A Winning Pair

Spiral Socks - Finished

Well teammates the Olympics ended and I finished my project (see picture of socks on and in front of the TV). I'm glad I picked a simple pattern. "Sprial Socks" by Kathy Meggit. The socks will be donated to The Knitters of the North's fall charity project. I could work at my own pace as I knew I would get involved in "watching" instead of "knitting and watching". LOL. You guys your projects are soooo much more than mine. I'm a little embarrassed. I've been reading about the new sock yarn (the square knit block from KnitPicks) that you dye yourself. What will they come up with next.

Thank you for sharing and thank you for letting me “Knit” along.

Until next time.
Happy Knitting Zing (Linda W in Anchorage)

Not yet finished

Congratulations to all of you who finished your knitted items!!!

As of the end of the Olympics last night I was about 4 inches away from the finishing of the body of my sweater and still have both sleeves to do, plus the neck and the necessary finishing. My new goal is to be done by the end of the Republican convention.

I do have a better sense of how much I can realistically knit in a givien time period and know that I need to pay attention to the number of stitches required by a project rather than the project itself. Can't wait for the Winter Olympics in 2010!

Choc

I'm home!!

I arrived back in Alaska yesterday afternoon. As nice as the sun was down in California, it is so nice being back in the rain. The only sad thing is that I put my husband on a plane this morning and won't see him until Friday.

I signed up to knit 2 pairs of socks. I figured I could handle that while on "vacation". Oh, boy, was I wrong. I finished one pair, started the second, and proceeded to frog the second pair this morning because it was the wrong yarn for the pattern.

Thank you for letting this interloper from California knit for the team! :)

~barb

Hi knitters,  It has been a busy two weeks and I had some surprise company for the last 5 days - so  I was having to sneak in my knitting to finish my Project. 

I had seen a stitch  pattern in a child's sock that I wanted to knit for myself  - that was my project for the Olympics.  I adapted an adult sock pattern to use this stitch - not too difficult in the end.  I also had purchased  sock yarn that was already knit into a flat piece called 'Flat Feet' produced by Conjoined Creations (www.conjoinedcreations.com).  The flat knit piece was hand painted; some of the choices were quite garish but the ones I saw knitted up turned out beautifully.  The idea behind the flat knit piece is that it is easy to travel with - no ball to roll off your lap.  I was eager to knit up this yarn and didn't wait for a trip.  I  watched much too much TV on opening weekend - it was raining outside! - and nearly finished the first sock!  The second one was a close call, but the ends were sewn in last night!  As soon as I take a picture of them I will try to figure out how to attach it to a blog :-).  Signing off with warm feet, Cathy

Silver Medal?

I finished knitting the mittens, actually Friday night! I had hoped to wash and block them this weekend, but didn't quite get that far. Maybe that lands me a silver medal in the mitten medley? We're getting ready to have a new deck built on the house, so had a lot of clean-up to do over the past two days, which took precedence. Oh well, such is life. I can't believe this two weeks went by so fast - probably in part because it's summer, with so many things to do. I hope you all made significant progress on your projects...please post to let us all know how it went.

This is Kathy MK reporting in. Yikes, tonight is the closing ceremony! I've got just about 8 rows, so will be starting soon, to finish in time - maybe I'll use their time, which is tomorrow, or is it yesterday? Anyway, I'm off to knit!

Checking in from California...

Man, there are so many choices down here I'm overwhelmed. I miss Ketchikan!!!! I fly back on Sunday. I've done so much shopping that I have to pay for a second suitcase. I'm also mailing a box of stuff I don't want on the plane home today. Whoops.

I haven't been knitting much since being down here, but I did push myself to finish one pair of socks for the Ravelympics. :) I finished Bellatrix yesterday. I love how they turned out. I started Muscari yesterday, but I don't think it's going to be a fast knit. 91 stitches for size large socks on size 0 needles. Eeek. What was I thinking?

