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january 31, 2006
sockapaloooza: bigger, longer, and uncut We've got 606 participants this time around in 21 different countries! That's 497 in the US, 40 from Canada, 22 in the UK, 13 from Germany, 4 from Spain, 4 from Sweden...we've even got 4 in Japan! This is soooo cool! Hubby's been having fun plotting out all the palooozer-cities in Google Earth.
And the tech guys have worked up a Google map so we see where everyone is.* Click here (you might need to wait a minute for the location dots to load), then zoom in and find yourself!* Use the mouse to scroll your way around the map. Can you find the 3 people in Singapore, the 1 in Israel, or the 1 in Hawaii? Look for the person in the Northern Territories and say hi to all the Australians and New Zealanders too!
Sock pal matches will be sent out sometime tomorrow, February 1st. If you need to make any corrections to your foot measurements or sock preferences, do it today! (Remember, the link is in the knit-along sidebar.) Some of you have only entered a shoe size - it would be VERY helpful if you went back and entered the length of your foot from heel to toe. Shoe sizes vary from country to country and the measurement is really the best way to judge the size. After you receive your sock pal info, you will not be able to change your preferences. You will still be able to edit your mailing address and blog address info, however, and there will also be boxes to check off when you've finished knitting, sent your socks (don't send them until May!), and receive socks from your pal. I'm looking forward to a great sock sock swap! (* - To maintain privacy, the map does not contain any identifying information. Only zip codes or cities are represented. The dot for you will be somewhere in your county or town and could stand for multiple people in that same postal code. Therefore, the map is just for fun and is NOT a way to check if you are in the system. If you received the screen saying that your info had been added to the database after entering your info last week, then you are in the system. Don't worry!) UPDATE: I know the map was having problems loading in Internet Explorer. My master webmaster has fixed the problem, so IE'ers, take a look! - - - - - - - - - - - Since we're looking ahead to the knitting, let's get some sock pattern and yarn suggestions. Leave your suggestions in the comments and I'll add the best ones to the list in the sidebar again. And hey, good news, there are a few folks who sell hand-dyed and hand-painted yarns offering discounts to sockapaloooza participants! My pal Dani is offering $2 off each skein of her gorgeous yarns - contact her before buying through the etsy site to arrange the discount Thanks so much, ladies! posted by alison at 9:39 am | in
sockapaloooza
Comments
I love the maps! What a fantastic idea. Posted by: Kira at January 31, 2006 10:18 AMWait, is that someone off the coast of Morocco? So we're only missing South America and Antarctica. Next time, next time... Posted by: Ashley at January 31, 2006 10:25 AMAllison, Hey, no one in Antarctica. You'd think that people there would really need warm socks! Wait, are there people there? Posted by: Jessica at January 31, 2006 10:29 AMHey, Jenny, I see four dots in your state - you've got to be one of them. Remember it's just by zip code, not exact location. (You ARE in the database, so don't worry!) Posted by: alison at January 31, 2006 10:34 AMWhew! Thanks, I sooooo want to be a part of this! Posted by: Jenny at January 31, 2006 10:35 AMIn zooming in on the map, I also don't see myself. I know I signed up. Posted by: Jessica at January 31, 2006 10:37 AMThat spot off the coast of Morocco would be one of the Canary Islands. Yay for us Spanish sockapalooza-ers! I love the map! Thanks so much for making this such fun. Posted by: Jennifer at January 31, 2006 10:44 AMsigh, for some reason IE doesn't want to open up the map. (just wanted to check if I was in as well) Can't wait! Posted by: yahaira at January 31, 2006 10:45 AMYes, Jessica, you're in the system. Remember folks, THE MAP IS JUST PLOTTING ZIP CODES, so your dot may not be exactly where you live, but it should be in the area. Mine's got me about a quarter-mile away in some giant building! ;0) It's also NOT A FRAPPER MAP where you can click on yourself. The dots on the map are completely anonymous to maintain everyone's