Sock Wars and Free Pattern.

First thing, thanks everyone for your encouraging words on my first published pattern. I urge you to go ahead and give it a shot as well if the thought of writing your own patterns has ever occurred to you as well.

Today, I try and re-live my first experience of Sock Wars Unfortunately the Website is no longer active so I can't provide a link to it. But here is a link with more information on the Wars.

Over these years, I have come across numerous people, either directly, through meet-ups, by reading blogs etc who are just so crazy about and addicted to knitting socks. Honestly, I am not one of those. Although, I always would try everything once just to be able to say that I have done it. I am not sure why I do this though, but I really rarely say no to trying something especially if it is even remotely related to something I like. But another truth is that I never stopped admiring these people (sock addicts) and their gorgeous projects.

When I first came to USA, and saw my very first knitting magazine (It was Interweave Knits Winter 2006), I was so excited with the scope and popularity of knitting here that without any knowledge of gauge or what kind of yarn to use for what project I made these amongst other projects.

I guess you might understand where I am coming from when I say I am a self taught knitter and crocheter and back home there were not too many resources to for me to learn these arts apart from observing old ladies (some of who might be your own aunts and grandmas etc) whipping out the projects for their family members.

Anyways, so that was that for a little while, and I was kinda proud of them, until I realized how I could have done much better. (I am constantly trying to improve, another one of my good/ bad personality traits.) Somehow though, I never really got to making a pair of socks again, until I heard of the Sock Wars. (I still think it is a grammatically wrong name, but who cares, it works and sounds just right !)

So there I was all signed up for the Wars and eagerly waiting to get started once they were on. I even went Yarn hunting and bought, not one but two options to knit with, keeping the following in mind.
1. It should be blue (I kinda have started avoiding buying anything blue since for a while all I saw DH buying or getting in gifts was blue. I need a break, you know what I mean?). Hence, blue would be the ideal color for me to buy and then part with, since you need to send the socks to your target in order to kill them in the war.
2. I was not too excited about using tofutsies and winning the grand prize of that yarn, since I did not see myself knitting/ crocheting a lot of socks in the near future, and it would have been kinda boring to have to think of other projects to make with the yarn.
3. The yarn should be decent, not great cause it would have made it difficult for me to part with it.

The first two skeins I bought were Blue Koigu, which I still have in my stash. I thought the yarn was twisted a little too much for my interest.

The second ball of yarn I bought is something which I have still not been able to pronounce. Steinbach Wolle Aktiv Color 100 in Blue again (Ravelry Link). (Writing blogs is fun, you don't need to say everything you write ;) ha ha.)


Finally, I worked with the second one (the one that shall not be named) cause it was easier to part with.

The pattern (The Detonator by Julie Gardner) took a while to come out on the designated day, but what was I worried about? I was at work and could not have started even if I wanted to. So I did what I could do at that time, kept checking my mail for the information about my target and kept checking how far everyone else had gotten with their pairs until I was at home. (I am still amazed at how fast some people can knit.)

I got home, cast on and started working through the pattern. It was not long before I realized it was not the stuff for me. Maybe knitting socks is just not my thing, maybe the pattern did not interest me, maybe the yarn was the culprit. Whatever it was, I knew my end was near. I knew I was not going to make it. I knew I am going to die soon. And I did what I normally would never do. I gave up. I just couldn't go further with it. And I was soon killed. I should have been upset, but I was very relieved. I was infact happy, that I could now cast on for something that I would love to make and not just have to make.


My killer Jen made me a nice pair of socks with tofutsies and even sent me goodies alongwith.

I sent her the WIP alongwith some Indian goodies, and it all finally was at rest.

All in all, it was a good experience, but no more for me. All is well that ends well !!!

On another note, here is a quick recipe for tiny crochet flowers, that I used as buttons for my crochet cardigan. (More on the cardigan coming soon.)

Quick Crocheted Flowers/ Buttons

(Ravelry Link)

* Make an adjustable ring. (Link to tutorial/ Link to Video)
* 9 Single Chains in the ring.
* Join with slip stitch to the first single chain.
* Chain 2 (counts as first double crochet) in the first single chain.
* double crochet in the same single chain.
* 2 double crochets each in each of the next 8 single chains. (Total 18 double crochets)
* Join with slip stitch with the first 2 chains that were counted as 1 double crochet.
* Cut yarn leaving enough to weave in.