Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The votes are in and it’s a win!

While I have been traveling to Kansas (there’s no place like home…), swamped at work, and not posting on my blog, many of you have been VOTING - and for that I sincerely thank you.  My Fjordland socks won the Summer of Color contest!  Check out Allison’s post to see all the winners!sock 1 (4) I really have my mother to thank for this win.  While in Kansas, I mentioned to her that I entered this contest and wanted her to vote for me.  She said “oh, email me the info and I’ll have the members of my quilting group vote. Lots of them admire the socks you knit for me.”  I’m not sure if she contacted just quilters or the whole Fabric & Fiber crowd at Sun City Texas….but I think every single one of them voted – plus a few bridge and bunko players, to boot.  If only my father was a big emailer, we could have engaged the golf contingent, too!  In fact, when it became clear to me how many votes Mom was rustling up, I got off my duff and emailed everyone who might possibly be not annoyed by an email asking for a vote.  It was pretty fun, actually.IMG_6454So fun, in fact, that I’m moved to sponsor my own contest.  If you voted for Socks 12 in the Summer of Color contest (be honest, folks, you know who you are!), leave a comment on this post to enter to win a pair of socks handknit by me for you.  I’ll conduct a sock interview (putting my reference librarian skills to use) and we’ll come up with a yarn/pattern combo that is to your liking.  Enter by midnight on Tuesday, August 17 – I’ll use a random number generator to pick a winner.  Make sure your comment leaves me enough info so I know how to reach you (shoutout to Sun City)!

In other knitting news, I think I doubled the length of the butternut scarf (this was my airplane knitting).  This isn’t a great photo because it’s hard to take good photos of scarves in progress, but here it is:IMG_6889I also started a new plain vanilla sock in a self-striping yarn, suitable for knitting while chatting with family.  I made it to the heel by the time I arrived home (it’s almost done now but I have no visual documentation!): IMG_6890 I also scored a beautiful skein of sock yarn at Wildflower Yarns in Manhattan – this is Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (50% wool, 20% alpaca, 30% nylon) in color 1275, which has the most wonderful name: Pea Soup Mix.  I haven’t worked with Ultra Alpaca Fine before:IMG_6888 I hardly knit a stitch this past weekend, though, because it’s berry season (my favorite farm).  When berries are in, you pick:IMG_6908 IMG_6907 And when the berries are picked, you make jam:IMG_6909 I branched out some this year.  In addition to the usual raspberry-blackberry jam, I also did a blackberry-peach combo (with cinnamon and lime) and something called Peach Melba jam (which is 4 parts peach to 1 part raspberry and results in the most amazing pinkish orange color).  The peaches this year are so good, one of the few benefits of a too-dry summer (my favorite peach place).  I got on a roll on Sunday and finished about 3 dozen jars.  Mmmmmm.

And that’s enough for today!  Now, I’m going to settle in with my Simply Sock Yarn colorcards and think about which 4 colors might work best in the Mad for Plaid socks.

Thanks again to the 114 people who voted for Socks 12.  If I ever run for public office, I’m hiring my mom to be my campaign manager!

25 comments:

  1. How generous of you! I voted for you (part of the Gettysburg/Ravelry contingent) and would love to be entered in your contest. Congratulations on your well-deserved win!

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  2. Woot!!! Yay, Janelle!! OK, if I don't win the socks, can I get a runner up prize of a jar of peach jam? The melba sounds amazing.... (Remember who introduced you guys to the sheep and wool festival!)

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  3. Pam Pam Pam... you are so right. If you hadn't triggered this sheep thing with me, where would I be today? I owe so much to you guys for taking us to the Festival that first time! What year was that, anyway?

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  4. I think it was 1999? I know I was too late to vote (hey, I was in Michigan, away from electricity!), but can I have some jam anyway? I'll be right over....

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  5. Congratulations Janelle! I was happy to vote for your socks. Have fun with all the new yarn you won.

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  6. From GS Cookie Sales to Sock contest ... always a pleasure to help a daughter! Too all my Texas friends who so willingly helped the cause, I thank you again! But, rest assured, I will never do a political campaign for anyone! Mom/Joan

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  7. Janelle you are just amazing! I love your socks and am delighted that you won. Congratulations!

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  8. Fantastic! What a great prize -- and you totally deserve it. That fruit you put up looks de-lish!

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  9. Janelle, I'm glad you won. I was going to try to explain to all my relatives why they had to vote for your socks, but summer research deadline was looming. Chris B.

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  10. WINNING SOCKS for Left handed RD's: HURRAY for Janelle's winning socks- Those colorful toe warmers not ONLY showed beauty and skill of the beloved knitter, but infused PASSION for all things yarn related and enjoyed. As a LEFT handed knitter, I wonder if it is even left handly possible to make something so deliciously warm and comforting. My guess (and past efforts) is that it is NOT, thus my worldly talent for FIBERS of the other natural kind---- FOOD! LET'S TALK FOOD & SOCKS! Eleanor Pella

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  11. I'm one of the Sun City quilters who voted for your socks--I'm not a knitter, so here's hoping I can win a pair of your beautiful socks--I agree with several others that a jar of jam would also be a great prize.
    Stepha Conrad

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  12. Another SCT quilter (and voice from your past), I voted ...of course! I worked with a girl a few years ago that was obsessive about knoiting socks. I had no idea it was such a BIG thing. You did a beautiful job on these, but you have a history of success in all your ventures.
    Keep up the good work and enjoy!

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  13. Congratulations Janelle! Very exciting! We were in Canada this summer and went to a berry farm. We picked TONS of raspberries and strawberries -- YUM! I am a major fan of the berry. Your jam looks mighty tasty. :)

    -jennifer g.

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  14. Congrats Janelle! Glad to hear that you won! Hope to see you later this month too!

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  15. Janelle, I was delighted to vote for your socks and even got my husband to vote for them as well. Your socks are an inspiration to beginning knitters like me. Congratulations! And for the record, your jam looks inspiring, too . . .

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  16. I was happy to vote for your gorgeous socks! They were beautiful, inventive, and look very cozy. I would be pleased to be entered in the contest for a pair of your originals! Thanks, Heidi

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  17. Happy to tell you that I did vote. I am also one of your Mom's quilting buddies. I would love to win a pair of socks or just receive a pattern. I am also a knitter and love to knit socks.
    Barbara from Rockport

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  18. Congratulations, Janelle! I was delighed to vote for your socks and am so happy you won! Thanks for having a contest for all of us - I would love to have a pair of your socks! Kris S.

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  19. Yay, Janelle ... so glad you won! Please enter me in your contest for a pair of JW socks. Like a few others, I'll gladly accept a second place prize of jam as well. :)

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  20. Congratulations Janelle on these and all the other beautiful socks you have knitted over the past few years. I'm always amazed to see these creations blossom during a meeting or a lunch. I would be honored to win a new pair of your socks.

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  21. Congratulations, Janelle! Social media rock the world of knitting and beyond. I "won" Steven's first pair of argyle socks by having feet small enough to fit. Could I get so lucky as to win Wertzberger socks as well???

    I also echo the "woot"s for your industry with berries! Yummo.
    -Shelly in Houston

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  22. GOOD for YOU!
    From Lea Schwartz
    Colorado

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