the blue blog archives: "attention! attention! people of bikini bottom!"

This is what my boys yell from the backseat when the notoriously crazy Massachusetts drivers start acting up on the road. The boys are doing an imitation of Plankton from Spongebob Squarepants who is a very angry little marine creature, constantly thwarted in his attempts to rule the world by his own size: "I have come to realize... I can deny it no longer! I am small." So the boys put their hands over their mouths like a megaphone and say "Attention! People of bikini bottom! You are blocking our car!"

And sockapalooz-er wannabes, I'm reopening the sign up. Right now! With Christine taking over the beginners group, I've got fewer names to deal with here and am not feeling quite as overwhelmed as I had feared. So be quick and leave a comment to this post and join before I come to my senses. I'm game for about 25-30 more participants. BUT you have to super-dooper promise with a cherry on top to make fabulous socks that your pal will love and not leave him/her in the lurch. Attention! People! Repeat after me: "I super-dooper promise...."

Update: Sign up for the sockapalooza is now officially closed. But if this winter tour goes well, there's good chances for a summer tour!

posted by alison at 8:54 am | in sockapalooza

Comments

Hi there - sign me up as a sockapaloozer! Can you send me information about the group? Don't know a thing. Thanks!

Pam Stewart
knitmama

Posted by: Pam Stewart at January 6, 2005 9:12 AM

sign me up. I dragged my feet before.
I've made socks before but I'd still qualify as beginner I think (I havent made anything more than very basic-no frills socks)

Posted by: Carla at January 6, 2005 9:48 AM

Sign me up! :) I truly super-dooper promise not to leave my SP in the lurch, and I'll do my best to make my socks totally fabulous. I guess I'm an intermediate sock knitter... I've done toe-up and cuff down, but I haven't done anything intricate or lacy.

Posted by: Parikha at January 6, 2005 9:53 AM

I've been reading your blog for awhile now, and I'd love to join this knit a long (my first). I'm a relatively new knitter (maybe a year), but my 2nd FO was a pair of socks. Send me the info!

Posted by: Emily at January 6, 2005 9:54 AM

Those boys are getting road rage already. Way to start them early! I love it!

Woohoo! I can't wait to get started on some socks!

Posted by: Jenn at January 6, 2005 10:15 AM

Count me in. I super-dooper promise to make fabulous socks for my sock pal. Actually, that promise may overstate my abilities a bit, but I promise at least to make socks that my sock pal can enjoy wearing under boots for a good laugh.

Posted by: Beth at January 6, 2005 10:22 AM

Count me too. I have made about 4-5 pairs of socks on 3.75mm. I don't know if that makes me a beguinner or an old pro. I am dying to try the broad-ripple from Knitty.

Posted by: jean at January 6, 2005 10:35 AM

I can't stand it - I have to be in too!
Is there a beginner-intermediate level?

And by the way, thanks for putting my mini-Weasley on your blog -- it's famous now!

Posted by: Lindsay at January 6, 2005 10:37 AM

very experienced knitter,Please sign me up

Posted by: Ann at January 6, 2005 10:39 AM

Please Alison sign me up too.
Got to run..
Thanks
Maria

Posted by: Maria at January 6, 2005 10:51 AM

i want to join too!!!

Posted by: kim at January 6, 2005 10:54 AM

Ooh... can I join, too? I super-dooper promise to make some fabu socks for someone out there in internet land. I'm currently working on my 41st pair of socks, so I guess that makes me intermediate? Thanks for all your hard work setting this up!

Posted by: Cathy at January 6, 2005 11:06 AM

Hello Alison! Your Sockapalooza is a great idea! You can count me in, I would be very happy to send socks from Belgium to my sock pal! Thanks a lot!

Posted by: Sandra at January 6, 2005 11:06 AM

oh pretty please? Can I join too?

Posted by: marti at January 6, 2005 11:09 AM

Hi Alison ! I d idn't get an e-mail requesting my details.Shall I just e-mail you the info ?

Posted by: Emma at January 6, 2005 11:15 AM

Thanks for reopening the sign-up, I'll never drag my feet again! I've made a few pairs of socks, but probably would still be classified as a beginner. Thanks for hosting!

Posted by: Keri at January 6, 2005 11:22 AM

I would love to join the sock swap. I am an experienced knitter (30+ years of knitting and 20+ years of designing). Have had what I call "beginners" success with knitting socks. I have knit 2 pair for myself last year, started a pair for my husband and just finished them. Now started my 4th pair of socks.

I will begin making socks for this swap right away. I figure if the ribbing and heal is completed.... the remainder of the sock knits up quickly. Once I know what size.... I can then finish them and get these mailed.

This swap sounds like alot of fun!

