Games Completed

I finished my project for the Ravellenic Games.

It took way longer than expected and I had to knit without end last weekend, but I finished before the Olympic closing ceremonies aired in Illinois.

I spent a lot of time on this Color Affection shawl and in the end, I am not sure I am totally happy with it.  I like the colors. I like the shape.  Over all it is beautiful and represents things I love: (1) a challenge and (2) something big made from little yarn.  I used sock yarn for this shawl. There is also a lace weight yarn option of this pattern and I am so glad I went with the thicker, yet still fine, option.

I just don't like the three-color-change-edge section.  As you might be able to see in the photo (yarn photography is something I definitely need to work on) there is a section of stripes that are orange, gray and teal.  It is just too tight there and so it does not lay right.  I have read comments about this pattern on Ravelry and found that some knitters rip out and redo that section to make sure that the edge is not so very tight.  I am not a masochist and will not be doing that.  I am on to bigger and better things.

As I age (I know I am still young at 30, but I am starting to gain some perspective), I realize that I cannot focus on all the things that are not perfect.  The shawl is not perfect and as I think about it, it really shouldn't be.  Handmade things are not made to be perfect, they are made to be made.  Made to show love and affection for a craft and for a person.  This shawl isn't perfect and that is what makes it handmade. It makes it good in its own right. Knitting is a great teacher; it is unbiased in how it can be a total jerk to those that do it and still we love it and take on the next project, learning a new skill and moving on.

I did learn a new bind-off with this shawl.  I have never really liked how tight my bind-off edge is on any project.  I can always tell the bind-off edge.  Maybe others can't, but I can.  I can always see the flaws in my work (I am working on not focusing on flaws, I really am). I tried a new bind-off where I knit two into the backloop and then place the stitch back on the left needle and knit two through the backloop again, over and over until all stitches are worked. I think found my new standard bind-off, which is pretty exciting.  I have been knitting about 5 years with the same bind-off. So out of a project that has a bit of an issue, I still learned something new tath is going to totally revamp my knitting in the future. Positives abound when you look for them.

I am also thinking I may need to change my color scheme....

I am now working on something new and exciting, but more on that later.
   

Ravellenic Games 2014

I really love the Olympics. I love the national pride I feel.  I love that female athletes are actually on TV.  I love that my evening plan every day is Olympics watching. I love that I get knitting time and a challenge.

I know this theme comes up often; I love a challenge.  I am a pretty active person, but I credit my activity to having goals and challenges.  Without these I am pretty much dead in the water.  So I am happy to add another challenge here and there.  With the Olympics comes the knitting challenge of the Ravellenic Games. During summer and winter games, knitters and crocheters participate in what is called the Ravellenic Games. Named after Ravelry, the site that "sponsors" the event.  As a participant, you can enter different competitions with the goal of making something (or multiple somethings) from opening ceremonies to the end of closing ceremonies.  There are different areas of competition depending on what you are making.

Two years ago for the summer Olympics, I made a sweater and some other smaller items.  That was when I only had one child and had some time off from work. This year I am making a shawl which is no small untertacking.  I am making something pretty large with some pretty thin yarn.  I seem to like to do that quite a bit. I have had the yarn for a while and I had even started a few rows, but it fell by the wayside.  Now my Color Affection and I are on good terms and making great progress, since ripping out and starting again.

In the end it will look something like this, but with different colors:

(Image Source)

Color Affection is a popular shawl on Ravelry so many knitters have probably heard of it. It is strange, but there are famous patterns.  There are famous knitters and crocheters too.  It is a pretty amazing world out there.  I continue to be amazed by the talented people out there.

So for the next several days, I will be knitting and knitting (and knitting and knitting and knitting....) on this shawl in hopes of finishing it on or before February 23.  Of course I have two kids, two dogs and a husband to also tend to, so we will see where this goes.  Since the Olympics are in prime time, the kids are asleep for most of my viewing and knitting pleasure so that helps. Now I just need to get Stormy to sleep through the night so I am not so tired and and stay up knitting.

Are you watching the Olympics?  What is your favorite sport?  What do you do while watching?  

Ravellenic Games

Did you know that knitters are competitive people?  I bet you thought that knitters were laid back since they spend so much time just sitting around and knitting.  Well, some knitters may be laid back, but I think we all have a very competitive nature.  We set goals for ourselves, crazy goals like knitting an adult sweater in 16 days.

Last month, you may all remember, I was in a competition called the Tour de Fleece, where competitors spin every day that the Tour de France rides.  I actually did really well.  I was happy with my results especially since I bought the spinning wheel just days before the competition began.  I even won a batt from The Fiber Universe for my spinning.

Pretty isn't it? The camera doesn't pick up all the colors.  There are some sparkles and sari silk in there.  It is my first batt.  I can't wait to spin it.

Now during the Olympics, yarn crafters again take up the competitive nature of the craft and are joining in the Ravellenic Games (formally Ravelympics but had to change name due to copyright).  On Ravelry yarn crafters sign-up to compete in different events.  The goal is to finish your projects during the Olympics.  Cast on during the opening ceremonies and have it done before the end of the closing ceremonies.

I am signed up for the Sweater Triathlon.  I think this may also count for Lace Long Jump.  Basically, I am attempting to make a lacy cardigan during the Olympics.  It will take about 1000 yards of worsted weight yarn to do this so I need to a lot knit every day.

I am this far:

not too shabby for three days (at the time of photo).  Now that I have stitch markers in, the lace pattern is going so much easier. I think I can definitely finish on time or maybe even a bit early if I am really dedicated (aka not cleaning the house).

I can win fabulous prizes from my local yarn shop for participating.  But I'm not doing this for the prize.  I am doing it for the glory of making a sweater.

Am I crazy?