Preparedness

A few days ago, we received in the mail the MRE's we ordered for our disaster preparedness kit. It's important to be prepared. You know, for when the zombies come.

Thinking about busting open those MRE's during a zombie attack is scary. But thinking about Sock Madness is fun. So we'll just focus on Sock Madness for now.

The madness starts tomorrow and I find myself questioning my mental preparedness. We'll be receiving the first pattern, via e mail, sometime between 8 and 9am EST. That means sometime between 5 and 6am, here in good ol' PST. Frankly, I highly doubt I'll be getting up at 5am. I know this is sock madness, but me? Up? At 5...AM? Unlikely. But, see, the willingness to rise at dawn may just be what separates the winners from the losers in this game.

And my preparedness as far as supplies go...well, I'm not sure about that, either.

Here's what we've been told we need for needles:
US 1 (2.25mm)
US 1.5 (2.5mm)
US 2 (2.75mm)
I think I'm fine here. I don't have any 2.5mm, but I plan on just using my 2.25mm's instead. I doubt it'll make too big a difference. (Again, that's just the kind of blase attitude which could really bite me on the arse in this competition.)

Here's the yarn we've been told we need for 7 pairs of socks. (List presented in no particular order, because I don't know what the order will be.)

1. Sport weight yarn, variegated
2. One skein variegated, one skein solid
3. One skein variegated, one skein solid (design "will be greatly enhanced if the
yarns you choose have a high degree of contrast.")
4. Variegated yarn
5. Variegated yarn
6. Solid yarn
7. Solid yarn

I'm set for #1. I got some Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Sand Ridge colorway



I picked it up at Compatto (means "close-knit" in Italian). It was my first time visiting that store and I've been meaning to say how wonderful it was. A sweet and fluffy dog named Gracie greeted us at the door. The service was the friendliest of any of my LYS's. See how they wound the yarn up for me? Oh, and the great service didn't end when I left the store. I had asked them a question for which they did not immediately know the answer, but two days later, Nancy e mailed me with the answer. Wonderful.

While there, I also got a bunch of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in some mix-and-match colors.



The colors are (clockwise from top left): Spring Frost, Navy, Nantucket Red and Natural.

I think I like the Nantucket Red all on it's own. I'll save that for #6 on my list.

But the Spring Frost looks good with both the Navy and the Natural



So far, this is not enough yarn for all seven socks. But, honestly, am I really going to make all seven socks? How many patterns will be left when I'm eliminated from the competition? If it's lots, I have no idea if I'll still want to make the remaining pairs. This may very well be enough to get me as far as I'll go in the competition. However, in the interest of preparedness, of course, I went to Wildfiber today and got more yarn. It was tough, I tells ya. I really had to force myself into yarn buying. But it was for the preparedness, people! It's all about being prepared (cough, cough...what?).

Cherry Tree Hill, again.



That's Spanish Moss on the left and Cabin Fever on the right.

I'm still working the mix-and-match angle because Cabin Fever looks good with Natural and Spanish Moss looks good with both Natural and Navy.





Among these mix-and-matches, I've got some lovely combos and some have that "high degree of contrast" we've heard about. But it's still not quite enough for all seven pairs. Figuring I'll be using the Natural and the Navy as the solid for the #2 and #3 socks (on my list, not the order they'll be knit), I still need another solid for the #7 pair.

So here we are, on the eve of competition and I'm not completely prepared. Can I make a respectable showing anyway? If I do advance in the competition, will I have time to get more supplies? Would a winner be doubting herself?

You know what, don't answer that.