How exciting!  We had a guild contest tonight- members were invited to submit socks into different categories, and then a special guest would be voting for the winners.  I decided to submit my Phlox Socks (Ravelry) and my Screwball Socks (Ravelry) but I didn’t get my hopes up because I don’t have sock blockers, and to be honest, both pairs look pretty crappy just laying flat on the table.  The lace from Phlox and the tread from Screwball both need a foot inside to show off properly, but I put them with my entry forms anyways, just for fun.

Our special guest judge was none other than Kate Gilbert.  Yes, the Kate Gilbert of Clapotis (Ravelry) and Twist Collective fame.  She comes to the meetings from time to time, and it was great to see her there tonight.

When they announced the winners they started with the Members’ Choice.  Anyone who wanted to was able to vote for socks into one of two categories- Members’ Choice – Classic, and Members’ Choice – Fun & Funky.  I actually voted for my cousin Robyn’s Mathematical Equation socks (Ravelry) for the Fun & Funky category.  I was SHOCKED when my Phlox Socks won for Members’ Choice – Fun & Funky!  (Especially because I wouldn’t have thought of the lace as “fun & funky”).  I got to pick from a small selection of wrapped prizes, and won 2 balls of sock yarn in soft blues and yellows.  It’s a new yarn for my stash, with 50% wool, 25% bamboo and 25% nylon, and really soft.

I almost wasn’t paying attention at the end, and was just so happy to have won something, when my other pair of socks was held up.  Kate had chosen my Screwball Socks as the winner of the Best Original Design Socks!  I got to pick another prize, and this time my gift bag had a set of point protectors, a really cute notion that I actually don’t own.

I’m really floored to have won a prize for both of my entries, and I honestly don’t know which one I value more- the Members’ Choice one because that means that my fellow knitters and guild members actually liked my socks (all the socks were labelled anonymously, by the way) or the Best Original Design one because Kate, a respected knitware designer, chose it (I hope) because it is actually an interesting and well thought out design. 

I’m really happy about both.  I don’t like to be singled out at guild because I think it is a place for everyone who knits, regardless of skill level or how many techniques you can do or whether you have published designs or not, and I think that everyone there should have fun, be included and be acknowledged.  So I did feel guilty getting up not once, but twice to go and pick prizes.  That being said, however, I do respect the other knitters there, and I’m honored that they liked my designs enough to vote for them.