Olympic Sock

Phew!  This sock was a photo finish!
I knit like crazy during the hockey game (intense!), sewed the instep to the gusset,

then knit down to the toe during the closing ceremony,

"kitchener stitched" the toe, and finished sewing the back seam as the flame went out. 

 

Knitting one argyle sock was a good challenge and a doable goal for me for this Knitting Olympics.  I'm looking forward to finishing the other sock soon, and wearing them in public.

Olympic Sweater

Here it is....
My Olympic Eastlake sweater! Can't believe I finished in time.

Pattern: Eastlake by Norah Gaughan **Errata available!!**

Yarn: Dream in Color, Classy - Happy Forest

Needles: US 5 & US 7

Mods: Knit in round up past the eyelet row. The neckband extension of the front is a bit funky & far from perfect. If I were to knit this pattern again, I'd use short rows for the sleeve caps & redesign the top to omit the neckbands.

Can't wait to wear this out & about!

~ArcticKnitter

Project Two!

Completed project two! This is one of those teapots that sits in its own cup, and it needed a cozy to keep my tea warm. This is supposed to be a pumpkin, and is kind of close. . .

Congratulations to everyone who participated!

Official End Time, Please?

Firstly, what official end time for us here in alaska time zone?
sometime today, I know......
So , I had a bit of a false start, knitted a few inches and saw i was not where i thought i was in the chart, and so i waited until i could see KathyM, Master Knitting Instructor, to put me back on track.
I have hope that i can get within a few inches a done, depending on time left.

Either way I will post picture at the end.

kat

Regrouping to finish the Argyle Sock

Congratulations to Choc and Kathy on achieving your Knitting Olympic goals!

I've realized that the last time I did this, I had a lot more time at my disposal.  I feel like I've  tripped while skating, but am regrouping and heading towards the finish line, anyway.

So, having gotten my pesky WORK out of the way, that's been getting in the way of knitting, I'm concentrating on just one sock.  I've finished the leg, and am knitting the argyle part of the instep.

My goal is to get that done today - maybe by the end of the afternoon.  Then this evening, I plan to work on the heel, then on to the rest of the sock.  I think there's hope!

How are the rest of you doing?

Shawl progress

I finished knitting the final row and bound off all 375 stitches about 90 minutes ago. The shawl soaked for a while and then I spread it on some beach towels on the rug downstairs. I'll take pictures tomorrow and then see if I can find someone to help me post evidence of the completed shawl. How are the rest of your projects coming?

Olympic Project Finished!

Here is my Blocks baby blanket, completed! I enjoyed trying out the new stitches. This is usually something I can knit almost with my eyes closed, but not this time. I REALLY like the Norwegian purl stitch! I did the single crochet bind off, which looks a bit like the Old Norwegian cast on. And, it's finished just in time. The baby is due in 2 weeks.

Maybe I'll try to get that pair of sox finished as well. . .

One Hat Done-Other So Close (updated)

Working hard on the duplicate stitch for the second, but all this knitting has aggravated my carpal tunnels. (Dramatic Olympic Sympathy Music in background) Will she be able to finish? Is she an Olympic Champion? Can she complete her Olympic Challenge? (cut to commercial)


Done with number two! Icing the wrist and back to the socks tomorrow.

Knitting is a Medal event!

A quick reminder to all Team Alaska Knitters - if you want to receive a digital medal from the Stephanie Pearl McPhee (aka "The Yarn Harlot") at the end of the Olympics to put on your blog or website, please take a moment to fill out the form at her website.  You'll also be able to see who else is signed up, world-wide.

Sock Progress!

My life has been busy, this past week, so this is my first post.  I had declared that I would knit just one argyle sock, but I'm so used to knitting two at a time that I went ahead and prepared for two.  I'm using Dale Baby Ull in five colors. The pattern I'm using is by Connie Mallette, from the TKGA website.

 

As the opening ceremonies began (well done, eh?), I wound bobbins, then cast on, and knit the top ribbing - one color, easy!  On the other hand setting the first pattern row is always hard for me, as it requires lots of counting, but I only had to frog and reknit one row on one sock.  I didn't have as much time to knit over this past week as I'd hoped, but have made more progress over the weekend, while watching NBC's Olympic coverage in the evening.

