Olympic Kick-Off Weekend

The much-anticipated Ravelympics Games began last Friday morning. My 17-day challenge is Eunny Jang’s Ivy League Vest from the Winter 2007 edition of Interweave Knits. I’m knitting it out of Jamieson Shetland Spindrift, a fingering weight yarn, in blue tones.
The project itself is certainly not beyond me and doesn’t pose much of a challenge. It’s the time constraint that will really prove challenging. The fingering weight yarn and corrugated ribbing will definitely slow me down, but the fact that it doesn’t have any sleeves or seaming makes me feel much better about my chances of completing it before the torch goes out. Not to mention the gorgeous finished product: I’ve been wanting to knit this pattern since its publication, so this is a good kick in the pants to get it done quickly so that I can wear it!

A group of Team Yarn Harbor members met at a local cafe to cast on at exactly 7:00 a.m. when Opening Ceremonies began. We were a sleepy but very happy bunch!
People came and went from our early morning cast on party as work and children dictated, but we had six or seven of us all together. The party continued at the shop at 10:00. We had a great turnout of enthusiastic knitters coming and going all day. It proved to be an exhausting day at work, but I kept up the Olympic knitting with Katie while watching Gilmore Girls and Labyrinth and finally with DH and a coworker at a local bar while listening to some great live music. I didn’t get to bed until the wee hours, so day one of the Olympics was a loooong one for me.

Day two was even longer. I went to work at the shop expecting lots of customers and the rest of a recent shipment to put away. However, my work day was cut short when DH called and told me he had had a bicycle accident and needed me to come home. I made sure that I could leave right away and got a ride with a regular customer (if you’re reading this, thank you so much!). I came home to a very confused husband who was holding a t-shirt to the gash in his chin. He was talking in circles and I could see that we needed to go to the hospital. After a long search for his wallet (with no help from him, even though he was trying to be helpful) we got to the hospital. After 4 stitches, 1 CAT scan, and countless times telling him that I didn’t know what he hit and I had indeed called into work for him, I brought home a patched up husband. He still doesn’t know what happened to him, but he is doing much better now.

Thanks to DH’s accident, I’ve gotten a fair amount of Olympic knitting done.
I knit while waiting around in the ER and nearly finished the corrugated ribbing. When I brought DH to work on Monday (no driving for him!) I didn’t want to just drop him off in case he wasn’t feeling well enough to stay. I hung out in the cafe and knit while listening to an audio book. I’m now a good way into the fair isle pattern, but I only have blurry pictures to show for it! I’ll try for a better photo shoot soon.

Training Wrap-Up

Hehe…sorry guys. I’ve been working a lot lately, so I’ve had very little time for knitting and even less for blogging. I didn’t come close to finishing my Olympic training goals, but I definitely made some progress.

1. Finish UFOs:
Lil” Beast Hoodie: completely knit and blocked. DH has decided to take over the embroidery and has it about halfway done.
Sandy Tote: finished knitting. It’s off to Sandy’s to be felted and will be modeling leather handles at the shop.
Molly’s Bridesmaid Gift: much farther, but not yet finished (sorry, Molly!).
Autumn Retro Rib Socks: first sock is finished. The second sock is cast on but hasn’t gotten very far.
Snuggle: finished much sooner than expected due to a yarn shortage. I was using stash, so I went with a shorter rim rather than buying more yarn.
Bolsa de Mechero bag: finished thanks to my hand-crank i-cord machine! This project took me two years and it’s finally done! Hopefully Jenna will be happy to see it when we see her in a few weeks.
Grandma’s Bag: attached handles and vetoed zipper (it just doesn’t look right). I’m going to need DH’s help patterning the lining as he’s taken a costume construction class.

2. Final Finishing Work: I’ve done some blocking, sent some bags off for felting (thanks, Sandy!), and have gotten things together to mail off.

3. Clean up the apartment: The apartment looks lots better, but I’m going to do some cleaning yet tonight so it’s spick and span for the beginning of the Olympics.

4. Write thank-you notes: I’ve begun writing, but this will be a long process. I’m going to work on them a bit at a time, as I would rather have them take longer and be heartfelt than get in the mail quicker but not express our gratitude.