privacy. Posted by: alison at January 31, 2006 10:45 AMHi Alison,what a wonderful way to make the world of sock-people come together.I found my little world!!You are doing a great job!! Posted by: Ann at January 31, 2006 10:53 AMWow Alison! What an awesome knit along you've put together! tHAnK YoU!!!!! Posted by: Carrie at January 31, 2006 11:08 AM606? I'm stunned. Good thing there are tech guys and sock moms... I can't wait to receive my match! Posted by: grumperina at January 31, 2006 11:23 AMI found myself and I'm tickled by that. I'm not sure why, I mean it's not like I don't know where I live... Posted by: Colleen at January 31, 2006 11:25 AMI can't open the map - when I click on it, it crashes out my IE. Yes, I know, IE isn't the greatest, but it's all I'm allowed at work. A non-Sockpaloozer here (no time!) but popping in to recommend Brown Sheep's "Wildfoote" yarn. It's soft, comes in beautiful colors, and it's a bargain. I have a pair on the needles now in Wildfoote and am having a ball knitting them. Posted by: Juti at January 31, 2006 11:47 AMWOW! I think you are Superwoman, Alison. And, cheers for the Tech Guys. I added my foot length to my info with no problem, and found my location on the map. Sockapaloooza is off to a great start. Thanks so much for your hard work putting this together. Posted by: Katherine at January 31, 2006 12:11 PMThe maps are great - hooray for the tech team! I especially love Google Earth - it's so thoughtful they put an atmosphere around us. Posted by: Ina at January 31, 2006 12:16 PMAmazing! I am so excited to get my pal! Thanks again, Alison! I loved seeing all the Sockapalooozers on the globe. It's funny, but seeing that map with all the dots makes the world seem noticeably smaller. In the very best possible way. :) Posted by: Laura at January 31, 2006 12:18 PMWow! That's really neat! It makes me wish I had signed up after all. ;) (I can't afford it this term... *very* tight budget.) Posted by: Andrea at January 31, 2006 12:21 PMI am so fascinated by whomever lives on those islands off of Morocco! What a fun map. :) Can't wait to start some socks! Posted by: Amanda at January 31, 2006 12:22 PMOohh, and can ye find the lone knitter from Denmark? That's meee!! *waves wildly* Ye also GOT to love that we have a knitter from Guernsey on board! Incredibly good idea, this map. Posted by: lene at January 31, 2006 12:39 PMOh my word! 600-odd 'paloozers! Will you ever get any knitting of your own done? ;-) Posted by: Beth S. at January 31, 2006 1:01 PMWhat a great job Alison! Each round seems to get better and better. Thanks for putting in so much work. Posted by: Mary at January 31, 2006 1:01 PMI am totally flabbergasted at the total. You are truly a wonder woman! That's so much for setting all this up. It's a gargantuan job. Posted by: Diane at January 31, 2006 1:05 PMI love the maps! And thanks for organizing some discount yarn for all the participants. Posted by: Pip at January 31, 2006 1:10 PMI can't get the world to open either, but I'm awfully stoked to get my pal tomorrow!!! Thanks for all your hard work, Alison! Posted by: Shelagh at January 31, 2006 1:10 PMhey! i wanted to say that those islands off the coast off morocco are the canary islands (spain), but jennifer just got ahead of me (hi jennifer!). repeating it just in case. i'm another of the spanish sockapalooozers, and i think i know the canary islands one... but who's the fourth spanish one??? MISTERY! this is so misterious, and funny! thanks allison! Posted by: betty at January 31, 2006 1:27 PMWhoo, Go Alison! Over 600 of us! That's a whole lot of socks. :) Posted by: Kristel at January 31, 2006 2:01 PMOoh, Ooh. I want to be paired with someone from Tenerife. Or Lanzarote. How exotic. I want to take them to him/her myself. In the meantime, I am searching for the softest, strongest, most washable yarn. What a great event you've created, Alison! My socks are off to you... Posted by: Penny at January 31, 2006 2:14 PMWow, that's a lot of people! Thanks for organizing this, this is my first international exchange and I'm really excited! You asked for some sock patterns. I'm not sure if this'll qualify but I just finished on Sunday this pair of beautiful socks, and the pattern is completely my own. It's still in Finnish, though, but I will translate it if someone is interested. Pics of my socks are in my blog: If someone likes these, just leave a comment and I'll translate