Sunday, March 2, 2014

Olympic Knitting



For Ravelry's 2014 Revellenic Games, I entered several projects to be completed in the 16 days of the Olympics.  The Valentine Hat was one of them, as were a pair of Incognito Cowls for a co-worker's daughters.  But the big challenge for me was to complete a sweater, not only in 16 days, but less given that the aforementioned projects would be completed first.  My sweater challenge was Tree Jacket by Sarah Moore.  This one has been in queue for quite some time.  

We have had a long, cold, snowy winter that seems to be coldest and snowiest on the weekends.  Thus, it seems we have been confined indoors on our days off.  One such day I set about organizing my massive stash of yarn.  Don't get excited, it is not fully organized, though I'll admit it's better.  I found 6 skeins of Lion Brand Cotton-Ease that I'm sure I purchased when I lived in Arizona (read years ago), and I paired it with this pattern.  

Watching the Olympics and knitting was no hardship for me at all!  In dedication to my sweater event, I had to forgo cleaning.  I know, but a girl has been persevere to achieve, am I right?  My little buddy and I began my Bare Trees Jacket (in honor of the long, drawn-out winter here).

 I truly enjoy watching the Olympics.  It's like watching someone's dreams come true.  I, of course, cheer on Team USA, but no matter who wins, I share their enthusiasm and applaud them.  Years of hard work and persistence and sacrifice and dedication paying off.  To be medal-ed as the best in the world. . .  Of course, there was great disappointment in watching Team USA lose in hockey, but again, watching the medalists brought a smile to my face and warmth in my heart for them.  How can you boo at someone whose dreams are coming true?  Not possible for me.

 I began knitting with 11 days to go and accomplished 7 inches of the cowl.  Not bad!  On Day two I grabbed my project again for the 7:00p.m. start of the Games and discovered that in row 2, I had made a mistake and had to rip the entire cowl out.  Yes, there was garage language involved.  ;)  So, day two consisted of frogging, garage language and re-knitting the entire 7 inches I had just lost to get me back to where I had begun that day.  

Modifications:
  • cast on for size small, but added 10 stitches evenly throughout on set up row.
  • Picked up 4 stitches on the arm, then took them back out in the next two rounds (ssk, end of round k2tog)
  • knit sleeves in stockinette
After finishing with crooked, aching fingers on Sunday, in time for the finish line (deadline), I did a little dance.  It was iffy there for awhile.  In fact, Saturday evening I had decided I wouldn't finish and wouldn't even attempt to finish on Sunday.  Upon awakening Sunday I thought "what the heck is that?  I have put a marathon of knitting in and I'M NOT STOPPING NOW!"  I waited until the following day after work to post to Ravelry's finish lines only to find them closed.  I had read that we had 24 hours after closing ceremonies to get into the finish line threads.  I assumed (mistakenly) that it was 24 hours after the showing of the closing ceremonies.  Nope.  24 hours after the actual closing ceremonies.  So, no ravelry avatar (ravatar) for me.  But, I have the accomplishment under my belt, in my heart and on my body:
 After a day of wear, the collar droops and falls down as you can see in the pictures.  It stays up the first few hours of wear, but it's downhill from there.  Must be the cotton-ease.  Not sure what I can do to strengthen it?  If you have ideas, please leave me a comment.
 I was not aware that my photographer was snapping away.  I look very stern in these pictures, but was just patiently waiting for the husband to take some pictures, not realizing he was.  I have a very stern look and did not realize that about myself.  Those who know me will tell you, I am not a stern person.  
 And then he said "Why don't you smile for any of these pictures?"  So I did.
I already have a new knit on the needles (duh, don't all knitters immediately cast on the next project?).  It's my "Test Knit Sweater".  Next week is the standardized testing week and I am always working on a sweater during that time.  This year will be no exception.  I will be back to blog about that.

Boots is getting better about being snuggly with Heimo (yippee!)

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