Monday, September 1, 2008

Rivendells and the contest


Pattern: Rivendell by Janel Laidman
Yarn: Hand Jive Knits Nature's Palette Fingering in Hydrangea; 2 skeins
Needles: 2.5mm dpns
Notes: There's an error in the heel turn instructions so I made up my own. When I did the gusset decreases, I decreased to 32 (rather than 31) so that the number of sole stitches equalled the number of instep stitches. I really love this pattern. If I were to knit this again (which I will), I would probably knit a few more rows at the top before doing the wraps. When the sock is on my foot, some of the upper wraps "disappear" into the cuff. I also wrapped too tightly on the first sock so it's a little snug. I loosened up on the second sock but the wraps look sloppy. Oh well... And all pictures of these socks are horrible! They look like ugly flat grey blobs on my monitor but they really are a lovely shade of lavender with bits of pink. And no amount of tweaking will get them to look right. I think it's my camera's fault. Poo!

It's my second sockiversary this month. I've been knitting socks for 2 years now. Yay! My sock yarn stash is so huge that at my current rate of knitting, I'll get through it all in 4-5 years if I never buy sock yarn again (not likely to happen). To celebrate, I'm holding a contest and giving away some great prizes.

1st prize

- a skein of Indigo Moon orangey-yellow sock yarn (the picture is pretty accurate); 404 yds (200g) of super soft superwash sportweight. One skein is enough to make a decent pair of socks i.e. Sivia Harding's Journey Cable Socks (this yarn was used to knit the orange socks in the pattern's picture)
- 2.5mm (US1) Addi 32" circs (not in pic because it's in the mail)
- a reversible sock project bag

2nd prize

- 3 skeins of DGB Confetti Superwash self-striping red/orange/brown (75% wool/25% nylon). This was my very first real sock yarn. I knit my first pair of socks with this yarn and gifted them to a dear friend.
- 2mm (US0) Addi 32" circs (not in pic because it's in the mail)

3rd prize

- sock blocker key chain & instructions plus a little ball of pretty sock yarn to make a mini sock.

So how do you win one of these great prizes? Last year, I made it easy to enter. This year, you have to work for it ;) Find the answers to the following questions:
1. How many pairs of socks have I knit in my lifetime? (only count matching pairs)
Hint: More than 30 and less than 40
2. How many pairs of socks did I knit in the last year (between Sept 07 and now; again only count matching pairs and don't forget my finished Rivendells!)
Hint: More than 10 and less than 20
3. How many sock WIPs do I have?
Hint: More than 0 and less than 5
4. How old is my oldest sock WIP?
Hint: I cast on Feb 2007

Easy, eh? All answers can be found on the blog if you look closely and carefully. Of course, you're welcome to guess. First prize goes to the winner with the most correct answers. If there is a tie, then I'll randomly draw a name from that group. The second prize will be given to a randomly drawn name from all entries. The third prize will be awarded to the funniest comment. I will be the sole judge of that one so make me laugh.

Leave a comment on this post with your answers. One entry per person please and the contest is open to everyone in the entire world. Please make sure you leave contact info (email, blog link, Rav id) so that I can reach you if you win. Contest closes at midnight PDT Sept 14th and I'll announce the winners on the 15th. Good luck!

PS. Allergy alert - yarns are stored in a smoke-free, 2 cat home.

ETA: added hints

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! A contest!!! I'm in!
Pairs of socks knit = 34
Pairs last year = 26
WIPs = 4
Oldest WIP = Waving Lace Socks!
Hoping I'm correct!
samm at Ravelry

Anonymous said...

Oops! I'm changing my last answer to June 2007 as the oldest pair of WIPs although they were froggified. :) samm again!

Unknown said...

Ive never heard of a sockiversary before. It sounds like fun. My guesses are:
1. 37
2. 17
3. 3
4.Irish hikking socks.

Kenyetta said...

Happy Sockiversary!
1. 33
2. 15
3. 3
4. CDM socks

maryeb said...

Well, I'm not very good at guessing games but this is a clever idea.
32
20
3
no clue

Happy sockaversary!!

katerina said...

My guesses are
Total pairs = 35
Pairs last yr = 15
WIP = 4 you've started on, although if you count the sock blank - 5, and I'd say 6 if you count clogs, but.. you did say less than 5 so.. 4 - Final answer is 4.
Oldest sock = Canal du Midi, 1 yr. 7mo. give or take a few weeks ;)

ikkinlala said...

Happy sockiversary!

Here are my guesses (I am not counting the mini-socks, just the wearable pairs):

1) 35
2) 13
3) 4
4) 1 year and a little over 6 months (I'm guessing it's the Canal Du Midi socks).

Anonymous said...

This looks like fun! Let's see:

Spcks altogether: 36
Last year: 17
WIPs: 4
And the long-established WIP could be the Canal du Midi socks (how far along are they actually?)

Sock on - and those Rivendells are beautiful!

Seema Persaud said...

Oooh what a contest! And lovely socks. Here are my answers:

Pairs of socks: 34
Pairs from Sept. 07 to now: 15
Socks in progress: 5
Oldest sock WIP: is 19 months old, now (CDM)

My username is 'seema' on Ravelry and my e-mail is seema . persaud @ gmail . com.

Dove Knits said...

What beautiful socks. I love that pattern.

Cool! Congratulations on your sockiversary; you sure have been productive!

