So much for German punctuality! I stayed up a little too late last night preparing this update and overslept this morning. I just needed to add updates from one sock sister and a few links to pictures this morning, but the German train system waits for no-one, so I had to postpone it until now. Ich bitte um Entschuldigung.

Here it is, week three and we've got a total of four finished pairs of socks so far! (Two of them from Ina's group. I don't know what she has promised her knitters if they finish early, but they are just a bunch of over-achievers aren't they? Tee hee.)

Ina reports that after frogging a few times, Morgan has finished her fraternal Jaywalkers!
And Donna says Kerrie has finished her socks filled with stripey goodness! Huzzah!

And here's your update-a-looza...

Sock momma Alison hasn't knit a stitch on her sock pal's sock while on vacation.
Abigail has finished another pair of lacy socks and again she won't tell us if they are for her pal or not. She's sly, that one!
Agnes has one red cabled sock finished and will now concentrate on socks for hubby for a while.
Alynda found some gorgeous Fleece Artist sock yarn for her pal and has cast on for toe-up, two at a time, Wyvern socks (from Marnie McLean).
Amy has turned the heel on her first sock and is working her way up the leg.
Anastacia hasn't made any knitting progress, but she did open an etsy store - check it out!
Andrea will be using Bearfoot Yellowstone yarn and making Bob's Meadowlark Socks (MC pattern).
Angel is thinking of Rib & Cable socks in KnitPicks yarn, but needs to do some swatching first.
Angela has finished her first Jaywalker.
Anna has also turned a heel and is ready to start the foot of her first bright rainbow sock. She's also just raving over some new sock yarn she's just received from this seller. You gotta see the colors Anna got!
Astrid has chosen Opal sock yarn and will make Jaywalkers. She's half-way done with her Olympic Jaywalkers already!
Betty is also working on Olympic projects right now, but she did receive yarn for her sock pal's socks. Look at the gorgeous close-up!
Beverly found a very pretty yarn called "Chlorophyll" from this etsy store for her sock pal's socks.

Sock sister Ashley writes in:
Brenda is making some Sockbug Lava Flow socks, and just has to decide which Cherry Tree Hill colorway to use.
Brigid just got her yarn: Lorna's Laces in Forest.
Carina just got a whole whack of sock yarn in the mail, in gorgeous colors! She's thinking orange for her pal—but which pattern should she use?
Carla has started some Stitches of Violet Basketweave Ribbing socks, using Claudia's Handpainted.
Carola has started her socks—Pomatomi, no less!
Chawne's pal requested anklets—she's got some underway, but is already planning a second pair for her lucky pal!
Christine picked up some yummy olive-green Koigu KPM for her pal.
Crissy picked out some blue yarn, and is pondering patterns.

Sock sister Carry reports:
Debbie is up to the foot decreases on the rainbow ripple sock she's started for her sock pal in lorna's laces purple iris.
Dene has answered her sockpal's questions and has picked out yarn for her pal's socks.
Dorothee has gotten a shipment of yarn, will her pal be lucky enough to receive 2 pairs of socks???
Elise started over with a new pattern, Waving Lace. What a great color/pattern match!
Elise is waiting to hear back from Sunshine Yarns about her pal's yarn.
Elspeth has picked up some nice KnitPicks sock yarn and will be doing the Pomatomus pattern.
Erica has gotten about 6" away from the tip of the toe, she is using a beautiful green color in Dale of Norway.
Fayme is working hard on figuring out the heel for the larger size. Check out the picture of her progress here.
Flan has found some Trekking XXL and is thinking of using the Jaywalker pattern.
Grauwal's pal's yarn has arrived, she's just waiting for the needles to be freed.

