We didn't mean to go out with a whimper, honest. Somehow, as it seems to do, life got in the way. Sorry about that! For the last huzzah, we'd like firstly to thank everyone who took part in our inaugural Southern Summer of Socks and in particular those who generously offered and provided prizes:

Live2Knit

The Knittery

Knitting Inspirations

YarnCakes

(check 'em all out! Buy yarn from them!).

We'd also like to thank Amy for her behind the scenes assistance in helping with buttons and general support and niceness. We'd like to thank everyone who entered our competitions, everyone who posted and everyone who responded to questions with tips, tricks and links. And finally we'd like to congratulate everyone who achieved their sock knitting goals and in particular those of you who have now come to be sock knitting lovers!

And we think no-one has demonstrated their dedication to the knitted sock than Crafty Carolyn, who managed to knit 20 pairs of socks this summer - wow! Our very last prize will soon be winging it's way to her in recognition of this achievement (just send us an email with your address, Carolyn!).

We haven't decided whether we'll run SSoS again next summer…but we'll leave the blog up and hope you will drop by from time to time and tell us what socks you are knitting. It's been a lot of fun and we are so thrilled you all joined us!

Bells and RoseRed

Results soon?

I don't want to be a bother, but I'm curious when we might hear the final results of the contest.

As summer draws to a close...

Well, I know summer has finished already, but it's the Southern Summer of Socks I'm talking about!

We've got one more prize to give away, a lovely skein of yarn and stitchmarkers from Donyale, and we might even be able to come up with another prize or two, so we'll announce our final competition(s) this week.

In the meantime, we'd love to hear about the socks you've made, the challenges you've conquered and an update on your goals!

To start the ball rolling, here's my most recent sock:

Yep, it was a sock, now it's string. Read about my most recent sock woes here. Oh, and here (about a different sock...). But at least I had a success with these ones.

What? Finished? Already?

Errrrm, excuse me Ladies but I think that's just TOOOO quick. It can't really be April already.

Socks, oh yes - what did I knit?

1. A pair of socks for my Grandmother who taught me to knit, but now has dementia and can't remember how. Hand dyed, hand spun and gifted on Christmas Day.
2. A pair of Nutkin Socks in Socks that Rock
3. A pair of test knit Jenny Wren socks (for the designer of the Nutkin Socks) in Socks that Rock.
4. Finished 1 sock of the Firestarter
5. A pair of socks I designed myself called Mojo

1. snake stripe, 2. a 144, 3. jenny w, 4. Nutkin, 5. firestarter, 6. nana's socks, 7. Mojo, 8. jenny w, 9. firestarter, 10. firestarter, 11. Mojo, 12. firestarter, 13. Jenny Wren

Sheesh - I did more than I thought.

Thanks Ladies - too much fun!

I forgot!

I posted these on my blog and forgot to include them here! This was a nice pair of socks to knit up and they're very warm. The pattern is Just Ribbing Socks by Apple Laine and the yarn was Schaeffer Heather in the Gertrude Ederle colorway. More details here. I really enjoyed this KAL and got more done than I thought. Sadly, I didn't finish my toe up socks, which was part of my challenge, but I do have a pair on the needles, so I guess that's progress! Thanks to all who were involved in this KAL, it was great fun and a wonderful motivator!

The Whistle Blows

For a full round-up and all the post-match analysis, see my blog.

Finished Objects - Summer's Ended!

Here are the final finished objects and the total tally for SSoS! Here they all are together.

I knitted 6 complete pairs and 3 incomplete pairs! (from right to left - Vog Ons, Secret Socks, Noropups, Tulips, Nutkins, Kaibashira plus the part pairs lying on top) A grand total of 15 socks!

Most recent FOs - the Noropups

The Nutkins in The Knittery's gorgeous Merino Cashmere in the Sea Life colourway

Incomplete: Tidal Wave in Vesper (1.4 socks)

Serendipity in Dragon Dance STR (1.1 socks)

Vanilla in Blue Patonyle Fakeisle (0.6 socks)

Summer's over, these socks are done. In mitigation, I also knitted 2 jumpers, a top, most of a cardigan, part of a gathered pullover, 6 bags, most of a string bag, some scarves and some dishcloths and some other bits and bobs (teacosies etc!) I also participated in 2 swaps - so I'm pretty impressed I finished this many socks!

A big round of applause for Bells and Rosered please! This has been such fun and very motivating and I've loved seeing everyone's FOs!

One last picture - the Tidal Wave on Holiday in Rutherglen! (at a winery and cafe - sshhh!)

Thank you all.

First of all I want to thank Rose Red and Bells for running the SS of S and allowing us Northern Hemisphere folks to participate. Seeing the socks from all over in so many different yarns and color ways and patterns were amazing.

