Archive for the ‘Knitting Olympics’ Category
On winning the gold.
“I would like to thank the organizers of the Knitting Olympics for this award. I also want to thank my family and friends, who encouraged me throughout the past 16 days of arduous knitting. Special thanks to my husband, who rolled yarn for me when it got tangled at the end, and my children who lived with a messy house (not that they noticed). My friends on this blog are too numerous to name, but I thank you all for pointing me toward the Rosedale pattern, without which I would have had nothing to knit. Most of all, I would like to say, ‘I love this sport!’”
Oh, and here is the completed sweater — lightly steamed and blocked.
I decided to forego the foldover collar for a simple ribbed cuff around the neck, which I think came out all right. Now I’m going to make some progress on my sockapalooza socks, and finish the moss stitch tunic. The post-Olympic endorphins have kicked in.
sweater gold
 I completed my Olympics sweater yesterday morning. It fits and is the right length. This is a bit of a relief, since the gauge of the yarn I was using was longer in length and I had adjusted the pattern to compensate. It just wants a good washing to flatten the neckband and hem, and to even out the decrease/increase stiches. As soon as I can find the Eucalan I bought months ago and put in a “safe” place, it shall be laundered. |
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a break between heats
While the Olympic sweater knitting is fun, I had to take a break yesterday to do something different with my hands.
So I did this:
and this:
Banana bread à la Laura Palmer
while listening to this:
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Did you know P.P. Arnold did the first recording of “The First Cut is the Deepest” and that it is fabulous?
dispatch from my comfy chair
Refreshed by Apolo Anton Ohno sightings, I have been working hard on my Olympic challenge. I am excited to say that I’ve finished a sleeve and have attached it to the body. The yarn is Knit Picks Andean Silk (slate, pitch, & cranberry), and the sweater is the Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. The sleeves and the body of the sweater are slightly fitted, but you can’t tell, because all the stitches are crammed on a 29″ needle at the top. I have been thinking about doing some kind of overstiching along the bottom, but the sleeves are using up all of the red yarn I have. Might finish the collar in black, instead.
one week to go…
The pressure is on. I’ve finished 2 sleeves, and at the point when I took these pictures had 7 inches done on the body (since then I’ve added a couple more, so I’m really up to about 9″). When I get to 15 inches, I’m supposed to do something else, but right now I’m living in the moment.
I have to do some planning, however. I have to go to New York for 3 days, and need to decide if I want to pack up the sweater and take it to work on, or take my sockapalooza socks. Probably both. I can knit the socks on the plane, and the sweater in the hotel. So much for packing light.
I’ve made progress on the socks, too, during a lunch hour or two.
There’s a heel emerging. I’ve not done one like this before. It’s just stockinette stitch with a garter stitch edge. I’m getting ready to turn it.
bummer, no photographers for me
Unlike those sporting Olympians, I have no photographers taking pictures for me. But I have to stop and take some time to record my progress, even though it takes me away from knitting.
Before the Olympics began on Friday, I managed to get through the first leg (ha!) of the Embossed Leaves Socks for Sockapalooza.
This sock pattern is fun to knit, and goes fast. Since we don’t mail them off until May, I think I can safely put them on hold until I finish the Olympics.
Speaking of which, I got off to a rough beginning on my Rosedale sweater Friday night, and had to restart three times. This was mainly me being stupid, and somewhat distracted by the odd 80s music that was chosen for the opening ceremonies. But since then I have made it through (ta-da!) the first sleeve:
Does this remind you of anything, Beth? That’s all I have time to say – back to knitting!
cleaning up
The Knitting Olympics have both a mental and a physical component. I know I must get focused, dig deep, and give 110% — but that’s difficult to do when half-finished stuff is tying up my needles and blocking the twisty luge track that is my mind. So I decided to try to finish up some items before Friday.
First to be cleared, “trail socks” in Trekking XXL sock yarn.
The colors in this yarn are really great in good light — you can see this better if you click on the image to see a closeup of the cuff ribbing. Unfortunately, when I wore the socks for a few hours I noticed that the ribbing around the foot arch seems to rub. I’ll give them a good washing, maybe that will help.
Next on the cleanup list, the Helen’s Lace shawl (because it’s hogging my #8s)
last night’s geo quiz
Last night’s Geo Quiz on PRI’s The World was about the Knitting Olympics! I heard it in the car on the way home from Corie’s bass lesson.
