Working My Way to Gold

How are you?  I hope that life is treating you well.  Have you been watching the Olympics?  I've tried to catch as many events as I can but it's a pretty packed programme so it's difficult to fit everything in.  There's been some very impressive performances, you've got to take your hat off to the dedication and hard work that all the participants have put in.

I thought about trying to have a themed knitting and crocheting event to coincide with the Olympics, but in the end I decided I just needed to get my works-in-progress progressing!  As it turns out, I'm actually doing a triathlon.  I have three projects I'm working on.

The first of my triathlon projects is a knitting one.  It's my Fair Isle cardigan.  I'm trying to get this off the needles because it's a summery cardigan and I'd like to be wearing it sooner rather than later.

It's slow going but I've reached the armholes on the body and one of the sleeves.  I need to work out my shaping of the armholes and hopefully hit the home straight soon.  I have a horrible feeling that I'm going to run out of my main colour but I'm putting that to the back of my mind at the moment and just concentrating on getting as much progress made as possible.

My second triathlon project is a crocheting one.  My Mandala Madness blanket has been hibernating for quite some time now.  I put it to one side whilst I had a sock blitz and then there was the stash busting blitz, so it has been sadly neglected.

Having picked it up again, I'm loving working on it.  At the moment it's my project of choice.  Such fun picking the colours for each round and seeing how it all comes together.  There's still quite a long way to go with this project, but it's a super way to use up my acrylic yarns, so it all helps to reduce the stash.

Finally, the third triathlon project is a crochet pattern I'm hoping to publish shortly.  It's for a colourful mandala that I designed last year.  Grace kindly tested the pattern for me  but I've been very dilatory in completing the pattern.

At the moment I'm working through the pattern again and taking round by round photos to support the pattern.  Every time the pattern has been worked, the variety of colours used creates a unique interpretation of the pattern.  It's such fun to play with the colours and see the effects produced.

All these projects will take some time to complete so there will be nothing off the needles for some time.  They will eventually make a significant dent in the stash, so that's good news.  I did finish my August socks last week.

Again these are toe up socks - firmly established as my favourite way to knit socks.  The pattern is called Fine and Dandy and you can see full details of this project on my Ravelry page, here.

So, now I'm back to my triathlon projects for the duration of the Olympics.  I hope you have a good week and I'm looking forward to picking up my gold medal shortly!

After It's All Over

There's a hole in my life where the Olympics used to be.  I suppose I had better get back to reality - and the housework.  It's all been very intensive, culminating in the final weekend clashing with the Golf PGA championship.  We have spent a lot of time this weekend channel-hopping.  We didn't catch much of the closing ceremony as we were watching Rory McIlroy win his second major, but I did get a glimpse of the Spice Girls - I'd forgotten how much I liked them (Girl Power!).

My Olympic challenge has come to an end and I'm pleased to report that yesterday I finished the fourth project on my task list.  This was the cardigan pattern by Louisa Harding entitled Pocket Watch.

I love it.  Such a great fit, lovely delicate colours and the little details make it special.

See the picot edging on the cuffs and hem.

16 tiny heart shaped buttons with contrasting colour button bands and collar.

Full details can be seen on my Ravelry page, here.

This leaves just three projects unfinished.  There's a blanket crocheted with embroidery thread - that'll take some time but as there's no deadline I'll be content to pick it up and put it down whenever.  The lacy red cardigan will be worked on next.  I haven't done much on it yet but it should grow quite quickly.  Lastly there is the 4 ply top I'm adapting from a 1950s pattern.  This was the first of all of my seven projects that I had started.  The fact that I haven't made too much progress on it is probably an indication of my enthusiasm for the project.  I'm going to leave it hibernating for a little while longer - if I don't work up any enthusiasm for it later, I'll frog it and look for a new pattern for the yarn.

All in all I'm pretty pleased with how much I have managed to complete over the last two weeks.

Last night to celebrate the end of the challenge, I made this cute little duck.

The pattern is by Frankie Brown and you can download it for free from Ravelry, here.

So whilst I will now be working on the red lacy cardigan, I've spent the last fortnight getting excited about the new projects I can now begin.  I'm planning away at my Ralph Lauren Fair Isle.  I can't wait to get knitting it.

Today I've started crocheting a large granny square that will eventually be made into a bag like this one.

Mine is pink and yellow - of course - and I'm planning on using it as a knitting bag.  As always - so many projects - so little time - how I miss the Olympics.  Endings are good but beginnings are even better.  Oh well, on with the housework.

A Little Bit of Sunshine

Well, the rain has arrived here today.  It's still hot and humid but now it's cloudy and wet.

Thank goodness there is a little bit of sunshine still around.

This welcome sight was made by Mae from El rincon de Mae using my pattern, here.

The last day of the Olympics and I never got round to knitting an Olympic athlete but Mary Haggerty did.  Check out her Olympic park over on the BBC site, here, it's amazing.

My Olympic challenge has had a bit of a set-back - hot weather.

We are finally enjoying something resembling summer weather and my hands are too hot and sweaty to knit. I'm still managing to watch an excessive amount of Olympic coverage on the television - taekwondo, synchronised swimming (more impressive than I thought it would be), diving and mountain biking.  The knitting, however, has been slowed down.

I've also reached the point where I am feeling guilty about the garden - with all his lovely weather I should be out there doing something useful.  So today, the knitting was put down, the television switched off and I ventured out into the garden (rain is forecast for next week).

But boy is it hot - too hot to do too much gardening, I did do some - and too sweaty to knit!  I think I'll tackle the buttons on my cardigan - 16 to sew on - that'll keep me quiet for a while - and of course the television is back on!

