Success!

Guys, I can’t believe it, but she pulled it off.

Melissa would like to present proof that she managed to redo the edging on her Ravelympics project before the torch went out:

Success!

I am halfway through picking up stitches for the collar of my sweater, while I watch Russia’s introduction. I have a feeling if I knew the folklore that is being referenced I’d be a little less confused. Note to self: read up on Russia before 2014!

Serious Citius Fail

So the Vancouver Olympics closing ceremonies are later today, the men’s hockey final is blaring away on the television downstairs (I like both teams, so I am simply rooting for whoever is down at that give moment. Haters to the left.) and I am knitting with Melissa, while her husband makes poutine and nachos (fine sporting foods of our gold medal competitors, of course).

My sweater? Is missing a collar, so it won’t medal:

Olympic Sweater

But it looks pretty good as it stands, so as far as I’m concerned it finished the race.

Olympics Sweater

All is not lost! I finished a knock-off Olympic hat, inspired by the beautiful colorwork numbers the American athletes wore during the Opening Ceremonies, and that medaled. I think I’ll give it its own post.

Sadly, Melissa did not have the same luck that I did. I present a little Olympic photoessay which I have entitled Faster, Stronger, Drunker:

First, the Rathlete warms up with a sports beverage:
Refueling

She continues to stay hydrated, despite the rigors of a difficult course:
Desperation

But finally, even she must recognize that she has been defeated:
The agony of defeat

There’s still three inches of border to knit on, and…only three inches of yarn. She’s going to have another, er, sports drink and see if she can’t get some mittens wrapped up before the torch goes out. I’m going to join her and start picking up the stitches for the collar on my sweater. Further updates as we get closer!

Citius

I am participating in the Ravelympics.

Ravelympics

This, when it grows up, is going to be a Featherweight Cardigan. Right now, on Day 3, I am almost done with the raglan increases. And I best be getting back to it. These figure skaters are making me feel like I need graceful things in my life, and what could be more graceful than a fine-gauge cardigan, I ask you?

January Wrap Up

January was a quiet, unsnowy month. (Unlike right now,with an honest-to-goodness blizzard outside!)

RON NEW YEAR’S SOCKS
New Year's Socks
Pattern: Plain Stockinette sock
Yarn: Opel Harry Potter sock yarn in Ron colorway
Needles: US1/2.25mm
Notes: How much fun were these? I had my eye on this colorway for a while, and happened upon a vendor at Vermont Sheep & Wool last year who had one skein hiding in her wares. It became mine very quickly, and I threw it in my bag on my way out to visit Melissa and her husband over New Year’s. And then I remembered the superstition that the way you spend New Year’s is the way you’ll spend the coming year. So at twenty minutes to midnight on New Year’s Eve, I cast on these socks. I think it worked, because January was full of lots of yarn and knitting.

AESTLIGHT
Aestlight
Pattern: Aestlight Shawl by Gudrun Johnson
Yarn: Wollmeise 100% Merino Superwash in colorway True Love, a gift from Melissa
Needles: US6/4.0mm
Notes: Oh, wow, this came out amazing, didn’t it? I’m so so happy with it. The pattern is great, just complicated enough to make me pay attention, but easy enough that I didn’t have any frustration. I knit the large size, which grew with blocking into a generous length that works as either a shawl or a scarf.

Aestlight

I wore it to my knit night on Monday, and the cashier in Starbucks complimented on it as soon as I stepped up to order. She just made my day with that.

Aestlight

I love the Bird’s Eye Lace, and it looks so dramatic and impressive once it’s blocked. (Actually, it looks dramatic and impressive even before it’s blocked.) This is my first project with Wollmeise, and after a wash and blocking it softened up and gained a wonderful drape. The color is really outstanding, and the vibrancy of it really is a wonderful antidote for that monochrome feeling you get in midwinter.

It’s cold and blustery out there:

Quack
so I am curled up with a new sock project and a toasty fire keeping the cold of the snow at bay. Curl up with your yarn and stay warm!

Sing of happy, not sad

Anybody else who grew up with Sesame Street remember that one? I rediscovered it a few years ago, and now it earworms its way into my brain frequently. Today is a day to sing of some happy.

Since January is over, so is my little fundraiser. I totaled up my sales of October Leaves, figured out what half of the profits came out to, and I’m really really proud to announce that with your help, I will be making a donation to Doctors Without Borders of $285. (I threw in a buck and change to make it a nice round number.)

Thank you to everyone who bought or gifted a copy. I hope you enjoy knitting your mitts up. I know I keep saying it, but I’m so proud of all the knitters (and crocheters) who pitched in and did this amazing thing. For example, LSG, my home base on Ravelry, has been keeping track of member donations and the current total comes to over $47,000! And Casey over at Ravelry set up a special tag for all the designers donating money from their patterns — I might have done some shopping in there over the month as well. There were a whole lot of people pitching in and they all get my thanks.

Aestlight
The snowman in my backyard approves of you all and your generosity. Thank you all for your help.