Monday, January 16, 2006

Sliding Head First into Insanity

I've joined the Yarn Harlot's 2006 Knitting Olympics. The challenge is to cast on only after the Olympic Flame has been lit, and finish your project (including sewing together, weaving in ends, and blocking, as required) before the Flame is extinguished. While watching the Winter Olympics - only 16 days!

Her suggestion is to challenge yourself, in the spirit of Olympic competition, and knit something bigger, more complex, and more impressive than you would normally be able to finish in that time - she states it way better than me in her blog write-up, but you get the point.

I've joined (see title above, which is a nod to one of the winter sports). I will be knitting one of two lace cardigans: The Filigree Lace Jacket, or the Angelina Vintage Jacket, from White Lies Designs. I can't commit to one yet, as I just ordered the patterns, and once they come, will be raiding my stash for appropriate yarn/yardage. We are allowed swatching in advance (considered "training"), so I expect a post or two about trying out potential yarns.

This will be a heck of a challenge - I usually have issues with completing projects, so to finish a full sized garment in just over two weeks will be, well, hard work. It will require dedication. Stick-to-it-ive-ness. Focus. Things that Olympic athletes have, and that I don't. Oy.

3 comments:

Deborah Boschert said...

I love this! What a great idea -- and actually, I expect reading about your progress will be more exciting than the actual olympics.

Melody Johnson said...

Great Minds Logan!! Me too altho I didn't sign up with the Harlot as she already had 410 on the list when I read her blog. She doesn't have to list me to make it real.
I have taken your button and will add it to my cast of characters.

Janina the Mom Beast said...

Ooh! Ooh! Make the Angelina! I have the pattern. I have the yarn (Quechua alpaca/tencel from Elann). And if you start first, you can circumnavigate the problems for me.
Uh...let me rephrase. If we are both working on it, we can surely get through it unscathed. There. That sounds better.
I actually learned how to knit Continental in preparation for this project. Ribbing-- the entire thing is ribbing. And I have swatched.
I make absolutely no promises to finish in 16 days, though. I am picturing the Angelina as a spring/summer cardigan over a floaty skirt, so being done by April will be fine.
(Of *course* I can wear alpaca in the summer. With the warm winter we are having, I fully expect monsoons this year!)