It is with great regret that I announce my death…..

Tonight there was a pair of beautiful socks in my mail box.  They are purple and stripey and so soft and comfy! This is the first pair of hand knit socks I have ever been given, and I will treasure them.  I’ve noticed that knitters don’t often get hand knit gifts for some reason….

Thanks so much to warrior “suckittrebek” for the fine knitting, and the yummy chocolate!  I’m glad (and a little concerned) that you enjoyed killing a Canadian so much.

Pattern:  Don’t Box Me In

Yarn:  Bamboo & Ewe Pattern, superfine wool/bamboo blend yarn (55% wool, 30% nylon, 15% rayon from bamboo)

I came home tonight, with FREEZING toes (it’s -25 C with windchill tonight).  I tried on my new socks, and put my feet up for a bit. I might get a chance to do a little knitting of my own before I go to sleep.

It’s been quite a day!

Today I heard from my target (#180 – Sybil).  She is DEAD!  The mail got there way faster than the post office man said….he guaranteed it would take LONGER than 7 business days, but it took shorter than 5.  She is happy with her socks! 

The image above comes from the leaderboard which gets updated with more deaths daily.  The issue that I have now is that my target has already assassinated her target (#181 -TakesNoPrisoners), who has assassinated her target (#182 -Termiknitter) who has assassinated her target (#183 -The Full-Contact Knitter).

So….I’m trying to contact #183, to find out where their socks are.  If they have not been finished, they should get mailed to me.  If they have been finished then #184 will also be dead, and their socks should be mailed to me.  #183′s socks may also be in transit in their unfinished form to #182 who should then mail them to me.

I have contacted the head of the competition for the contact information of these knitters, and we’ll see what happens next.  I’m just excited that #178 (suckittrebek in NM) has not mailed socks to me yet, so I’m still alive (until I check the mail on Monday at least!)

Yay sockwars!

Note:  I also found out by stalking the sockwars ravelry group that another warrior is from Kingston….I met her at WoolTyme….this could get VERY interesting!  hahaha….

Is it a bad sign that I want to hand deliver a pair of death socks?

A few days ago, before the nonsense of sock wars took over my life (causing me to spend a weekend knitting a pair of death socks), I went to a wonderful evening of amateur musical theater.  As usual, I had several balls of yarn in my knitting bag purse, and I was planning to rid myself of knitting withdrawl.

Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE knitting with bulky yarn??  This project was almost done by the end of the evening!

These mittens came together really quickly.  But…they are more than just mittens…

They are also fingerless gloves!!

The mitten top folds back neatly so fingers can write, type, text, or play the piano.

I made up the pattern as I went along, following what the yarn seemed to want to become.  I need to make the other one soon before I forget what I did.  I will write up my pattern and post it shortly, so you can make your own cozy pair.

RED MITTEN NEWS:  Today the 120th red mitten pattern was sold bringing us to $600 raised for the Penguins Can Fly swim team for disabled children.  Thanks to everyone who has bought this pattern and supported these deserving athletes.

SOCKWARS NEWS:  My death socks have been mailed to Florida, and as of today I’ve received no death socks in the mail.  Fingers crossed!!

This weekend is pretty much summed up by these socks.

Pattern: Don’t Box Me In (for Sockwars V)

Yarn: unknown sock yarn from thrift store

Time:  48 hours start to finish

These socks will be in the mail tomorrow on their way to “kill” my target in St. Petersburg Florida. This game is so much fun!  I’ll be eagerly checking my mail in the next week to see if I’m still in the competition. I’ll keep you all posted.

Saturday 10AM.  Gusset done.  Now on the homestretch for sock #1.

Pattern: “Don’t Box Me In” for Sockwars V

Goal:  Finish sock #1 before bed tonight.

At 8pm this evening, I gathered up my sock needles and some lovely green yarn and prepared to start knitting a pair of death socks.  It’s not as morbid as it sounds.  What I’m knitting is actually a weapon of sorts.  When these socks reach their target (a knitter in Florida) that knitter will be “dead”–eliminated from the bloody competition that is Sock Wars.  They will then mail me their socks-in-progress and their dossier outlining their target.  I’ll work hard to finish those socks and mail them out before I receive a pair of death socks in the mail.

It’s going to be lots of fun I hope.  This is DEFINITELY a cure for knitting withdrawl!

My death socks are following the pattern “Dont Box Me In”.  I chose it because it is worked on 64 sts rather than 80 sts, and the leg length is 7 in rather than 8-10 in.  My sock will take less stitches, and therefore be completed earlier…that’s the plan at least!

So here I sit, and knit.  I’m well hydrated, fully caffeinated, and I had a good dinner.  My goal is to turn the heel before I sleep.  This might will be a long night.

Are you knitting death socks too?

Sock Wars V is starting soon, and I’m in.

“What’s Sock Wars?” you may ask.  Don’t feel bad–I didn’t know about it until one of the Knitter’s Anonymous sent me to the website, but I wish I had heard earlier!  It sounds awesome. I feel safe telling everyone about it now, since you can no longer sign up and become my competition.

A dossier will be emailed to me soon.  It will contain the official sock wars pattern, and my target’s information. I will then knit them a pair of socks, and mail it to them to “kill” them.  Someone will also be knitting me a pair of socks to try to “kill” me before I get my “killing” done.

When you are “killed” (by receiving a pair of knit socks in the mail) you are out, and you have to send your socks-in-progress and your dossier to the knitter that “killed” you.  That knitter will then try to finish those socks before getting “killed” themself.  The process continues until there is one knitter still standing!

I think that going to the mail box will become a lot more exciting!  I don’t remember getting hand knit socks that I didn’t make myself.  Even if/when I “die” I’ll at least get a pair of new socks out of the deal!  If I live until the end, I get a LOT of sock yarn….hmmm….stash enhancement….my resolution is that I’m not going to buy more yarn–I didn’t say ANYTHING about not winning it…

The “killing” begins on January 15th.  Stay tuned for more updates.

In the mean time, I’ll be heading to the stash to find a suitable sock yarn.  There’s gotta be something good in there somewhere!!