What to do for March Madknits ? !

Wow, I got soo sidetracked by other stuff, I forgot to find a pattern for March Madknits.
Socks, maybe? Don't know, where to start.
Any suggestions?
I'm thinking maybe I'll do a men's sock for the DH this year?

March Madness Socks

So, if you've been following along, you probably know that I've really gone over the bend to get the perfect pair of Jay Hawk Socks for March Madknits or Madness.
So, to catch you up and try to refind my sanity:
I searched high and low for the perfect yarn.
There wasn't any, but I was willing to try Regia in a colorway that turns out to be Inca.
The toe / swatch turned out to be far too big in the gauge, and not at all the colors I was expecting.
So, in the throes of March Madness, I frogged them out while watching Thursday Night's Basketball round one.
Friday's spare time was spent finding dying hints and getting the exotic materials at the grocery store.
Then, all of Friday Night Madness was spent tying the two balls of Regia into garlands of yarn puffs to separate out the Jayhawk worthy color sections from the sections that needed to be dyed more Red and the sections that needed to be more Blue. What little time we slept Friday night, the yarn was soaking in vinegar.
Saturday was spent Dying some puffs Red and some Blue. And in true March Madness Miracle fashion, by Sunday Morning, I had the perfect Jay Hawk worthy yarn for my Jay Hawk Jay Walkers.
So, Sunday after Easter services and lunch was spent watching Basket Ball and restarting the frogged and dyed socks.
Updates later, the photos of the process were too scary to publish.

March Madness Socks

Today, after great thought and planning, I started a new pair of socks.
Big surprise, right?
These will be toe-up Jaywalker socks a'la Natalia Knits. Unless of course, I change it until it cannot even be recognized.
So, I was searching for Crimson And Blue for the perfect Jayhawk Jaywalkers.
I settled on a Regia. What, of all these words on this ball band, is the name of the Color?
There has to be a name on here. Doesn't it?
4-Fach Haltbar, 6-fadig, Marokko Color.
Hmmmm, there seems to be a web address..... Off we go to find our name.

Ok, so I knit in a little gusset at the top

In the interest of keeping the footies on the feet, I picked up stitches along the opening edge and then knit in a 5 stitch wide gusset where the shoe laces would be on tennies. I think it looks OK, and it's very commfy. And, they stayed on.

Finished the Crayon Footies

Photo goes here:
I finished the Crayon Footies. I'm going to have to research the yarn more though. I got it from Knitpicks and it's a self-patterning sock yarn. I thought the colorway was called Crayon, but now I'm seeing that is actually a Cotton Yarn that they stock now. And, to top it all off, it was a Clearance sale yarn when I got it. Therefore: it was a Great Bargain and, since it's from Knit Picks, it's great stuff. But, it's not on the website anymore. And the DH's cleaning up has probably gotten rid of all traces of the order, the shipping, and the ball bands. I used the Two at Once Toe-Up Sock Pattern from KnitPicks as a starting point. So, it's probably "Essential" yarn. The colors of mine are primary red, yellow and blue with white patterning.

Content:
75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon
Weight:
Fingering Weight
Gauge:
7 - 8 sts = 1" on #1 - 3 needles
Amount:
231 yards/50 gram ball
Care:
Machine Washable/Tumble Dry Low


One more reason to start one of those project scrapbooks I've read about.
Someday.......
Anyway, I'm test driving the Footies today. They don't look at all attractive before they're put on. But they're comfie and just warm enough wearing them as slippers today around the house.
Photos soon.....

Free Patterns at Knitting Daily / Interweave Press

Very good free pattern from Interweave Press for Caspian socks.

They're a toe-up sock on size 2 double points. I'm going to have to try them on circulars. Can't leave anything well enough alone, you know. And the pattern calls for Dale of Norway Tiur yarn. Since I know I don't have any, I'll be hunting down the specifications for that to see what I do have in my stash that needs using. It looks like a fairly difficult technique, designated as Intermediate in difficulty by the Interweave Press writers. We'll seee.........

Anyway, if you sign up for the Interweave Press Knit Daily newsletter, you get this free pattern and one for a "comfort shawl" that looks really good too.

SNB Page a Day Calendar

Ok, the SnB calendar found one of my favorites, again.
The Socknitters site is great. And they're sooooo helpful.
Reams of pages of great information.
Don't miss their "Museum of Odd Socks", it gave me great encouragement.
and convinced me that I really do need to be a two socks at one time knitter.

It really got me off on the right foot when I started, back at the beginning of time, what? 6 months ago, or so?

Running Sock Total

Ok, so far the running total of socks is:
1 pair multi-color self striping, toe up, lacy socks. D2 wears them to school even though they are way too huge for her. She has cabbaged onto them in a big way. They look very interesting with her bohemian denim, calico, and lace skirt and her black Mary Jane shoes. Yeah, and you thought your mother dressed you funny.

1 pair black, alpaca and silk, top down socks. Sister in Law #5 was admiring them when they were partway done. They might make very comfortable Labor & Delivery socks, but I'm not sure how well they would wash out. Eeeeewwwww, gross! I'm still thinking, got a couple of weeks before the due date. Really, how can you refuse a pregnant woman?

1 pair barely started socks that got sent off to Sock Goddess in Sock Wars 2006. I died so early, it was pitiful.

Started, unfinished:
1 baby soft pastel & white DK sock toe
1 variegated baby pastel sock that I started in 1983. Red Heart yarn. I did get the baby hat finished for Baby #1 to wear home from the hospital. So there.

Started, and then ripped back completely
1 pair burgundy silk & wool

Enough confession. If I find more, I'll add them later. No guilt! None. really. I think.