Sock sister Cathy reports:
Jenny has picked some yummy alpaca and is looking at patterns.
Jen has picked out yarn and is planning to use the Yukon Leaves pattern.
Holly Jo has done a totally tubular cast on to start her socks!
Julie is halfway through her second sock using Lorna's Laces in Yellowstone and the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer pattern. And check out the beautiful desert sky on her blog!
Joyce has been distracted by the Knitting Olympics (me too!) but has picked up some Fleece Artist sock yarn for her pal.
Jessica has started a lacy pair of socks in some very springy colored Lorna's Laces yarn.
Jess has bought 3 (!) different yarns for her sock pal, she's still mulling over patterns.
Judy has finished the leg of the first sock. Check out the beautiful ribs and cables.
Jessimuhka is still deciding on a pattern for her Sockapaloooza pal, but go be inspired by her green retro rib socks!

Sock sister Donna writes:
Karen's showing off one finished Jaywalker - it's beautiful in Schaefer Anne yarn.
Kat has three inches of pretty, pretty sock on the needles.
Kat's lucky sockpal is getting pink yarn that's verrry cute!
Katherine has finished her first Sock That Rocks with purple needles that match!
Kathy's got a great start on some bright red Aran socks - she'll have a lot of people hoping she's their pal!
Kim found the perfect inspiration for her socks when she took a class with Lucy Neatby (who looks so cool in Kim's pics!).
Kirsty has a lovely start on the Gentleman's Sock in Lozenge Pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks.

Sock sister Erin writes:
Laura would appreciate some suggestions for her sockpal.
Laura has just finished dyeing yarn for her pal's socks and is now swatching in pattern. In the meantime, check out her Jaywalkers.
Lelah has chosen some Koigu (yum) and Anna's Nautilus socks.
Lesley has had a bit of a setback, but is now back on track.
Lindsey has chosen Lorna's Laces in Purple Iris for her pal. Now she just needs to decide between 3 patterns in the meantime: Mirabella, Elfine's socks, or Leaf Lace Socks.
They aren't sockpal socks, but check out Lisa's "long" socks.
Lisa C in TN has chose her yarn and pattern, (Embossed Leaves in Regia 4 ply denim) and hopes to start those next month.
Tragedy has struck Lorraine. Her socks were coming out too small, and has decided to rethink things.
Mai is knitting some very pretty fair-isle socks for her pal.
Malle is moving along on some very cute footlets.
Maria has chosen her yarn, Cherry Tree Hill Superwash, and pattern, Angel's Rest from Fiber Trends.

Sock sister Ina reports:
Melanie is going for a personal best in Olympic sock knitting and is pondering adapting Fair Isle Jazz from Scarf Style.
Melissa has cast on Falling Leaves in red Koigu in her copious spare time (not) and wants to learn Magic Loop.
Melissa visisted Chicago during a spell of -20 F (-29 C) weather and knitted with her daughter in the hotel.
After starting and frogging, Meredith is knitting Embossed Leaves in purple Koigu.
Mia got her re-certification (woo-hoo!) and is going to test drive Falling Leaves.
Michelle is off to Stitches West for some inspiration.
Mindy has some blue Koigu and is pondering the pattern short list.
MommyknitsJen is working the lace repeats on her Olympic Sockapaloooza socks.
Mozemen has yarn and big travel plans, pix to follow.
Nannette has selected Socks That Rock Spinel.
Nathalie is making an Olympic effort and knitting through the pain.
Opportunityknits posted some guidance for her sock pal.
Pam is starting socks in Magic Stripes and is preparing to be the mother of the bride.
Pam-M. has some periwinkle wool and Tencel yarn and is pondering wonderful patterns, including Metropolis and Italian Diamond Rib.
Patrice is using Opal Petticoat and Jaywalker.
Patti has done lots of blogging, also knitting and frogging in Cherry Tree Hill.
Patty has some gorgeous blue Dani yarn, a new digicam, an Olympics project, and a vacation coming up.
Pip_and_Tom has selected lovely green Nature's Palette yarn and Whitby from Knitting on the Road.

