope you like them, and thanks, Anni for all of the great patterns!

Joy in Atlanta

First Celebrations Sock

I finished my first Celebrations sock earlier in the week, so I thought I'd post a pic.



I'm using Socks That Rock lightweight in Lenore. Since it's so dark, it was hard to get a good picture (the one above has been lightened to show the detail of the stitches).

The second sock is already on the needles. I'm not sure I'll finish before the end of the month (cables are slow for me), but I'm going to try.

Celebration.....finished and already gone.

Another pair done and given to my daughter.

They were a little small at the ankle.

She loves them very much.

I probably knit them to tight because of all those cables.

Can't wait for the next pattern...

Thanks anni !!!

Celebration Sock Completed

Was afraid that the varigated yarn would take away from the cabling but it turned out beautiful.
Congratulation Anni to a year of Sockamania! Thank you for the beautiful pattern!

Knitted in unknown superwash merino wool given to me by my neighbor. US2. Off to cast on the May Day sock!

Shame...

I hang my head in shame.
I'm not going to make the Celebration Socks in May. I need to finish my mums birthday present before starting anything else...
But I will make them eventually (love that pattern!) and then post them here. Even have my yarn picked out already...

By the way Anni: congrats to a year of Sockamania! And thanks for all those lovely patterns you have created.

Me is off to continue the dreaded stole of doom...

Ain't they lovely?

I have just finished my celebrations and they are so good on my feet. The yarn is beautiful, and I love the colours.
Wonder what June can bringe now.

Celebrating Love

I just finished my second pair of Simply Love socks. I was visiting my mom when I finished the first pair, which were going to my sister recovering from surgery, and my mom fell in love with them. She wanted some "just like them," but doing two pair of socks using the exact same pattern and yarn is too boring for me, so I talked her into this Reggia yarn instead. I've used this picot bind off now on three pair of socks, and it's so cute as well as stretchy.

My Celebration socks are still on the needles. I don't know if I'll finish them in time for the drawing. We had issues. This yarn is absolutely gorgeous, called Noro, but has zero elasticity. It took my almost two hours to do 10 rows of pattern because trying to make the yarn stretch for cables and ssk was almost impossible. So I switched to a thin and thin rib. About the time I hit the heel, I realized I had been using size 0 needles instead of the size 1 I thought I had been using. So I switched to size 2 for the leg, tried the pattern again, and it's going much more smoothly, although you can't really see it yet. This yarn has a HUGE repeat, so the socks will bear only a fleeting family resemblance to each other.

Joining Sockamania

How To Join Sockamania

Thank you for your interest in joining Sockamania and wanting to become part of Sockamania family. To join is free and with that you get one Anni Design sock pattern per month.

You have to be a member of the Blog first, then you will be invited to join the Google group. The Blog is for posting about your socks, progress and finished photos, Google group is where the pattern will be posted for downloading. When a new pattern is released a post will notify that one is ready to download. At the same time the new pattern is released, the previous month's pattern will be removed. That pattern will only be available for purchase in Anni's Etsy shop. Remember that all of Anni's wonderful patterns are copyrighted.

To be included in the monthly draw, the current month's socks must be completed and the picture posted by the last day of the month on the Sockamania Blog. Only photos of completed socks posted on the Sockamania Blog will qualify for the draw. Pictures of finished socks from previous months may be posted but will not be included in the prize draw. Two winners will be drawn and can either choose a skein of yarn or 2 patterns from Anni’s Esty Shop.

Before you request to join, Please note that the Blog and the group are both Google and the invites to both MUST be to the same email address. If you have a gmail/google mail account use that, this will make things easier for you and us. Do not join the blog with one email address and then ask to join the group with a different one. If you do so you will have your blogger membership removed and you will have to start over again.

TO JOIN THE BLOG:
1 - Send a mail to sockamania@hotmail.co.uk requesting to join. Pam maintains the lists and she will issue you with an invite to the Blog.

2 - Accept your invite. We do not receive notification that you have accepted your invite, so at this point you have two choices to join the Google Group. Either wait, until Pixie has seen on the members list that you have accepted, or -- and the best option -- email Pixie at sockamaniabloghelp@googlemail.com, stating you have accepted your invite and would like an invite to the Google group. (Again, it is important that you make sure you use the same email address that you have used to signed up with on the Blog. The Google group is unlisted, you will not find it or gain membership by searching for it.)

If an email address needs to be verified, Pixie will send you a message supplying you with a link to sort that out. If you do not accept your Blogger invite you will not be invited to the group. No show on the Blog, no go on the group. Any invites to the Google group that are not accepted within ONE MONTH, will be removed from both the Blog and Google group.