I've learned how to change yarns without leaving holes (I only have one to fix later).  However, keeping the gauge of the single color stitches the same as the other segments is challenging.  I'll just keep at it until I finish this race!

Progress

I have just finished knitting the 154th, and supposed final row, of the Charlotte's Web shawl. I have concerns about how big it will be after blocking so I have chosen a 6th color and will knit 32 more rows. There is not enough yarn left from all of the colors to make the fringe in all 5 colors, so I won't be doing the fringe. Now I have to figure out a different edging.

I have enjoyed looking at the pictures that have been posted on the blog, seeing the progress the rest of you are making.

Olympic Diversion: For a Worthy Cause

Last night, my children's school had it's 4th annual Art Night Fundraiser for Malawi Children's Village. We have been able to raise enough money in to help build a new wing on one of the schools and, even more important, a girls bathroom, so that girls can get an education. Without one, the girls were too embarrassed to travel far from their home.

Every year I knit a few things for the auction, and manage to raise a little money for Malawi. I had a Peruvian Hat sell at the auction for $40.00, a few years ago and then got to watch the little boy who'd won it, wear it nearly every day.






This year, I decided to make a pair of felted mittens for the auction, but I was drawing a blank on what else to donate.






Then I saw Lindsey Vonn wearing the cutest hat while getting her Gold Medal. "Hey, I can do that hat!", I thought. This was on Thursday, though and the auction was Friday. Checked on Ravelry to see if anyone else had the same idea and posted the pattern. Nope. Not yet. I started examining the hat more closely from the picture and felt confident enough to go ahead and figure it out.

So Friday morning, while the kids and I got ready , I made a poster for the auction with Lindsey wearing the hat and stating that I would knit the hat over the weekend and have it ready for them by Monday am, and then placed it on one of the bidding tables at school.

I continued to check Ravelry for a pattern, which would save me a lot of time and one finally popped up for me to use by BelgianWaffleKnits. Hooray!

Even better news. The winning bid: $72.00 And, even better news, another parent offered to match the winning bid and have me knit another one. So, I'm raising $144.00 for Malawi Children's Village. Wow! Glad these are pretty easy hats to knit. Just hope I get them the right size for the two little down skiing girls, who idolize Lindsey Vonn and have dreams of being Olympic DH Stars themselves.

Got to get back to work!

Working, working

Hello fellow Olympic knitters. Kathy from Valley SOCK here.

I'm working on this simple baby blanket as my challenge. Since it's not really difficult, I upped the ante by trying the Old Norwegian cast on, and am doing the Norwegian purl (those old Norwegians sure liked lots of twists and turns!). You can find both by Googling.

Look at the row of knit stitches between the stockinette and reverse stockinette blocks on the lower right - see how the row of stitches is loose and sloppy? Those in the know say that comes from going from a knit to a purl when you pick - too much yarn used, and it slips back into the knit stitch. Now look at the same sequence in the section above - the stitches are neater and tighter! Must be because the Norwegian purl twists a bit - not enough to create a twisted stitch, but enough to tighten up the stitches. I may become a convert! Thanks to Shawnalee for showing me the stitch.

I've got one problem, though. Can't knit AND watch ice skating at the same time. I've got to hurry or I'll never finish at this rate!

The Qualify Round....

Monday Night..
chilling out in a snow
bank!!! Poised to
JUMP!




Sunday Nights
progress!

The Olympics is going fast! Knitting for me has been sparse.. off and on. I have tried to make the most of it. The opening ceremonies we're awesome. I was not able to watch at 6:30 as I was at my weekly knitting group (FridayNightKnit at theGrounds) .. we had a valentine knitting evening. But once home (11:00pm) I sat down to my DVR and started my "Casting On". Finally after 3 mis-starts... I was on a roll... when my yarn jump out of my lap and rolled across the floor. My puppy posed to jump, was in the "fetch" mod and pounced on the yarn..and after 45 minutes of untangling my yarn... (sigh) I went to bed. After this trail run, sunday evening I sat down in front of a roaring fire and relaxed. I started my cast on for the 4th time.....and skated across the finish line in record time... (after the 3rd time you finally get it... casting on 2 socks at once is Rocket Science). Of course I did all this under the playful eye of my pooch .. who was ready to pounce on any stray misfire! Monday night I finished the ribbing and started the pattern. Hoorah....