the pattern asap. :) (Always good to promote your blog, right?) :D Posted by: Tuulia at January 31, 2006 2:21 PMOooo, I'm really looking forward to my first KAL :-) If you want to add a country blob to the cool map, I'm from Iceland although I live in Finland, so effectively 22 countries are participating! ;-) Posted by: Sigga Sif at January 31, 2006 2:34 PMLove the maps. Sockapaloooza is a virtual United Nations of Sock Knitting! Posted by: Ruth at January 31, 2006 2:47 PMSeeing the maps and all those dots makes it all the more exciting. Can't wait for tomorrow to found out who my sock pal is & where on the big map! And I get to go yarn shopping! Thank you for all your hard work & the Tech guys too. Posted by: Heather B at January 31, 2006 2:52 PMWow. Thems alot of sock knittin' people! http://www.spunkyhats.com/boogie_freepatterns_socklinks.htm Posted by: Julia at January 31, 2006 3:05 PMThe wide world of socks! Thank you and your helpers for putting this all together. Brooklyn NY represents with 7 sock-knitters. WooHoo! Posted by: liz at January 31, 2006 3:46 PM600! WOW! This will be amazing. I'm so excited! Thank you, Alison. Posted by: Frarochvia at January 31, 2006 3:59 PMThanks for the maps! Now I'm even more excited! Posted by: Erica at January 31, 2006 4:16 PMWell I didn't commit to this Palooza as a friend and I have made mutual New Year's Ressies that we would make the lace shawls we bought yarn for two years ago AND I am working on a weasley for my son. . . BUT NEXT TIME. . . . as we Mainers say, "regahdless". Alison and tech crew: amazing work. WOW. Stars in ALL your crowns! Posted by: Becky at January 31, 2006 4:18 PMWowzers! Remember the first Sockapalooza? Did you ever think it would come to this? :o) Posted by: Amy Lu at January 31, 2006 5:34 PMI can't open the map either, it just crashes every time I try! Hey Alison, Could you email the 3 other people in the St louis area with my email address, and suggest that we do a sockapalooozalong? It would be fun to get with them to do this... Posted by: Timothy at January 31, 2006 6:51 PMHi! I reccomend the largest group of free patterns on the internet that I know of: Amy Boogie's collection on The Boogie Knits When posting earlier I forgot to recommend "Sensational Knitted Socks" by Charlene Schurch. Pattern suggestions are divided by stitch count, and with information on how many stitches to cast on depending on gauge, and knitting instructions for knitting on either 4 or 5 dpns or 2 circulars. It's a great book. Posted by: Ruth at January 31, 2006 11:53 PMHey wow, there's another sockapalooozer in my neighborhood! Thanks for the maps - they're terribly cool! As far as recommendations go, I love Fortissima Socka yarn, Lorna's Laces, Wildfoote, Regia, and Opal. I'm knitting my first sock with Trekking XXL and it's nice to work with, hopefully it wears well. Thanks again for setting this up - it's so exciting! Posted by: Jess at February 1, 2006 12:06 AMI haven't read any of the other responses, so forgive me if someone already posted this, but... Amy recently collected a big list of free sock pattern links. Here's a link to her list: http://www.spunkyhats.com/boogie_freepatterns_socklinks.htm HTH Wow so awesome. I'm sorry I don't have the time to participate this time around. But at least I showed this to my SIL and she joined. Posted by: Orli at February 1, 2006 2:42 PMoh man.. after looking at the map, i'm bummed i didn't join this one. there is noone even close to me.... i should be representing my part 'o the country :( Posted by: rebecca at February 1, 2006 5:01 PMHello to the other Albemarle County, VA sockapaloozer! I see your mark in Charlottesville, I'm up near Barboursville. It looks like just us in central VA. Posted by: Krista at February 1, 2006 6:09 PMOh I thought there might be more Australians. Hi to those across the ditch in New Zealand! I have just knitted my very first beginner test sock (as per Knitty's Socks 101) so I am raring to go! Posted by: Jill at February 1, 2006 7:46 PMooh, I'm perfectly plotted on the map! That is so awesome. I see there are three other knitters very close to me, as well. This is my first secret pal anything, and it's so exciting that it is so huge! Kudos for hosting such a gargantuan operation. Posted by: Laura at February 1, 2006 8:51 PMWho is from Iceland? I like this adventure;). Good luck! Posted by: Kuduv koeraomanik at February 2, 2006 4:09 PM |