5. Keep reading: I’ve been reading a lot lately, but not for book group. The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer sucked me in. I’ve completed the first three books, but I’ll wait until a little later to read the latest (Breaking Dawn). I started the series to see what all the fuss was about and I ended up really enjoying it. Unfortunately, I’m only about fifty pages into The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. I’ll have to work on that…

Good luck to those of you participating in the Ravelympics. I’ll be casting on my Ivy League Vest in just a few short hours now. A group of us are meeting at a coffeeshop/cafe to cast on promptly at seven o’clock a.m.

Olympic Training

I honestly didn’t mean to take such a long break. I’ve just had a really off week and haven’t felt like getting a whole lot done. Luckily, I’m feeling much more like myself now.

If you haven’t heard, the Olympics are coming!!! That means a whole lot of knitting for me. I’m organizing the festivities for our lys, so I’m really excited about the whole thing. I think it’ll be a lot of fun. I haven’t decided what I’ll knit yet, but it will definitely be something challenging!

In the next few weeks before the Olympics, I’d like to tie up some loose ends so that I’m in tip-top shape to focus on a single project. I think it’s a good deadline to set goals so that I have a specific date to finish by and it will put me in good shape for both the Olympics and the upcoming academic year. I’m not going to get too worked up if I don’t accomplish everything–it is a pretty big list–but it would feel really good to get rid of some projects that are bogging me down.

1. Finish UFOs: complete all of my WIPs besides the Great American Afghan–that’s a long term stashbusting project
Lil” Beast Hoodie: knit hood, embroider
Sandy Tote: finish side, ends, handles
Molly’s Bridesmaid Gift: finish knitting!
Dale of Norway Cardigan: sew underarms, steek, knit neckband, install zipper
DH’s Adult Tomten: reknit hood, knit sleeves, attach buttons
Autumn Retro Rib Socks: knit foot 1, knit sock 2
Lindsay’s Hat: finish knitting!
Snuggle: finish crocheting!
Reynolds Toggle Cardigan: knit last piece, seam, finishing
Bolsa de Mechero bag: strap
Belt: finish knitting, fringe
Grandma’s Bag: attach handles, sew lining, install zipper
**sorry, ravelry decided to take forever loading so I don’t have links for everything**

2. Final Finishing Work: block, felt, finish, send to recipients. Get projects completely finished and off to where they belong instead of letting them sit around my apartment.

3. Clean up the apartment: We’ve been neglecting the cleaning lately, so I’d like to work on things one room at a time and concentrate on my flylady routines.

4. Write thank-you notes to all of the wonderful friends and family that were at our wedding

5. Keep reading: I’ve joined a book group and I want to be sure to keep up with our next selection as well as keep reading like I have been lately. It feels really good to be reading whatever I’d like rather than letting my classes dictate my book list.

So there we are. Of course, my obvious goal is to keep blogging as I’m working to accomplish these goals. I’ll keep you updated and will hopefully have some great photos tomorrow.

Sidewalk Knitting

No, I haven’t taken to knitting my Dale cardigan on the sidewalk.

I mean, you didn’t think that I just had one project going, did you? This yarn was originally intended for Socktopia mystery socks, but the pattern just wasn’t working out. I decided to go with a very simple pattern from the book Favorite Socks. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but I love and would definitely knit just about every design in this book. I think it is a must-have for all sock knitters out there.

Anyway, DH has the car for work tonight, so I walked home from the lys. Hence, sidewalk knitting. You’re always seeing photos of people who depend on knitting for income (either current or historical) knitting as they walk, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I’ve knit while walking before, but never on a sidewalk near a busy street. I’m pretty sure I got some funny looks. However, I also got an entire repeat done and could have done even more if I hadn’t put away the sock partway through the walk. I think I’ll try this again sometime.

Don’t worry, the Dale is still making excellent progress.

It just requires prying the yarn out of Evie’s little paws.

Apologies if I don’t post tomorrow. I’ve got a long day of work ahead and the possibility of salsa dancing when I’m finished. If nothing else, I’ll be back here on Monday.

“Green” Knitting

I’ve been doing some “green” knitting lately, and I don’t mean the kind you’ve been reading about in the organic yarn magazine articles. I’ve been working on my very green cardigan and watching episode after episode of ‘Weeds’. Before you make assumptions, I most definitely do not smoke anything (if my little sister is reading this *don’t do drugs*). I think it says something that a show called ‘Weeds’ can be really entertaining to someone who hasn’t touched pot in her life. The characters are just excellent and the plotline keeps me looking towards the next episode. It makes for some good tv knitting.