Happy Knitting
Linda

my Olympic Goal

I have decided to complete a three-cable scarf.
It needs 14 inches added to it to make it 40inches and finished.


I also need to add skein & 1/2 to a huge-ish shawl to be ready to move to the next step, it is long boring sets of St st, so endurance is a key here.

My Own Opening Games Malfunctions

Casting on began for me at 10:30pm, due to a schedule conflict with my Bunco group, of 6 years. I was not the only one in my group eager to get home to watch the opening games DVR'd at our homes. Because I was watching it recorded, I was able to fast-forward through lots and lots and lots of commercials, turning my knitting time from a 4.5 hours to only 2.5 hours of knitting time.

My favorite part, the Orca pod swimming across the stage. Amazing. And, I can't believe the athleticism of the First Nation dancers. They danced for at least 45 minutes as the athletes walked out. Over all, a real enjoyable opening games.

However, I did start to doze off a few times during the Olympic Committee's speeches, I managed to wake myself up so I could see who was going to be lighting the torch.

Sadly, while waiting to see if the malfunctioning torch would be light, my DVR recording ended. Too tired to go only to see it at that point, so waited til this am and turned on the TV that's in the living room, without cable, and there it was being shown on the USA sport channel.

My second malfunction: Coming home from X-country skiing this am (Jr. Nordic for the boys), slightly exhausted and light headed, reaching for my knitting so I could take a picture of my progress and pulling a needle out of one side of both socks. Take a careful look at the picture and you'll see that one side is sans-needles. I've managed to get these rather tightly knit, small loops back on, with some effort and will be getting back to knitting here quickly as I'm watching this afternoon.

Berry Season - Socks

I've decided on a pair of socks.... Berry Season by Melissa Morgan-Oakes from her book 2-at-a-time Socks. I bought some hand dye yarn by Nancy Sopp (AlaskanNancy) called
"Alaska Wildflower" a self striping sock yarn - Cherry Tree Hill Supersock - 100% Superwash merino. I'll post a picture tomorrow.

Let the Knitting begin!

Happy knitting
Linda

Count Me In!

I'm so excited to be a part of Team Alaska! Thanks to KnittingDiva for making me aware of Team Alaska. My plan is to knit Norah Gaughan's "Eastlake" sweater as my Knitting Olympics 2010 project. I'll use Dream in Color Classy in the "Happy Forest" colorway. It's always taken me so long to knit a sweater, so this will certainly be a challenge. Thanks for letting me join! Let the games begin! :0)

My Olympic Challenge

Here's a link to my blog about my Olympic Challenge. Wasn't sure/couldn't remember if I'd been able to post in '06. Guess I can. Happy knitting!

Decision made

I have finished the knitting on daughter Elizabeth's sweater, except for the collar and have decided to be selfish for my Olympic knitting. I'll be knitting the Charlotte's Web Shawl. This will be my first triangle shawl, first fringed item and I don't know how to crochet. The shawl calls for a crocheted edging to which the fringe is attached. One friend offered to teach me to crochet the edging, but she is leaving town Thursday so I'll see if I can find somebody else to teach me.

It's good to hear what the rest of you are going to be knitting.

Hi Knitters!

Well, this will be one way for me to push myself beyond my knitting comfort zone! I'm somewhere between a beginner and an intermediate knitter; probably a little closer to a beginner.

I've chosen my pattern and yarn: a lacy cashmere scarf. I'm using the yarn suggested in the pattern. This scarf will be for my daughter in Georgia who wants a scarf to use as an accessory :) The pattern says Easy+ but has things like "yo," "k2tog," and "sk2p" that I haven't had much/or any experience with.

Valley SOCK team

Hello fellow knitters! I'm encouraging all my Valley SOCK students past and present to join Team Alaska.

I am going to start and finish a baby blanket for a good friend who is having her first grandchild in March. I hope this will help me finish the blanket before the baby arrives!

Other Valley SOCK students, sign on and let us know what your project will be.