Sock sister Jenipurr reports:
Polly has picked her yarn and pattern and is getting ready to start.
Rachel has finished the first of her Canada socks (from Knitting on the Road).
Renata will be making Pomatomus socks out of some Socks that Rock in Cobalt Bloom.
Roberto will be making Pomatomus socks with some lovely aquamarine Sockotta yarn.
Rocketbride has made it halfway up the foot of the first sock.
Ruth is making Sockbug's Lava Flow socks.
Samantha is starting over, this time making ribbed socks.
Sandra will be using some lovely hand-dyed yarn in shades of purple and blue.
Sara has a picture of her socks in progress and they're turning out gorgeous.
Sarah is making Lacy Scallops socks in Regia Cotton Surf, and has already finished the first one.
Sarah G received her yarn and has started knitting the socks.
Sarah has picked her yarn and pattern
Sharon is making lacy beaded socks.
Spring is still trying to make up her mind on yarn and pattern.

Sock sister Lisa (are you reading Lisa's updates? They're hilarious!) writes:
OK, my turn. So I’m knitting along on Embossed Leaves, which is eating yarn faster than a swarm of moths at a Weird Al Yankovic concert. Lo and behold, I find myself at the end of the first of two—Yes, only TWO balls of yarn, just shy of the toe decreases…Criminy! No worries, I should be able to retrace my steps to figure out where I bought the yarn. I mean, in the past month, I’ve only been to: A Good Yarn, Circles, Black Sheep Knitting, Wild and Wooly in Lexington, Knitting Central, Yarn Barn, Yarn LLC, Knotty Girl in Fairfield, Ewe’ll Love it, Grace Robinson, and Halcyon. Nope, none of them carry this yarn. Hey, there’s a price tag on the yarn. I don’t go to yarn stores that have price tags on their yarn…and then it hits me….Freakin’ Fabric Place. What the hell was I doing there? So I headed out to Fabric Place in Framingham to get the other ball I asked them to hold for me. And as I’m driving past the court house, guess who is being ushered in, flanked by his attorney’s and security no doubt? Neil Entwistle…Enough said!
Susanne is knitting a pair of Opal Feather & Fan socks. No pictures of her socks yet, though she professes she’s past the heel.
Suzanne has emailed her sock pal a few times to nail down what she wants (no variegation!) and has picked a pattern (cables) but no yarn yet. Check out her “skank” of yarn from the “unloved sock yarn swap” though.
Teresa’s Lorna’s Laces is in the mail and she’s leaning towards the Sock Bugs Lava Flow pattern. Holy color-work Batman, check out her Olympic project.
Thistlerain is trying to find just the right color yarn for her pal. She started a pair in a lovely yarn and then decided it was too pale. So this week she will be looking for something a little brighter and keep working on the other pair for herself. She’s trying to decide whether to do a lace pattern or clocks or both? What the heck are clocks?
Tracy admits that she cannot knit while watching scary movies—she’s already broken her third Brittany needles finishing the first sock. (Editorial Sidebar from Lisa: OK, can we all agree that while we love Brittany needles, you cannot use their size 0, 1, or 2’s without breaking them?) She’s using a yarn called Love Hearts from a small English company that uses only historical plant dyes. Wow, check out her Kidsilk Stole as well as the fabulous fair isle object she’s using as the back drop for her socks.
Trina received her Knit Picks Sock Garden yarn and cast-on for the Embossed Leaves. I warned her too about watching her gauge. Don’t want to start a panic but let’s just say that my pair will be perfect for those days when you’re retaining water.
Hmm…seems like we have a lot of Embossed Leaves and Sock Bugs this Sockapaloooza.
Trish has decided on a tweedy purple Fortissima but is still up in the air on which pattern to use. It’s no wonder, with the Olympic dreams swirling around in her head. Entrelac, it’s the new…yeah, I’ve got nothing—it’s a lot of ends to weave in.
Ulond’s daughter Meghan emailed me with an update on her mom’s socks. She's got a lovely bubble-gum pink superwash Norwegian wool all picked out to start on her pal's knee-socks. KNEE SOCKS…I DIDN’T KNOW WE COULD REQUEST KNEE SOCKS, HELL, I’D HAVE ASKED FOR THIGH HIGHS! She'll be using a version of the "Mock Islelet" pattern from an old issue of Spin Off. She'll be casting on this week.
Weeza has narrowed it down to two patterns: Sockbug’s Lava Flow (right) and a mistake rib (left) both toe-up with Mary Lycan’s mitred toe and heel. She told me she was having trouble with her encroachments (which she was treating with ointment) and I had to google it because the only definition I knew of did not seem like it could be related to the human condition or anatomy. Help me out Weeza! Are you suffering from an invasion of tourists? Can you treat that with ointment?
1. invasion: any entry into an area not previously occupied; "an invasion of tourists"; "an invasion of locusts"
2. trespass: entry to another's property without right or permission
3. impingement: influencing strongly; "they resented the impingement of American values on European culture"
4. A property improvement or obstruction that physically intrudes upon the property of another.
5. A building or some portion of it, or a wall or fence that extends beyond the land of the owner and illegally intrudes upon land of an adjoining owner, a street or an alley.
Wooliedi’s on the road (“Knitting on the Road” that is) and has chosen The New England Socks in a dark red, to please her sock pal.
Zina’s chosen Sisu sock yarn in a lime green and she’s decideing between Sock Bug's Crooked Cable or Embossed Leaves from Winter 2005 Interweave Knits. I told her I was using the same yarn for my pal with the Embossed Leaves and that there is a gauge challenge because that pattern really was written for Koigu. Let’s wait and see what she decides.
Yarnsticks just posted an update on her blog. She’s defending her position with friends on why she is even knitting socks at all, much less knitting socks for someone she doesn’t even know…We’re a crazy bunch! I love the pooling…is that Retro Rib?
Andamay reports that she’s had a false start and had to begin again…she got so bored with the first pattern (in a faux fair isle) that she found herself sleepwalking over the jaywalker pattern on Grumperina’s site. So far so good with Trekking XXL and 1.5 needles.
Carol checked in this week from “slow-poke mountain” and asked for some help with metric conversions. I helped her make the conversions…poor thing, her sock pal’s foot is 3’ 6” long….wait, do you think I made a mistake?
Deidre has switched from the two circular method to dpns and is thanking her lucky stars that her pal has small feet. If you remember from last week, she kept knitting with the needle she was supposed to drop, or something like that…I swear it’s harder than the magic loop…and you have to buy twice as many needles (go figure). She also went to a beadmaking class at Snow Farm, which I have never heard of but I expect I will be visiting soon (thanks for clueing us in on another expensive hobby). I have a vague recollection that Julia from Moth Heaven had a bead problem about a year ago. Wonder how that is going?