So, here's my Bellatrix. :)


Have a wonderful Alaska day! I know I said I wanted 100 degree temperatures, but today is supposed to be hot, hot, hot down here. I'm going to melt! I'm starting to look forward to the Ketchikan Liquid Sunshine!!

~barb

Progress so far

Thanks for the pep talk, Linda.

My sweater is growing slowly, due to its being knit on 2.5 mm needles and my having a bit of a life. The body is being knit in the round and I am within 4 rows of the bottom of the armholes, 4 rounds of 324 stitches each. In the meantime, I am very happy with the colors I am using and if I take the time to figure out how to attach my camera to my computer by Sunday, I'll post some pictures.

I hope that the rest of you are progressing towards your goals and would enjoy seeing your results.

Choc

Courage!

Now then, Team Alaska Knitters (especially those who are feeling stressed by the amount of time left, and where you are with your project) – pause for a moment and breathe deeply, release, and repeat 2 or 3 times. Feel better? I’m waxing rhapsodic for a minute here…

1. Remember, this is just the Olympic Trials (Ravelympics) for the 2010 Winter Knitting Olympics, which Stephanie Pearl-McPhee has said she will again organize.

2. Don’t freak out! You challenged yourself and set yourself a goal, which you’re doing your best to achieve. But remember that this is also a learning experience, in terms of how much you can knit in this period of time. It might turn out to be the “eyes are bigger than the stomach” for some of us – but then, we’ll know that, for planning for the “really big one” in 2010. Please do post and let us know how you’re doing, regardless - and don't worry about a picture, if you haven't had time to take one. You can always put that up later.

3. It’s summer! Most of us are juggling 50 different things going on in our lives, and have chosen to make knitting a higher priority during these two weeks than perhaps it’s been for months. So expect to have some “rest” periods (athletes have to have rest days – unless you’re Michael Phelps, when it might just be “rest minutes”). And then do your darndest when you can.

So, hang in there, take it a row at a time, and retain that sense of satisfaction that you ARE making progress.

I’ve been alternating knitting spurts with down time (like yesterday, when I had to work overtime well into the evening). I did make some progress last Saturday evening while knitting at a friend’s house and watching Constantina Tomescu Dita win the Women’s Marathon (age 38 – wow!), but then had no time for knitting on Sunday and Monday. Last night I was determined to knit just a little, so did one row, while watching the late news and a little of the BMX competition, just before hitting the hay. I’ll probably do the same tonight, although I’m looking at a little earlier bedtime! I think I can see light at the end of the tunnel, and am planning to pick up the knitting pace, at least a little, tomorrow evening.

One of my teachers used to say “Have courage!” when I’d wrestle with a problem in life that was affecting my study time. So I “en-courage” you all with your projects and wish you “Good Knitting”!

Sunday 8/17/08

This is me..

Multi-tasking -

Camping,

watching the

Olympics,

and knitting

my spiral

socks....

you have

to look

really close to

see the socks!

It's summer

in Alaska!!!

We have to

make the

most of our

time!!!

I'm hanging in there - just barely....

This is 2 days into the Olympics..
but after that well it has been slow
going for me. I've complete 6" on both
but man... there's just too much
going on.

Between swimming, volleyball, gymnastics I just can't concentrate and
stay at it. And then I look at the progress on this blog.... how do you guys do it.

What a cute hat, and even cuter model. And Linda your mitten medley is coming along beautifully (Is that a word??) I 've been staying up late watching and getting up early. I need a day just to lay in bed and KNIT.

Happy knitting everyone...and keep up the great job err knitting!
More later - Zing (LindaW)

My Olympic Progress

Well, I finished my hat a few days ago. My 8 year old son, Ian, was nice enough to model it for me. Real men aren't afraid to wear pink!

I have had a few set back on the gloves. The pattern I'm using needed some modification for a 7 year old, as they were just too big. I'm working on the cuff on the first one.

Also, we got the call, yesterday, from our contractor that he was ready to start our kitchen, TODAY! Spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening packing up the kitchen. Hoping this "set back" will not prevent me from finishing the Olympics, like the Chinese hurdler.