Some Background Information About Sockamania:
Sockamania was started in May 2007 by Anni and has grown into something great. There are now over 300 members and to help, plus give her time for yarn dyeing and pattern designing, she has an admin team to assist her to ensure that Sockamania continues to run smoothly.

Here is a brief introduction as to who we are and what we do:

Anni writes the patterns and offers help, although please use the Blog for pattern queries, some one else might have the same problem.

Pam, will issue you with your invite to the Blog. If you need to contact either of Pam or Anni use sockamania@hotmail.co.uk.

Pixie, will issue the Google invites and offer any help you need to post on the Blog, or if you have any issues joining the Google group. Contact sockamaniabloghelp@googlemail.co

Barb, maintains the Blog. Adding names of completed socks for the monthly draw and sending them on to Anni. She will also be available to help if you have problems with the pattern.

All of us want you to have fun, but remember this is free so play nicely. We encourage members to leave comments on socks posted. To discourage spammers, only members are able to leave comments on the blog.

Happy Knitting
Sockamania Admin Team

Celebrations Socks Finished

I finished these socks a few days ago, but didn't take a picture until now due to a very swollen left foot (couldn't get the sock on). Love the pattern, but this self striping yarn was a terrible choice for a color.

These will be going to a friend in the hospital who said that her feet were cold. She'll be very surprised because she's been hinting that she'd like a pair of hand knit socks.

Thanks again Anni for a wonderful pattern.

May Celebration Socks done

Well I finished. I made them ankle socks, our weather is in the triple digets now so most of my socks will be ankle ones. I enjoyed the pattern and plan on making them again, a little longer for the winter months but not right now. While knitting these my 5 yr old son brought me a ball of yarn and asked me to make him a pair of sock because the socks I made him a couple of years ago were too small. Every time I picked up the celebration socks to work on he would bring me his. I figured the best way to do this was to stop working on my May socks and do his so he would leave me alone. I finished his and he has worn them several times this last week. ha ha. Thanks again Annie for another wonderful pattern

Celebration...Working on it !!!

Yes...I'm working on them and they hey probably be ready

for the end of the month. Love the pattern,

but just on the ankle.

Are'nt they cute ?

My daughter just love the color.

Thanks for the pattern Anni...

Celebrations "Done"

I "finished" the May Celebration socks last week, but am posting this week to allow time for finishing them fully.

Honest, they'd be finished by now if I knew the recipient. As 'tis they're in the Present stash awaiting assignation, when they'll get finished properly, wrapped & given. The idea is to save all that hectic pre-Christmas knitting, particularly as a lot of family birthdays also occur Sept-Dec. I think it's called Organisation, or something. Of course, it'll only work if I now put them somewhere safe, with knitting details, then remember where that is come gift season!.

Knitted in Regia Bamboo color 4-ply (45% bamoo, 40% wool, 15% nylon)

At last! Simply cables...

Sockamania Cable Sock March 2008 , originally uploaded by norfolkknitter.

These were finished on time but we've only just got around to photographing them!

Love the Celebration socks and hope to get them OTN ASAP.

New bonus pattern & competition

I've just posted a new bonus pattern - Spiralling Socks which was August's socks. The pattern will be up for a few days. So if you want a copy download it and save it on your computer or print it asap.

And now for the Competion:

List the names of all the Sockamania sock patterns from May 07 until April 08. Name of sock pattern and month please. All answers to be posted in the comments and in a week I'll draw a winner.

Only competition replies in the comments of this post please.

Good luck.

Happy knitting,

Anni

First competition winner is...

.............Knottykitty. The answer was ofcourse Norway. Not the most difficult question in the world and everyone got the answer right. Simon drew the winner for me. Knottykitty e-mail me on yarnaddictAThotmailDOTcoDOTuk (replacing AT with @ and DOT with .) and let me know yoru address and your choice of skein from my Etsy shop and I'll post it to you on Tuesday when I get back home.

I managed to visit not just one but two yarn shops today. The lovely Maud's Garn in Oslo. Wow, what a wonderful yarn shop, the best one I've been to in Norway yet. I got some wonderful pure alpaca aran/worsted yarn and some gorgeous white silk from India, think it's either fingering weight/4ply or dk. And a shawl pin, some Knit Pick options tips. They had some gorgeous yarn there and I could have bought a lot more but Simon was hovering outside and we have a prett ysmall luggage allowance flying home with Ryan Air.

I then found another yarn shop, Strikkedilla, in Oslo City. But I didn't buy any there, very restrained of me. I'm well impressed with myself. LOL.

Pics when Iget home.

Off to knit some more now. Just stared a new sock design, the 2nd one this holiday. Finished sock design one today in the car back from Oslo. they're not Sockamania ones though but submissions for something else and top secret for the time being.

