Yes, we're back!

So after some procrastination and deep thinking, and some gentle prodding in the Ravelry group, SSoS is back for 2008/2009! Woo hoo!

This year there might be a few less competitions but there might be a swap or two instead if enough people are interested. But hopefully, as with last year, there will be lots of great socks knitted, technique sharing, general learning and socky goodness and fun.

Everyone who participated last year is still in the sidebar and still has posting privileges - I'll leave it that way until the end of October and then will delete anyone who hasn't either (a) posted to the blog or (b) left a comment on this post to say they want to participate or (c) emailed the SSoS email (see sidebar) to say they are in! You can also join the Ravelry group but we encourage you to post to the blog as well (makes it lots more fun!).

New participants also most welcome - see (b) or (c) options above! If you are new, we'll need an email address for you to send you an invitation to enable you to post on the blog.

For the newbies, Southern Summer of Socks is designed simply as a fun, relaxed way to knit through your sock yarn stash. We aim to keep it as straight forward as possible, with minimal rules and guidelines and plenty of time to knit all the socks you can or want to manage in the time. Socks are ideal summer knitting because they're small and easier to deal with in the heat than a huge, heavy jumper. And they make ideal Christmas gifts.

As with last year, SSoS will run for 6 months - starting on 1 October and ending on 30 April 2009, and is open to anyone in the world (not just our southern hemisphere friends!). Sign up or renew now for a summer of socky splendidness!*

(*yeah, I know that's not a word!)

Admin and sign-ups update

So we've invited everyone who has signed up so far, and added your blogs to the sidebar. There's a couple of people who e don't have blog and/or email info for - so if you've registered interest but haven't received an invitation to post to the blog, can you email us at the SSS email (see the sidebar) so we can add you!

We're accepting sign-ups until 1 November, so plenty more time to join, if you haven't yet! Leave a comment with your details (blog and/or email) or email us.

We've got over 30 people signed up already - we're so pleased this idea has taken off! I'm madly trying to finish my current socks on the sticks before next Monday so I can start afresh straight away!

How It Works

Thanks for the great interest that's been shown already in Southern Summer of Socks! It's sure to be a fun knit along, one with plenty of scope to be involved as little or as much as you want or are able.

So, here are some useful bits of information.

What is it?
Southern Summer of Socks is designed simply as a fun, relaxed way to knit through your sock yarn stash. We aim to keep it as straight forward as possible, with minimal rules and guidelines and plenty of time to knit all the socks you can or want to manage in the time.We had the idea when we realised that between us both we have approximately enough sock yarn to make 50 pairs of socks. That's a conservative estimate. Socks are ideal summer knitting because they're small and easier to deal with in the heat than a huge, heavy jumper. And they make ideal Christmas gifts.

When
Southern Summer of Socks will begin on 1 October 2007 and conclude on 31 March 2008.

We're starting it before the onset of summer to allow for Christmas knitting to be done as part of the knit along.


How to Enter
To enter, leave your details, including email address and blog address in the comments or email to bellsknits@gmail.com or roseredshoes@yahoo.com.au and you'll be sent an invitation to join the blog. If you've done so already, we'll get your link up in the sidebar over the next week or so as time permits.

If you don't have a blog, you can still enter, you'll just need to send photos and text to Bells or RoseRed for posting onto this blog.

Contests
We'll hold a series of contests and announce winners at the end. To enter, you need to nominate yourself by a date we'll announce later in the summer.

Categories will include:

1. Most socks
2. Biggest socks
3. Best original design
4. Most techniques used
5. Most travelled sock
6. Best first sock (beginner category)

Sign ups are open until 1 November and the KAL is open to anyone anywhere, not just those from south of the equator. The more the merrier!

Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Bells and RoseRed