Olympics 2010 Project - Day 3

Here is my progress near the end of day 3.  A certain 18 month old was unwilling to share her Mom's attention with a ball of yarn, so not as much accomplished as I had hoped.  Still, it is a reasonable start.

The 2010 Winter Olympics start today!!!!

I can NOT believe how excited I am! This is incredible! Why am I so excited when I could be cowering under the bed in fear of what I committed to? I am about to attempt to complete an entire adult sized cardigan in 17 days! I must be insane. (It is a happy kind of insanity though, so I don’t think I’ll complain.)

Curiosity got the better of me after reading the comments about the Ravelympics made by so many participants in the Knitting Olympics, and I had to check it out. It is very different from the Yarn Harlot’s Knitting Olympics - a different kind of energy entirely. At first I wanted to back slowly and carefully out of the Ravelympics zone – too much information. I resisted the urge because I really wanted to see what other crocheters might be doing for the Winter Olympics. There had to be more of us out there!

It turns out there are a LOT of us out there. I took the plunge and joined the Ravelympics as a member of Team Flaming Hooks (all crochet folks). There are 116 of us on the team, and we are from all over the world. And. We are not the only crochet team. WOW. This is very cool.

I admit that I am unashamedly fond of my craft, and I admit that I want more. I want to spin my own yarn. I want to knit. I even want to grow flax in my garden and try to produce some linen fiber to spin, crochet, and knit. I want to do all of the above. Can I have it all pretty please - yesterday?

I sincerely hope that I am not breaking any kind of rules by participating in both events. It is just that I am so excited by it all, and I want to see what everyone is doing. I can’t believe there are so many wonderful people out there who will be challenging themselves with yarn and fiber projects for the duration of the Winter Olympic Games. Is it crazy to feel a sense of connection with all these people I have never met?

I made gauge swatches last night, and did the math on the results during my lunch break today. I’m ready. Set. Go!!!!!!

Knitting Olympics

OK OK... As if I don't already have too much to do...

The thing is, last Fall I joined the 3rd biennial fiber challenge hosted by the Northeast Fiber Arts Center. (I disliked my finished piece but submitted it anyway.) The process was very uncomfortable - I made so many false starts - and in the end I loved it. I worked with fibers I would NEVER have considered before that time. I learned so much that I still feel quite grateful for the experience.

I have concluded that a challenge that pushes me out of my creative comfort zone and makes me stretch is a thing to be (cautiously) sought out.

Therefore I am joining the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics.

...I know, I don't knit.

I do, however, crochet!

I have found that people who love yarn and working-with-yarn are a rather welcoming lot. I don't expect to be kicked out of the fun because I'm using a hook instead of needles.

I am making the Chevron Lace Cardigan by Milobo. I will be using Manos Del Uruguay Silk Blend in Moss (it's a lovely mottled green/ brown/ grey/ some-other-stuff colour, and I love it).

Isn't it pretty yarn?

It will be a challenge. I don't know if I'll be able to finish, but I am practically guaranteed a learning experience (= good thing).

So, I'll swatch and start the beginning chain during the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics on 2/12/10 and will try very hard to complete the thing by 2/28/10. Yikes!

Wish me luck.

Hello, It's one of those days.

Do you ever have one of those days when you start something... aaaaand you're not quite sure what you're getting yourself into?

So, with some trepidation you stick your toes into the water, and yes, it's cold. You're not too sure you want to get all wet (it IS cold after all), but you jump in anyway.

I'm having one of those days.

Splash!