Sharon

Posted by: Sharon at January 6, 2005 11:25 AM

I'd really like to join, too. I missed the first one and I have a big pile of sock yarn that is just waiting to become a present!

Posted by: Rowena at January 6, 2005 11:42 AM

Oh man, the Spongebob comment just about made me fall out of my chair. My kids do the same thing and they are older!! 13, 11, 10. It's hilarious.

I have a question. You know on the GGH fuzzy tank you knitted? I knitted it and it's too short for me. I have a whole skein left and wondered if your opinion would be for me to frog the whole thing and start again or just to add from the bottom.

Posted by: LeAnne at January 6, 2005 11:47 AM

sigh. I can't join as I am afraid I wouldn't finish in a timely enough fashion. However, I did join the Knit-a-long sock KAL you posted about and that will be fun. I am also slacking off on my Weasley, but am hoping to find a different fiber soon for that.

Posted by: amysue at January 6, 2005 11:47 AM

Well quoting spongebob is much better than what my kids have picked up from my husband who seems to forget the kids are in the car.

And thanks for doing the sock thing. I can't wait to get my sock buddy and get started.

Posted by: Steph at January 6, 2005 12:16 PM

OMG, I am laughing so hard over your boys! That's soooo funny. When I drive my little sisters around, all they do is tell me that I don't yell enough, like mommy does. :)

Posted by: Stephanie at January 6, 2005 12:29 PM

Hey, I want to join too! I just finished a pair of socks in European Size 50, so nothing may scare me LOL And I promise to do some very nice socks. :o))

Hugs Bente

Posted by: Bente at January 6, 2005 12:53 PM

Hi There! Sign me up for the sockapalooza. Knitting socks is my favorite project..
My son is a big sponebob fan also. Have your boys seen the spongebob movie? It's quite cute. I took my son on opening day.

Traci

Posted by: Traci at January 6, 2005 12:56 PM

Am I too late? Can I join?

Posted by: Karen at January 6, 2005 1:08 PM

Okay. It's an omen that I must participate. Sign me up too!

Posted by: Erica at January 6, 2005 1:35 PM

Well, I have been resisting because I really don't need another "to-do," but I know I'm going to wish I signed up so here I am! I've been on a sock kick (so to speak, lol) so the timing is right. If there's still room, I'd love to join. Thanks for coordinating this. As a fellow mom of twins, I don't know how you do it! :) Hugs, Cate

Posted by: mamacate at January 6, 2005 1:57 PM

Me too, me too, me too! This sounds like fun!
I'm probably late beginner, early intermediate.

Posted by: wendi at January 6, 2005 2:04 PM

OOH! me,me,me I super duper promise...I will make lovely, oh so lovely socks for a partner. I saw the photos on other peoples' blogs. They were wonderful and my feet were asking as to why they didn't have any wonderful new socks...

Posted by: Deb at January 6, 2005 2:20 PM

Would love to join if there's still room! I've knitted about 10-12 pairs of your basic self patterning socks, but am currently branching out into more challenging territory.
Thanks!

Posted by: Suzie at January 6, 2005 2:23 PM

did I miss your email? I see I'm on the big list, but haven't heard from you yet...details?
Thanks, Fern

Posted by: fern at January 6, 2005 4:26 PM

I will promise to check my email before I go yarn shopping this weekend. I can't wait!!!

Posted by: mia at January 6, 2005 4:50 PM

I super-duper promise to make an amazing pair of crocheted socks! *pleeeeeeze!* Here's a sampling of more recent pairs:
http://www.cs.unc.edu/~mantler/misc/fun_stuff/art/crochet/fallsocks.html

They really are nice socks, and I'm wondering what knitted socks are like.

Posted by: Andrea at January 6, 2005 5:32 PM

I hope I'm not too late - please, please, pretty please! I promise I'll make the best socks I can. I've just won 2 Ebay sock yarn auctions, so will have plenty of lovely yarn to use.

Posted by: Mary at January 6, 2005 6:09 PM

I'd love to join! I'm a seasoned sock veteran, and I'm thinking of doing some lace. There are lots of men in my family, and I'm tired of boring brown and black with little or no texture. Hope I got in!

Posted by: Elizabeth at January 6, 2005 7:12 PM

If there is still room to join the sockapalooza I would love to. I am in Beijing.
Thanks - Amy

Posted by: Amy at January 6, 2005 9:30 PM

If there are openings in the sockapalooza, I would love to participate!

Posted by: Karen at January 6, 2005 11:09 PM

I'm closing the sign up now. We've got well over 150 participants! If this round goes well, I'll be happy to organize another when it's done. Happy sock knitting to all of you!

Posted by: alison at January 7, 2005 12:28 AM