Guess That's Why It's Called Socktober

I seem to have contracted a new disease.  I'm calling it KAL-itis.  It's the fear of not participating in a KAL because one does not want to miss out on any fun.  It may also be related to a lack of in-person knitter interaction.  The only cure is to participate in a regular knit night or VKN (Virtual Knit Night).  Sadly my computer does not have the memory to support VKN madness (it is still contemplating blip-induced suicide),  and I exhibit incredible hermit-like tendencies, so I am stuck with a badly managed case.

Right now the problem seems to be related to socks.  As it is October, this is not entirely surprising.  I already mentioned my Lindsay socks for Sock the Vote, which I cast on yesterday.  So far so good -- or as good as it can be with only three rows.  I have to make it down to the heel turn by Monday.  Why I selected such an intricate stitch pattern I cannot possibly explain.

The other KAL I've been sucked into is Liz Abinante's sOctoberfest.  Similar to her Cowl KAL, she has released a free sock pattern, Neely O'Hara, which must be knit by the 16th to earn a new pattern she will be releasing mid-month.  This second pattern has a value of $6, but is free if you finish one sock by the deadline.    I am helpless in the face of another one of Liz's KALs and so I have cast on using my only "uncalled" skein -- the Lollipop Socks yarn that was the start of a vanilla sock in a previous life.  Turns out even when I'm reading, listening to music, and functioning on four hours of sleep I still cannot handle that much stockinette.  I guess that is why the Abalone from the Stockinette Zombies' KAL has hit such a rut.

For more WIPs that are probably more than a few rows of sock ribbing, check out the lovely gang over at Tami's Amis.