Staying up way to late at night, and missed a few of my favorites (I think), Sync swimming, and anything equestrian. Watched the women's marathon and that the winner was 38 years old. Loved that the announcers weren't even considering her as a serious contender at the beginning. What a great surprise! And, just want to add Dara Torres ROCKS!

Finally on Board.

Hello team Alaska. I'm finally on and can say that I'm working diligently on my cotton shawl/poncho. Will post a pic as soon as I figure out how to!

Lovely Leicester Longwool...

Wow, those Olympians are something else! Just finished watching the swimming races. Michael Phelps and his teammates are incredible, and Dara Tores is no slouch, herself.

Just a little P.S. to my earlier post – to mention where I got the Leicester (pronounced "Lester") Longwool that I’m using for my Selbuvotter mittens. The first two skeins were from the heirloom flock at Colonial Williamsburg, but when I needed more, I had to search the internet, as there was no more available from that small flock. Lisa at Cranberry Moon Farm in Massachusetts had exactly the right match, in wool from her flock, so I purchased another skein of the natural white from her. I love the Leicester Longwool. It’s not as soft as Merino, when knitting, but it has a beautiful lustrous sheen, and my understanding is that it will “bloom” and get softer when washed. I’m looking forward to getting to that point...

Happy Knitting!

Moving Along in the Mitten Medley

There are sure some lovely things being knit for these Olympics! Socks, sweaters, mittens…

To catch up on my progress: I got up rather early Friday morning, frogged my previous work on my mittens while the athletes were walking into the Bird’s Nest, and then cast on again as the flame was being lit. What an amazing ceremony! Although I was disappointed to hear about the graphics “enhancement” of the fireworks, and the substitution of the young lip-syncher, it really couldn’t spoil the overall effect. The fireworks really made me think about how the Chinese were the ones who invented them!

Here’s what the mittens looked like prior to frogging:


Cait and I spent the weekend immersed in folk music from around the world, so didn’t watch much of the early Olympic athletic competitions, but we definitely got our dose of global diversity. Performers at the Edmonton Folk festival came from Africa, Spain, Ireland, Scotland, the UK, Denmark, the USA, and of course, Canada. And the Sparrow Quartet, with Bela Fleck, left for China immediately after the festival was over.

As we listened to this feast of music from all over the world, we worked on our own Olympic challenges. By the time I left Edmonton on Monday, I had finished the gauntlet cuffs of my mittens. Because I’m using a slightly thicker yarn, and larger needles than the original pattern calls for, I had to make some adjustments to the pattern, both in number of stitches and rows, and the graphics of the pattern design. I worked on this for the hand portion of the mittens while flying from Edmonton to Seattle. While waiting in Seattle for my next plane, I had an encouraging conversation with Cathy (so glad to hear that you’re a fellow adventurer into the realm of “personalizing” your knitted items!), so was ready to tackle the first part of the hands as I traveled to Anchorage.

I watched NBC’s Olympic coverage Tuesday night, both on TV (swimming), and on the internet (judo, and rowing), and managed to finish the thumb gussets and start the main part of the hands. So, as of early Wednesday morning, this is what they look like (back side left, palm side right):


I'm very happy about how my "mitten medley" is going, and will knit some more tonight while watching NBC again.

Surfing the wrong channel

I thought I better check in......

Well I've been working everynight on the "Spiral Socks". I was hoping to "Knit 2 together on 2 circulars" but... I didn't have the right size circulars so I just bagged it and I'm knitting them both at the same time from the same ball ... on 2 sets of double points. I took pictures last night but my battery died. I will upload pictures tomorrow. I'm not as far a I hoped .. I've been under the weather so I'm not knitting as fast as I could. errr .....well I've been spending allot of time with the lap-top in bed with the socks and with ......Ravelry open and..... the T.V. tuned in to the Olympics. .... and all those pictueres on Ravelry keep calling ... "Look at me! Look at me!"
I hope to make a big dent tonight... if so I guess I'll have to take different pictures??

