I'VE JOINED A KNIT-ALONG

I've joined the Knitters Brewing Company's Mystery Sock Knit-Along (KAL) starting January 14, 2011.  Since I ordered a kit from them, I got Clue #1 early so I decided to start right away.  My color is called Margarita Salt--a lovely yellow-green.

This is an entirely new way of knitting socks for me.  I am used to knitting socks on 5 double point needles (dpns) but these will be knitted on #1 circular needles, and will be toe up instead of cuff down.  I'll really be stretching myself with these socks!

I started knitting the first toe on Friday, New Year's Eve.  I say started because I had to uncurl the darn circular needles first.  In order to fit them into the packaging, the Susan Bates Company curled them into a tight circle.  The darn curling just won't come out--even after soaking them in boiling water.  I cast on the stitches just fine and started knitting the first couple of rows--then the needles started attacking me.  In spite of that I bravely continued knitting.  It was all going really well until my stitch count was off.  I have no idea how it happened but while doing the pattern rows, stitches disappeared and reappeared in different places.  
Here are a couple of photos of the finished toe and the curling needle cables.
CURLING CABLES
CLOSE-UP OF FINISHED TOE
In all, I started the first toe FOUR times.  By then I figured out what I was doing wrong (it helps to read the directions carefully) and completed the 19 rows successfully.   Now on to the second toe, and then the long wait until January 21 when Clue #2 arrives.