The photo you see above is current up to the stitch, so you can see how far I’ve gotten. I’m almost through with the colorwork in my Dale cardigan and then it’ll be quick work to finish up the yoke. It should be smooth sailing from here on out, as the oatmeal and plum center section of colorwork is the most difficult part. I’m hoping I can come close to finishing up the colorwork before my honey comes home and we go to sleep for the night. Who knows, maybe I’ll even break out his Adult Tomten tomorrow! I’m certainly thinking about it.

Cat Nappin’

My Dale sweater may be out of hibernating, but it looks like I’m not! We stayed up late last night for DH’s radio show, so I spent the better part of today napping. It’s my first day off from work in a while, so I think I needed to just sleep it off.

I did get out and about a little bit. We stopped by Yarn Harbor and I helped Katie pick out some yarn. She’ll be starting on a really cute Pure & Simple sweater for her mom. I think it will be just what her mom wanted–at least, I hope it is! We also started looking for the 1980 Olympic Dale ski sweater pattern. It’s out of print so we’ll be looking all over the internet for it. If you’ve got any great leads, let me know. We’d really appreciate it!

Very little knitting has happened since my last post. I’ve done some more of the colorwork, but not nearly as much as I thought I would get done with the whole day off of work. DH is off with friends tonight, so I should be able to get some knitting done while I watch whatever I want to watch! I’m hoping you can see an updated picture of the Dale tomorrow that actually shows some progress. With any luck, I’ll have this thing finished pretty soon.

Dale is Awake!

My Dale of Norway cardigan is out of hibernating! I’ve managed to get through all of the stockinette part of the body and now I’ve joined the sleeves and begun the colorwork!

I’m so very excited! The knitting is much more entertaining now and I’m feeling very close to the end of this project. It’s about time…I’ve had this going since February or March (Molly, do you know when I started?).

Psst…check out the backside of that fair isle. Pretty beautiful, huh? I think I’ve got this colorwork tension thing down now that I’ve had quite a few projects for practice.

I’m so taken with this sweater that I’m already planning out my next Dale of Norway project. While this one is an authentic Dale, I just don’t feel like I’ll have really knit a Dale until I tackle a ski sweater.  I would have done one this time, but I really don’t think I would wear one. Luckily, DH says he would! We’re looking at St. Moritz, the 2003 design. He’s picked out colors, so I better get knitting!

Before I start St. Moritz, I want to finish at least two big projects: my Dale and DH’s Adult Tomten. I figure that knocks out the two categories that the St. Moritz falls into: a Dale and a sweater for DH. It’s going to be hard to wait–I’m really excited to make a Dale ski sweater!

Seasonally Challenged Socks

When my little sister was growing up, we often described her as ’seasonally challenged’. She would run around the house in a swimsuit in the middle of Minnesota winter and put on her favorite pink faux fur coat in the hot, humid summertime.

Apparently some of my sister’s seasonally challenged-ness rubbed off on these socks. I call them my ’springtime snickets’ on ravelry, but I completed them at the height of summer with the window air conditioner on!

The yarn was a bridal shower gift from Katie, another avid reader, so the literary ties of the Snicket Socks made a whole lot of sense. I made the 60 stitch version. Besides substituting yarn, I don’t think I knit as long as suggested on the cuff and I inserted my standby shortrow heel. If you haven’t looked at Cat Bordhi’s method for wraps and turns, you really should. For handpaint yarns like Jitterbug (gauguin colorway) it really makes those wraps invisible.

Katie expressed friendship in wool yet again. When I got to work at my lys yesterday I found this in my bag:

Cheryl- Thanks for lending me $ for Bamboo yarn. In return, I got some pretty Noro yarn for you (pink! ) so you can start designing sock patterns straightaway! love always -Katie

It looks like I’ll be coming up with some sock designs in the near future! I’ve pondered designing before but hadn’t really gotten going on it. It just seems like there are so many wonderful sock patterns out there already–how could I compete with them? I guess this yarn is the kick in the pants I need to get cracking. Stay tuned: I’m sure I’ll be in need of some knitterly feedback.