How about Michael Phelp... He makes it look sooooooooooo easy. (sigh)

Well Happy knitting
and Happy Olympic knitting
Linda W (Zing) in Anchorage

Day 2... (or is it 3???)

Thank you so much Choc for inviting me over to watch the Opening Ceremonies! I had a great time!

I spent some time knitting in public yesterday. :) While I was under the dryer at the salon I knit a round on my socks, then I knit 2 more rounds at the library while they were having their celebration for the end of the summer reading program. :) Three more rounds on the leg then I can start my heel! These are knitting up really quick!

Have a great day! I'm spending my day doing laundry and getting my stuff ready for my trip!

~barb

Opening Games Knitting

Wow, lot's going on at the Opening
Games. Made for difficult knitting. I had to frog a row several times. At the start, the ribbing went real fast, and I thought, maybe, I'd actually get the hat done by the end of the Ceremonies. Nope.

I may have to add another Olympic event to my Ravelympics
events.

I had to put the knitting down during the lighting of the Olympic Flame to watch the video following the final torch bearer. Very cool way to start the games. (For some reason, the Chinese didn't include any video of the human rights protests around the world, too bad.)

Hope to finish up the hat tonight while I watch Michael Phelps win gold!

A good day for knitting

Barb and I met last night to watch the opening ceremonies, eat pizza, drink tea and start our projects. Barb had the cuff done and a start on the leg of her first sock before she left! :) I had only cast on and knit two rows of my sweater done by then. :( It was fun to meet another knitter and see her yarn and sock pattern.

Today is dreary looking, a good day for knitting. I'll head into the Bead and Yarn Shoppe a little later this morning to do some knitting with the knitters, beaders and other handcrafters who come in.

Choc

So, have you cast on yet???

I haven't.

I need to kitchner the toe on the sock that's currently on the needle. And print my pattern. And wind my yarn into a ball.

Choc, I tried calling last night but didn't get through. I only tried once, then we got busy and by the time I looked at the clock it was after 10. I still want to come over. I have your phone number, I'll give you a call this evening.

So, what are you guys doing for the Ravelympics? I'm going to cast on for Bellatrix by Monkey Toes first. I bought some STR in the Tlingit colorway and I think it'll be perfect for this.

Have a great Friday!

~barb

Greetings from Ketchikan

Hi all,

I looked through my stash and decided to knit a sweater. It will be the pattern by Ruth Sorensen that the Yarn Harlot knit last June. I knit it as a cardigan this winter/spring in the rainbow colorway and this time will try it as a pullover using Kauni yarn and the colorways EU and EP.

I plan to start knitting Friday evening when the start is shown on TV here. Barb, would you like to get together at your house or mine to watch the opening ceremonies and cast on? There is another knitter in Ketchikan who might like to join us.

Linda, thank you for updating this site and getting us going.

Please note that my email address has 25 right before the dot, otherwise the emails go to one of my daughters. She is pretty good about forwarding things to me but it is easier if email comes directly to me.

I'm looking forward to the next few weeks of concentrated knitting. Glad to be with you all.

Choc

Greetings from Edmonton

Hello fellow Alaska knitters! Well, yes, technically I'm in Canada, but I'm Linda's daughter, born and raised in Anchorage, so I guess I qualify. I'm really excited to have an excuse to sit down and do some knitting. My summer has consisted of a lot more of this:And not a lot of time working on this:
My goal for this Olympics is to end my struggle with the sleeves for this little sweater and finish it! Since taking the above picture I have ripped out both sleeves, re-knit one of them, only to find that it is way to big, and I am going to have to rip it out at least halfway and re do it again (not to mention knitting the other sleeve). When I'm frustrated with a project and its 85 degrees outside, well...I'm sure you can guess what I choose to do.
My mom is visiting this weekend for the Edmonton Folk Festival, so we will miss the opening ceremonies, but we will be knitting away at the festival I'm sure.
I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else is working on!
Cait

The 3rd times the charm!

Hello fellow knitters!!

