I did it!

I'm attempting to do my taxes on my own, but it's looking like this is the year I might cave and hire an accountant.  Which pretty much means I need to file an extension because no accountant has time to deal with me this late in the game.  It's my own fault.  I'm the one who put the tax prep in time out because I didn't like what I was seeing.

So now I'm mostly organized and I need to step away until I can get some of my questions answered.  Which is why I'm here, prepared to show you the results of March Madness 2011.

I was right.  It was crazy.  And I didn't think I would make it.  In fact, I wouldn't have made it, except that I traded out a pair I had planned for some of these:

Ah.  Baby socks.  So tiny, so cute, yet still qualifying as socks - therefore still eligible to play.
And there you have Pair #1.  Here's another picture... just so you can see the proof that there are 2 of them:

And if this pair is wins for smallest contender, the next one more than makes up for it.  They are GIANT socks - men's size 10.5.  I'm sure some of you have knit larger men's socks - but when you are racing with the clock and the socks are plain stockinette and you're going around and around and around in the black hole of knitting... well - these got to be a little exhausting.

I sure hope they fit nicely.  (I should add that these were originally intended to be a Christmas present for my brother.  I had already finished one sock.  Then he requested a Fish Hat - at THANKSGIVING!!!  I have since informed him that all future requests should be placed 3-6 months in advance.  Not to mention that once I weighed the remaining yarn, it was less than half of the ball, so I had to rip it out anyway.).  Ok - that's Pair #2

Pair #3 also had a rocky start.  I knit a whole sock in one pattern and decided I didn't like it so I ripped it out and knit these instead:

Pattern is Bartholomew's Tantalizing Socks.  I've gotta say - every time I knit something with linen stitch I LOVE IT.  I'm not so sure how I feel about the heel/gusset of this one but I'm sure the person who is getting them will love them.

Pair #4 is beautiful.  Even if I did manage to misread the pattern and skip the cuff.  I thought it was a little weird that the cuff was only 2 rows.  I didn't notice the part that said - repeat these 2 rows  - nope, didn't notice that at all.  Not until I was starting the second sock.  I love them anyway, and that's good because they are for me.

These are Dusty Corners.  They fit soooooo nicely.  This picture does not do them justice.


And then we have pair #5, which you have already seen:

These are so squishy and fabulous and the pattern was easy and quick (especially since it was colorwork).  These are for me, but I imagine there are a couple more pairs in my future for other lucky people in my life.

Sadly, Pair #6, while finished, has no pictures yet.  These were the most difficult of all the socks but were worth every minute.  Sadly, the sun only comes out when I have to be at work and then hides whenever I have time to take some photos... soooooo you'll have to wait for those.

I don't know that I'll ever do this March Madness sock thing again.  But if I do, I will feel no need to finish by March 31 (did I mention I finished weaving in the last end at exactly 12am?!?!?!).  As it turns out, even though the NCAA has trademarked the name March Madness, they don't finish until APRIL!!