Happy Independence Day to everyone in the U.S. and have a great weekend!

Bridal Knitting

Wow, welcome back, everyone! From the looks of my blog stats, you like to hear about a good adventure! I’ll do my best to keep ‘em coming!

I decided about two weeks before the wedding to knit summery scarves for my bridesmaids as thank-you gifts. I spent a lot of time choosing just the right yarn and stitch pattern for each. Some of the bridesmaids read the blog, so I won’t mention which item goes to which bridesmaid here. Ravelry, however…

Mango Moon Bali Sky Dusk in a simple yo k2tog pattern. I was originally going to combine this yarn with another one, but it didn’t seem right. This yarn is made out of recycled sari silk, so I think it will be just perfect for the recipient.

I love this picture because you can see my new wedding ring!
Knit One Crochet Too 2nd Time Cotton Nantucket in the Little Fountain Pattern. Knit on US 5 Addi Lace needles.

Jitterbug gauguin in Lacy Zigzag. I was able to get a decent length scarf out of one skein. I’m lovin’ the Jitterbug lately. It’s nice to work with, has great colors, and the stitch definition is amazing.

Raisin Beret out of Knit One Crochet Too 2nd Time Cotton Jade. A certain bridesmaid who will not be named (*ahem* DH’s sister *ahem*) decided she would really rather have a slouchy hat than a summer scarf. I hope this one fits the bill.

A certain knitter who was too curious to be surprised about what yarn was coming her way will notice that her gift isn’t mentioned here. That’s because it’s not very far along yet. I’ll wait to talk about her scarf, which is out of a laceweight yarn, until it’s a little further.

Adventures!

My new hubby and I have been going on a lot of adventures lately! It’s been really fun to explore the Northland.

Monday
On Monday, we decided to visit Katie while she was working at Vertical Endeavors. I wanted to try climbing for a long time, but I didn’t want to hurt myself or rip up my hands before the wedding. Now that the wedding is over we decided to give climbing a try. DH had a ton of fun and wants to go back soon. I didn’t do quite so well, but I’ll definitely give it another shot.

Before biking up the hill home we decided to catch a movie. Wall-E wasn’t showing for a while, so we saw The Love Guru. It’s bad in such a wonderful way! Essentially, it’s Austin Powers 4–same gags and everything. I wouldn’t pay full price for admission, but I think it was worth the cost of matinee tickets.

On Monday night I got to be on DH’s radio show–he finally let me do something besides log the playlist! I got to announce all the public service stuff and queue up music! Still no Britney Spears ‘Toxic,’ but maybe next week.

Tuesday
Tuesday was an even bigger adventure. We started out in Tettegouche State Park:

Tettegouche has a unique suspension bridge. Only 5 people can be on it at a time and it’s a good thing, too. That thing really wobbles when you have a few people walking across it. The socks were very brave, though.

By the time we were finished with our 3-4 mile hike we were awfully hungry. We weren’t all that far from the famous Sven & Ole’s, so we decided to make the trek up to Grand Marais. Of course, there was a lot to see along the way. First stop was the Temperance River State Park:

Next came the highlight of the trip for us girls. We found a new-to-us yarn store, Tall Tale!

It was so much fun to look at yarns that we don’t carry in the LYS that I work at. In the end, I walked away with a crank-turn i-cord maker (yessss!) and Katie got some Bamboozle yarn that she’s going to turn into legwarmers. If I didn’t have so many socks lined up already, I definitely would have picked up a skein of sock yarn that I hadn’t tried before. That’s right, I’ve got some serious self control!

The boys were so patient while we were yarn shopping that we thought they deserved a treat. They rode the Alpine Slide at Lutsen.

I think they had a good time.

Our final State Park of the day was Cascade River. This was the all-around favorite of the day. It was just a quick hike in for an absolutely stunning view.

We’re fairly certain that all of the secrets to life’s mysteries are hidden within that whirling pool of water. It’s so much fun to watch the water going through the falls, because it folds underneath itself before turning and going down to the next fall. We stuck a stick in the water to feel the pull, and you would be in big trouble if you fell in! DH even found a tree to hug

We finished off the long day with plenty of tasty treats in Grand Marais. All in all, a very satisfying trip!

Thanks a ton to Katie’s boyfriend, Euan, who took almost all of the pictures you see in this post! What a photographer!