Linda W. from Anchorage (alias "Zing") here!

I finally made it! On again off again.. I finally got it right! Just in time.

I plan on knitting a pair of "Spiral Rib Tube Socks". This is the KOTN 2008 Fall Charity Challenge. The pattern is by Kathy Meggitt, a member of the group! I'm going to challenge myself even more by knitting the pair on "2 circulars" at once. I will start on Friday night at "The Knitting Grounds" during our weekly (Friday Night Knit )http://fridaynightknit.blogspot.com/ . I'm planning on bringing a T.V. for all of us to watch the opening ceremony. If that doesn't work out I will have my laptop and we can "cyber-watch"! We've been able to log-on through the Kaladi Brother's hotspot! We've been surfing "Ravelry" and drooling over projects.

Let the games begin!!!
Happy Knitting Zing

Hello Fellow Team Alaska Knitters

My name is Diana. I live in Anchorage with my husband and two sons, ages 8 and 10 years old. I've been knitting on and off since I was 10 years old. If you do the math, that's a little over 30 years. I was a finisher in the 2006 Knitting Olympics, thanks to Linda, and I'm looking forward to participating again.
Casting on Friday night will also coincide with our 18th anniversary since moving to Alaska. 18 years ago, Friday night, my husband (boyfriend at the time)and I, spent our first night in Alaska, at a campground somewhere between the border and Tok. While camping that first night, swatting away at the thick clouds of mosquitos, I saw my first float plane land and take off right on the lake we were camping at. Very cool to a girl born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Little did I know, that I'd soon live 2 miles from one of the most active float plane bases in the world, Lake Hood. My sons and I often take bike rides around Lake Hood and love to watch the planes take off and land as we bike.

The Ravelympic event I've entered is the Gift Knit Pentathalon. I'll be working on a hat/fingerless glove combo for one of my nieces, whose turning 7 in September. I've knit this for her mother (SIL, picture to left) and her sister, for both of their birthdays, so she's really looking forward to her set. They live in the SF Bay Area, so these hats and gloves are more for fashion then function. Here's a link to my project at the Ravelry site.


Enough about me, I'd love to hear what Olympic events are your favorites, who's your favorite athlete and what sport makes you pause and wonder "Is that really a sport?".


Looking forward to everyone's updates & happy knitting,

Diana

Hello from Ketchikan!

Greetings fellow Team Mates!

I'm Barb and I currently hail from lovely Ketchikan, Alaska. I am a transplant to the fair state, my husband is in the US Coast Guard and the powers that be decided it was time for us to come North.

This year I am competing in the SockPut. I will be in California visiting friends, family, and attending a funeral from August 12 - 24, so I decided to knit 2 pairs of socks during the Ravelympics. I am also working on Summer of Socks '08 this year.

It is a sunny, beautiful morning here in Ketchikan. Hubby took the day off work today, so I have a feeling we're going to go hit a trail at some point.

Have a great day!

~barb

The Mitten Medley

I've finally decided what to knit for the Knitting Olympic Trials (and the Ravelympics on Ravelry). I started some beautiful Selbuvotter mittens in purple and white, with Leicester Longwool, last November, and they just didn't go too well. The needle size I was using was really too small for the yarn, and they were feeling rather stiff because they were so tightly knit. So I'll be frogging this week in anticipation of re-casting on Friday. The photo with this post is what they looked like before frogging (sigh).

On the Ravelympics, people are being encouraged to start casting on during the actual time of the ceremonies in Beijing, which would be 4 a.m. Alaska time, 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and 6 a.m. Edmonton and New Mexico time (places where Team Alaska Knitters will be on Friday). Knitters who do that could get a little extra knitting time in before NBC actually broadcasts the ceremony in the U.S.A. on Friday. But to be fair, knitters who start then should also plan to be finished by the time the Beijing closing ceremony is done. I think I might just cast on Friday evening when the ceremony is broadcast on TV, even though I'll be in Edmonton, and may not actually be watching. When do the rest of you plan to cast on?