We are having a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you and yours are having a delicious holiday too. Our has been full of various trucks, trains, and doogoos (that would be diggers).
But more on that later. Because I really want to give you a new pattern as a little Christmas wish, and I'm wondering...Want to knit some socks?
Martin & I need knitters who are interested in test knitting for our book again, this time to work on a pair of warm, luxurious ankle socks that work up quickly on size 10 dpns and get slightly fulled in a hot toasty dryer. Since this pattern is more complex than the meathead hat and has not been tested, we would need you to use the yarn specified. But that shouldn't cause you too much suffering, since it's Manos del Uruguay wool. :-)
And we need you to follow the pattern as written instead of riffing on it, at least for your first pair - the pair that you enter on flickr. But like the meathead hats, these socks are like candy, so quick you'll probably make more than one pair!
A small women's pair (about size 6.5 foot) should take only 1 skein of Manos wool, though as I mentioned this has not been tested so you might want to have a second just in case and return it if you don't use it. Other sizes take 2 skeins with yarn left to spare. Any color you want is great. And as with the hat knitalong, there is a flickr gallery.
The main difference is YOU DO NOT SIGN UP HERE. Please do not sign up in the comments here. You will not get included in the knitalong.
It was a ridiculous amount of work signing everyone up last time, so Martin has automated the process. You simply go to knitalong.net/testalong, hit Register, and create a login account. That will get you access to the pattern page, which is only available to registered users.
We are capping the knitalong at 101 knitters. If we reach that number that would be awesome! But we would then close registration. If you go to the knitalong.net/testalong site and do not see REGISTER at the upper right then that means the knitalong has closed and the pattern is no longer available until the book comes out.
Our thanks - and more details - are here at the "socks 101" knitalong home page.
I'm all registered! Can't wait, as I really need a new pair of slippers, and these should do the trick. Looking forward to it. Is it okay to use two different colors of Manos, or do you want one color? Any specific color preferences? Enough questions?
Posted by: JulieFrick | December 26, 2006 at 13:40
Hi Julie,
I'd say that one-color is most useful to us, but as long as you use all-manos two colors is fine as well. Our colors for the samples are Blush, Coffee, and Wildflowers. Any greens, browns, and pinks are our book colors, as well as Ivory and Bronze.
Posted by: larissa | December 26, 2006 at 13:43
Hi Larissa- A question to see if I am "allowed" to sign up...Can I use 2 circs instead of DPNs? Please advise.
Thanks!
Posted by: KT | December 26, 2006 at 13:57
Yes, KT, 2 circs are fine. The pattern lists out instructions for a set of dpns, but if you know how to knit socks on 2 circulars then I'm sure you can figure the conversion. The rest of all the numbers and instructions would work the same and get a good test from you. Thanks!
Posted by: larissa | December 26, 2006 at 15:00
Hi Larissa!
I signed up, but i am a little stuck on cash this month. I didn't realize that Manos was going to be so expensive. ^^;;
I have about half a skein that i got from a friend, and i think i'll be able to make one sock in the smallest size.
If this doesn't work, please let me know, and go ahead and remove me from the knit along. I won't use the pattern, cross my heart.
so sorry for the inconvenience!
Posted by: jun | December 26, 2006 at 16:17
A sock knitted with my most favorite of all yarns? How could I not sign up? I am in.
Posted by: Knittripps | December 26, 2006 at 16:46
I realize this is probably not the right place to be asking this question--I could not find an email address posted anywhere, so I ask your forgiveness in advance.
Being new to the world of knitting blogs, I have seen many many excellent meathead hats, and would like to participate in a knitalong, if one is still going on. I'd like to make one as a gift for a friend serving in the Peace Corps in Azerbaijan, where it snows for about 6 months out of the year.
Thanks for your consideration.
K
Posted by: K | December 26, 2006 at 17:56
I just balled up some manos yesterday and I got a yarn store gift certificate. I've never knit socks before so this will be fun!
Posted by: Mama Urchin | December 27, 2006 at 09:18
I've been dying to make some socks for myself. what a lovely excuse. now my twin goals: (a) to pick a color out of all the lovelys and (b) to find some spare cash ;)
Posted by: sarah gilbert | December 27, 2006 at 09:57
I hope to join but word press still (24 hrs later) has not sent me my password. :-(
Posted by: Carla | December 27, 2006 at 14:53
Hi Carla, see this.. http://knitalong.net/testalong/?p=11#comments
Posted by: martin | December 27, 2006 at 15:46
Woo Hoo! I joined up and got yarn and DPNs today. I'm almost finished with my first sock ever! I tell you, that instep seems to go on and on and on, but it's only a couple rows shy of starting the toe decreases. A picture of the work so far is on my blog. THis is fun! :)
Posted by: Cindy in Oregon | December 28, 2006 at 00:10
Have finished my Manos socks 101...and I have posted them to the flickr group socks 101...but they are not showing within the socks 101 group photo stream...?????what to do?????
Posted by: Celaine | January 09, 2007 at 20:01
are you still looking for KAL knitters? I'd LOVE to join and have a skein of Manos that I have no idea what to do with. This would be perfect!
Posted by: wenders | January 19, 2007 at 13:33
I take it the knitalong is long done. I was looking for socks 101 from royea.com, but that site is not available. Is your pattern available?
Posted by: Liisa | April 24, 2010 at 19:46