Happy knitting everyone,

Anni

Simply Cables - check

I finally finished my Simply Cables last night. I love them! They're the first pair I've finished for myself since February... They're perfect and fit me really well. I love the color of the yarn (Farmhouse Fannie's Fingering weight in Caribbean), it matches one of my favorite shirts perfectly!

Thank you Anni! Now I can go back to the Celebrations socks!

Valerie

Competition

I promised competitions this month, but it's kind of been delayed due to my holiday which I'm still on. I've got internet access but I'm struggling to find time to do everything I want to every day.

Okay, competition one: Where in the world am I right now?

Fairly easy question.

Answers in the comments please. Closing time is 6pm UK time on Friday evening. I'll get online sometime Friday evening and draw the winner. And announce a new competion.

Prize for this competition - a skein of my handpainted yarn of your choice.

And did I tell you that I've got free postage on everything in my shop, anywhere in the world.

And I've opened a new Ravelry group.

and finally, May Day pattern will stay up on the google group until tomorrow evening then I'll try to remember to take it down and post a new, former Sockamania pattern which will be available for a few days.

Happy knitting,

Anni

...celebrations...

Blogger ate half of my last entry... but here they are...great socks and a fun pattern!

Knit in Silja superwash, on 2.5mm needles, two-at-a-time on one circular doing magic loop, top-down.

It's hard to believe it's already been a year since I joined the club- I've knit every pattern, and only failed on the snowflake socks in December, they weren't done until January . Right now I'm wearing my MayDay-socks, a bit more felted in the feet, but still looking good:-)

Thanks for hosting this sockclub, Anni, I'm looking foward to every new pattern.

Enjoy spring:-)

May Day socks!

I would love to show you pictures of these socks from all angles (I did take many), but I'll restrain myself with just one photograph. :o) I like this pattern so much, I'm going to knit another pair, but with a totally different yarn. I thought this would stripe, but it didn't really. You might have thought, that the color name "Crazy Color" would have given me a hint. It's Regia by the way, I like knitting with it, and I like especially how durable it is. I like the colores too, but am not a fan of strange color pooling, but the pattern makes up for it big time. I was so happy to get this pattern, that I cast on at once! Now I'm not going to knit another pair of socks this month. Two pairs is enough. So much else on my to do list. :o)

I didn't get a third repeat in for the foot, so I made two full ones, and improvised until I started decreasing for the toes. I made the small size, with 64 stitches, on 2.5mm needles.
Thank you, Anni, for this lovely pattern!
Monika

Sweet celebration socks

Last month I became member of this Club. My name is Mieke, I do live in The Hague, The Netherlands.
I am nearly halfway with the Celebration socks. It will be really summer socks, in a candy colour. The colour really looks like the colour of sweets we call 'Spekkies' in The Netherlands, but looks like the colour off marshmellows as well.
I like the pattern, knitting is not going very fast, but I like the result.
The yarn is from Ewas-sockenwolle.de

Anni, thank you for this club and the patterns. Enjoy your holiday!

I started my Celebrations socks!

I cast on Monday night this month's pattern. Of course I had to do it toe-up. I would have loved to center the pattern on the foot but didn't want to add stitches as it was big enough already. I think it looks fine as is though, so I'm happy with it.

The pattern is slow going but it will make some very pretty socks! Thank you Anni!

Simply Cables finally finished

I don't know why it took me so long, I kept getting distracted with other projects, but the Simply Cables socks are finally finished! I guess after missing the deadline I was less motivated to finish them.



Pattern: Simply Cables from Sockamania
Yarn: BMFA Socks That Rock Lightweight in Blue Brick Wall
Started: 3/7/08
Finished: 5/7/08

...progress...

I just looked at the lace stole- and my fingers are itching to start it! I just have to go through my stash to see if there's anything suitable there! You're doing a great job with this blog, Anni! Have a nice holiday! Are you perhaps off to celebrate May 17th? (Norways national day...) I'm knitting. This is how far the celabrations socks are.... I'm doing both at the same time using magic loop

MAY DAY SOCKS PATTERN AVAILABLE

As promised last week i'm making selected previous Sockamania patterns available for a limited period. I've just posted the May Day sock pattern to the Google group. It was the very first Sockamania pattern. Download it and print or save it to your computer quickly as it'll be gone in a few days.

Happy knitting

Anni

May Celebration Completed -- Short and Sweet

Completed my May Celebration socks last evening but was too tired to take a photo then struggle with the blog to get them posted. Since I did some serious ing the pattern on the ankle is enough. I love their look, I love their fit and I know I am going to love wearing them.

First May-sock done

Happy anniversary, Anni. You are doing a marvellous job for us, and I do really look forward every month to get the yarn and the pattern in my mailbox.
I have finished the first sock, easy and very beautyful pattern. The next sock is already on the needles.