Sock sister Mary writes:
Nic has picked some gorgeous Lorna's Laces for her socks and has made a start.
Helen has started a great pair of Jaywalkers for her pal.
Jen has finished one sock in Trekking XXL and is starting to see why sock knitters love handknitted socks so much!
Jill has chosen some 'Hot Socks' yarn for her pal and now has to pick a pattern.
Johanna has finished her first sock - luckily she can use her little brother as a foot model!
Lara is down to the heel of her first sock. She had a few problems but is following Ann Budd's sock pattern and all seems OK for now.
Lisa saw a pair of lace socks in the new IK that will be perfect for her pal but now she's thinking about another very cool pattern.
Peacock has found her yarn and now has to do some gauge swatches and pattern planning.
Melissa has settled on a pattern for her socks and has got started.
Laura is using some Lorna's Laces in Motherlode, although she'd really rather be using Opal self striping!
Krista's yarn has arrived. She loves it and hopes her sock pal does too.

Way to go everyone (sock sisters, sockapaloooza knitters, anyone who made it this far down the page!)! I'll be traveling back next Tuesday and will probably be jetlagged for a few days, so rather than keep you all in suspense while I try to catch up on my sleep, how 'bout we skip the update next week? Those of you working on Olympic projects should have plenty of time to attend medal ceremonies, rest up a bit and still be able to cast on for your sock pal socks in time for the next update. Maybe I'll have even cast on by then too! Maybe.