Pairs knit: 34 (plus a couple of loose single socks)
Pairs knit since September 2007: 15
Sock WIPs: 5
Oldest sock WIP: Ridgeline and Canal du Midi (I didn't get an exact date for the latter, so they're tied), which would make them 19 months old.

You can find me on my blog (linked through my name in the comment) or by looking up blakdove on Ravelry.

Turtle said...

lifetime knit pairs:33
pair last year: 17
Current sock wips: 4
longest wip: 19 months


Happy sockiversary! It looks as if we learned in the same month! i honestly have no idea how many pair i have knit but do not think it is over 25...so far! Those socks you posted look great, at first quick glance i thought they were bugs on the sock design, big wings.

Chris said...

Happy sockiversary!

1. 34
2. 17
3. 3
4. 18 months

suzzcq70 said...

hmm,

34 total pairs
17 last year
4 WIPs
19 months

My Rav name is same as my blog! Happy sockaversary!

CelticCastOn said...

1. 34
2. 12
3. 3
4. 19 months

www.celticcaston.com

5elementknitr said...

1. 35
2. 15
3. 4
4. Canal du Midi

What fun!

Anonymous said...

1. 35
2. 17
3. 4
4. CDM at 19 mos. --actually, that's not too bad as far as wips go.

Happy Sockiversary!

tinysheep at Ravelry

Elaine said...

I'm in, I'm in,
I want to win,
A prize for guessing right,
Who cares if cat hair makes me sneeze
And in orange I look a fright.

In school they said that it didn't matter,
Whether you lost or won,
As long as you played your very best,
It was playing that made it fun.

Ha I say, what a load of poop,
It's winning that really counts,
So I hope that I,
Have not guessed too high,
All the required amounts.

Happy blogiversary!

Oh yeah - the guesses:

1 35 - Wow that's a lot!
2 15 - Wow that's a lot too!
3 4
4 19 months (CDM but you didn't ask what you asked how long)

Bea said...

How did I totally miss this post? The Rivendells are really pretty.

Contest answers
1. 38
2. 17
3. 4
4. 19 months

purple-power said...

Happy Sockiversary.

I'm a scientist and using the scientific method I deduce (or maybe guess)

1. 37 (my husband's birthday is Mar 7)
2. 17 (absolutely no significance)
3. 4 (my lucky number)
4. 19 months (because I can do arithmetic and you told us you cast on Feb 07 - duh)

I'm purple on Ravelry. So just how many feet do you have and if you keep knitting at the current pace for the next 4 or 5 years, how many feet will you have then? :-)

Tally Knits said...

Socks knit - 36
This past year - 18
WIPs - 3
Oldest - ?

Wonderful prizes!

mrs.mommyy said...

1. How many pairs of socks have I knit in my lifetime? (only count matching pairs)----37
2. How many pairs of socks did I knit in the last year---- 17

3. How many sock WIPs do I have?
Hint: 4

4. How old is my oldest sock WIP?
Hint: I cast on Feb 2007 19 months

Unknown said...

A contest - I love contests!

I feel so inadequate. I've been knitting for 50 years and finished about 6 or 7 pairs of socks, and you've done between 30 and 40 in 2 years. Yours is definitely bigger than mine!

So my guesses:

1 37
2 17
3 4
4 19 months

I can be reached at jerseyjessie@gmail.com in case I win

Kristen said...

I'm a new knitted with only 5 FOs under my belt so I have alot to learn from someone with so many!
So I'll say:
37 pairs of socks.
17 pairs last year.
4 WIPs
and 19 months is the age of the oldest WIP.

Me, Myself, and I said...

I think Rivendale's the 39th pair (I remembered seeing you post when you hit one number and tried to count back ;-). I'm totally guessing on last year, though. A quick scroll through is showing me what I think is the answer for WIP, but I could be wrong. I honestly don't know what the oldest WIP sock is, but I can't remember if you finished the Noro. I'm sure that's wrong!

Pairs of socks knit: 39
Pairs last year: 22
WIP: 3
Oldest Sock WIP: Nor Socks

danielle said...

First of all, none of us stand a chance against that great poem written by Elaine! LOL

1. How many pairs of socks have I knit in my lifetime? (only count matching pairs) Hmmm, the number 36 sounds really good to me....
2. How many pairs of socks did I knit in the last year (between Sept 07 and now; again only count matching pairs and don't forget my finished Rivendells!)
Love your Rivendells! Lets say, 16
3. How many sock WIPs do I have?
My guess is 2
4. How old is my oldest sock WIP?
19 months

I enjoyed reading your blog (got here from the contest site) and plan to read some more! In other words - I have no clue as to the real answers!

Unknown said...

Fun contest. Can't think of anything funny to say, so I'll go for the dumb luck prize and leave the wit to others.

Pairs knit - 39
Pairs last year - 19
WIP - 4
Oldest WIP - 19 months

I'm bloglessinnj AT gmail DOT com

Unknown said...

Happy sockaversary. My guesses.

1. 37
2. 19
3. 4
4. 19

My e-mail is tomknit @ gmail

Life's a Stitch said...

OK, count me in , I'm on a lucky streak.
# knit: 39
Last year: 17
WIP's: 5
Oldest - 19 months, counting this month

Lifesastitch

Life's a Stitch said...

Oh type type = I pressed 5 instead of 4 WIP's

Life's a Stitch said...

Cut me off - that would be typo not type.

Anonymous said...

Oooh I love contests.

Number pairs total - 39
Pairs last year - 17
WIP - 4
Oldest WIP - 19 months

dadofra AT hotmail