Here are my final socks for submission finished at 11:40 PM the night before it all ended, literally weaving in the toe of the second sock just a few minutes before Midnight PST. Actually my lovely wife did these for me :)

The 4th pair of the year, Monkey no purls from Webs hand painted Kangaroo sock yarn. Oh these are made in a men's size 15US or 49 Eur..... Dubbed the "Man-Monkeys"


In January these were completed...

Colintte Jitterbug color way Marble. Pattern was a knit picks Lilly of the Valley.


February was a two sock month.

First was Pomatomus
Araucania Ranco Multi 310 - Purple-Blue-Berry

2nd were these no purl Monkeys made from Shi Bui color way Sky

It was a real pleasure Thanks!
Twisted Knitster

My last socks

Well, the last ones for Southern Summer of Socks, that is. They just made it in. I finished them about four hours ago.

These are my Dublin Bay socks from Mossy Cottage. I loved them. The little lace panel down each side is so delightful. Next time, I would make these longer, especially as I ended up with quite a bit of yarn left.

The yarn is Vesper, from Knitterly Things. I just love the colours and it knits up beautifully.

I made them on 2.5mm DPNs (well the first one), the second one I did magic loop and I proved a theory I'd been carrying around for a while - that my tension is different on magic loop and DPNs. It's tighter.

I'll get to my list of achievements and disappointments and my tally some time this week. How is everyone else's SSoS wrap up going?

Bells

Have enjoyed this immensely and thank you

Thank you Bells and RoseRed for such a fun summer.

My goal was to get over my fear of dpns and actually knit a sock, just one sock. I wasn't aiming high, just wanted to knit my first pair of socks. With much encouragement from Bells I knitted a little training sock, and then I was off and running.

I ended up knitting 6 (and a half but you haven't seen those, they're about to come off the needles) pairs. All on dpns.

And now I'm hooked, well and truly (I say this just after I've opened a package of 3 balls of sock wool that got delivered in the mail today, LOL).

I hope this blog stays up though, I think I'd like to keep coming back to it to view for inspiration over the winter. And please please please, lets do it all again next summer ...... unless there'll be a winter knitalong??????

Thank you once again.

It's So Sad .......

.... that this KAL has ended. I really enjoyed knitting along & managed to finish 11 pairs. I was hoping to cast off the 12th pair, so that I have a dozen but didn't make it. Anyway, here's an update of the goals that I set & what I have achieved ....

• Fair Isle Socks - Snowflakes Socks (IK, Spring 07) - not done


• One of the popular designs in Fav Socks - Embossed Leaves Socks - done


• A new sock knitting technique - Back to Basic Socks (knitty.com Fall 07) - done


• One of the designs from Cat Bordhi's new book - done


• One of the designs from a Nancy Bush's book - not done


• My favorite design & yarn from Pick Up Sticks Sock Club - Twin Braids - not done


• Join the Firestarter KAL & knit the Firestarter - not done


• One of Wendy's new designs (on sale at the Loopy Ewe) - done


• My own design - done

.... I was only able to achieve half of my goals but I am still happy with what I have done & in fact much more as I digress from my original goals to other patterns like the Crazy Monkey, Roza's Socks & 2 pairs for Can Assist.

Thank you Rose Red & Bells for organising this great KAL - it will not be possible without the 2 of you !
My only wish now - can we carry on this KAL & maybe called it The Southern Winter of Socks ?

Ann http://www.1morerow.blogspot.com/

Finished

Well, it's all over tomorrow. It's been great fun knitting socks with all of you.

I don't know how the tallying and entries will work yet, but I've finished my final pair and I've posted a blog entry with all the pairs I've made this "summer" (winter for me in the U.S.)

Come on over to see my twenty pairs:

http://craftycarolyn.livejournal.com/

Before this contest/KAL I had only knit 1 pair, so I'm pleased with my all I learned.

A final update on my goals

Last time I checked in, I'd completed three of my four goals: I'd finished more than three matching pairs of socks, I'd tried knitting toe-up, and I'd knit some socks for other people.

The goal I had not yet started was to try a pattern more complicated than stockinette or ribbing. And since I didn't mention anything about completing a pair of more complicated socks, I'm going to consider this goal complete as well, even though I don't expect the socks to be finished tomorrow.

I did indeed try knitting Monkeys (with Knit Picks Sock Memories "Easter," which seemed appropriate for this time of year). I'm enjoying it, but because I'm taking six classes and it's the end-of-term crunch I've only just managed to start the second sock. I'm hoping to have a pair to reward myself with once exams are done - that gives me about three weeks to finish.

It's been fun seeing people's projects over the past few months.

Nicole