Ravelympics: Day 4

Finished my first toddler sock this afternoon. It was supposed to be for E, but I tried to get it on his foot part way through and there's no way it's going to fit. So this pair will be for L, and I'll make a larger pair for E. The pattern is Cabled Toddler Socks by Rosemary Waits.

Finished one shoulder of my Lacey Vee Shell last night, and hope to finish the second one tonight. Then all I'll need to do is the neck! Woohoo!

Ravelympics: Day 2

Didn't do too much knitting today, as I was up late the night before watching the Opening Ceremonies. Worked on my Lacey Vee Shell, up to the point where I am supposed to divide for the left and right shoulders. I stopped there, since I really don't want to mess this up, and I already need to figure out how to decide which are the center 31 stitches and why I have a couple more stitches on one side than on the other. I thought about starting my socks for E, but instead just dug out the needles and wound the yarn into a ball.

Saturday afternoon I also broke my car. I was pulling out of the garage, and somehow neglected to close the back door. Now it won't close at all! I can't believe I did that, I feel *so* stupid! Luckily no one was hurt (L was in the car with me), and G isn't mad at me. I now need to find a body shop, and figure out what we're going to do for driving until my car is fixed.

Free Tibet!

None of us are free
until ALL of us are free

China's record on human rights is dismal, and their stance on Tibet is deplorable, to put it nicely.

None of us are free
until ALL of us are free

Please visit the International Campaign for Tibet website for more information.

None of us are free
until ALL of us are free

(thanks to PoMo Golightly and Pippi for raising awareness!)

Ravelympics: Day 1

Okay, it's not the end of the day yet, but I can't help wanting to blog! The Ravelympics 2008 officially started at 5am PDT, and I was up and knitting by 6. I am working on Washcloth #3, which uses the Tiny Cables Washcloth pattern by Nanette Blanchard, in a bright blue Sugar'n Cream cotton. This project qualifies for several events: Home Stuff Hammer Throw, Gift Knits Pentathalon, and the Cable Steeplechase. The pattern is pretty and very easy to memorize, and probably looks a little more complicated than it really is. The yarn, however, is very hard on my hands. I've found I can't really knit for more than 30-40 minutes at a time, which is probably just as well, as I've got other stuff to do. The last time I knit washcloths was over a year ago, and I don't remember it being this bad. I was pregnant at the time, though, so maybe being uncomfortable all over made my hands hurting seem negligible.

I hope to finish the washcloth today, let's see what I can do!

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3pm: I did it! One FO for Team Resolutions 2008! Finished at just before 3pm, knit in 4 sessions of about 30-40 minutes each. I even wove in the ends!

8:55pm: edited to add my awards! Woot!

Ravelympics!

I have joined Team Resolutions 2008 and entered a whopping TWELVE projects into the Games. Six of them are WIPs, 4 of them are washcloths, and 2 of them are socks (a pair each for E and L). Some of the WIPs I should be able to finish in a day or two. Some of them (like my Lacey Vee Shell) are going to take several days or more. I don't think there is a good chance I will complete half of what I am setting out to do, but it's fun to have a challenge and see how much knitting I can do in 17 days.

I can officially cast on Friday at 5am. I have a lot of training to do before then, including printing patterns, picking out yarn, finding needles, and getting it all organized into my Ravelympics Box.

mistakes

I made a mistake on my tank top several rows back, so now I need to frog it. Normally I would just undo the incorrect stitches, but in this case I've got yarn-overs in the wrong places, so I don't think that will work. I am bummed. I had put this project away for a week because I needed some quiet time to work on the front (lots of shaping). I finally had some time on Monday, before L's PT appointment, and I think that's where I made the mistake. There or at my knitting group that evening. That makes more sense, actually, because I wasn't paying as close attention, since we had a swap that night and two new members sitting right next to me.

The mistake is a silly one, and one I should have caught almost immediately. Which is why I think it happened during the knitting group. The shaping is fine, but the placement of the design in the front is off by 3 stitches, and is very noticeable.

Bah. I hate mistakes.

successful swap

My knitting group had a swap this evening. I brought in a box of yarn, and got rid of most of it. I took back a few things, mostly wool that I might use for felting. I tried hard not to take too much. I picked up some black Knit Picks Swish DK, Lion Brand Microspun in white and yellow, a skein of Sugar'n Cream stripes in blue, and a partial skein of pink-purple Rowan Tweed for the Elinor Tunic I'm hoping to knit. And a Minnowknits book. I left with less than I came with, which was my goal.