Olympic Challenge - project # 3

Everything is going extremely well in connection with my Olympic challenge.  Obviously years of training are paying off.  I've now completed the third of my large unfinished projects - the summer top  I started a few weeks ago on holiday.

It's a lovely delicate design with a 1950s feel to it.

I had completed the front and back whilst on holiday so there was only the sleeves, collar and button bands to go but it's amazing how long they can take to knit up when you think you've nearly finished.  It didn't help that it was 4 ply yarn and small needles.  I remembered why I prefer double knitting weight yarn.

Anyway, all those exciting cycling events in the velodrome helped to speed things along.  I've also been watching canoe sprints, volleyball (it always seems to be on), obviously athletics and a little bit of wrestling.  I'm undecided what to make of the wrestling - I think I'll probably give it a miss.

If you want to see the full details of the knitted top, please visit my Ravelry page, here.

I've now started worked on project # 4.  This is the Louisa Harding cardigan called Pocket Watch.  The body is knitted in one piece.  This can be slow going at first but saves on some seaming at the end.  I had already completed most of the body, so this morning I finished that.  I've now worked the button bands and neckband - I like to get them out of the way before I start the sleeves.  There are 16 button holes so I'm putting off sewing on the buttons until I can summon up more enthusiasm 

The pattern calls for some Swiss darning over the Fair Isle.  I started this but it didn't look right.

The burgundy colour overpowers the delicate hearts pattern, so I've unpicked it, and I'll skip the Swiss darning.

This evening, it'll be athletics and sleeve knitting, it's tough but I'm up for the challenge.

Doris's Birthday

Today is my mother-in-law's 88th birthday.

I took time out from my Olympic knitting and crocheting to make this card for her.

We'll be bringing her round to our house later (she can watch the Olympics with us - she loves the tennis).

Happy Birthday Doris.

The Stress of it All

How am I supposed to fit everything around the Olympics?  Today we have swimming, rowing, cycling and athletics.  We intended to get up early to go grocery shopping but over slept - the triathlon had already started!  I had to do my own mini triathlon - eat breakfast, shower and get dressed at break-neck speed so that we wouldn't miss too much.

My own Olympic challenge is going exceedingly well.  Grace's sweater is now finished - but locked away in a secret location until her birthday.

Eve's blanket is also finished.

I can't believe how much I have managed to get done in the last week.  Eve loves the blanket - it's so bright and jolly.  You can see full details of the blanket over on my Ravelry page, here.

With two projects finished, I'm feeling on top of my challenge, but that's not to say there aren't temptations.  I've just spotted the Ralph Lauren Autumn 2012 Collection.  Look at these gorgeous Fair Isles.

I'm using these pictures as a carrot dangled in front of me.  When I've finished my challenge I'm going to knit up a project based on one of these designs - I can't wait - but I must stay focused.  On with the next unfinished project.

We're All Making Good Progress

Wasn't the gymnastics exciting?  Our first Olympic medal for gymnastics in a hundred years!

It's always nice to 'claim' one of the athletes as your own.  You know how it is - such and such a person is my next-door-neighbour's cousin's husband's godson!  So we are laying claim to Daniel Purvis, the bronze medal winning gymnast.

He went to the same school as my girls, and in fact he was in the same year as Grace.  So well done our Daniel!!!

Besides gymnastics, we have been watching swimming, rowing, weight lifting, basketball, equestrian and ladies football.  Wonderful.

As far as my own Olympic event goes, firstly, thank you for all your lovely comments.  I've complete 29 more squares of the blanket.

The last 8 squares are almost complete but, as anticipated, the primrose yarn ran out.

Thankfully, even as we speak, the ever efficient Deramores will be despatching more yarn to me, ETA tomorrow morning.  So nearly there.

Today I will move on to Grace's birthday surprise sweater.  As this is top secret there are no pictures to show - not until after 23rd August.  There's not much more to do on this one, so hopefully a few days and I'll be able to cross this off my list.

Now, whilst I'm not allowed to start any new projects - this only applies to large projects!  I'm allowed to work on little, itsy bitsy projects!!!

Anyway, I decided the bird bath needed that something extra, so I crocheted some flowers to make a 'bracelet' for it.

It's the little projects that keep me sane!!! Otherwise, with all those squares, I'm in danger of becoming slightly eccentric!!!!!

My Olympic Challenge

It's not yet lunch time and we've already watched swimming, rowing and table tennis - wow, I'm exhausted.

For my Olympic challenge, I will be doing something that requires stamina; speed is also of the essence but combined with precision; and determination is probably the key factor.

My challenge is to finish as many knitting and crochet projects as possible WITHOUT STARTING SOMETHING NEW!!!!!  The emphasis here is obviously on the "not starting anything new".  I have seven projects started, all of a significant size and whilst there is so much temptation out there, lots of lovely patterns, I will stay in the zone - stay focused.

So firstly, I am taking the opportunity of Eve being away at a music festival this weekend to work on her crochet blanket.  I think she believes that I have been ignoring her blanket in favour of cardigans - and she would be correct!

She left for the Lake District Thursday lunchtime - Thursday afternoon, take stock of what's been done already.  Only 70 of the 192 squares completed - pitiful!

I'm using a pattern called Never Fading Flower for the motif - available as a free Ravelry download, here, with a combination of four different colours for the flowers.

I crocheted and crocheted and crocheted on Friday and this is how it looked first thing Saturday morning.

Another day of sprinting on Saturday with motifs flying off the hook.  What is the World record for motifs crocheted in one day? - I may be in contention.  By Sunday lunchtime this is how it was looking.

Eve has just phoned to say they have packed up and are in the car park but its gridlock to get out.  It'll be a few more hours until she gets home with her mud encrusted clothes etc.  Here's how the blanket is looking now.

37 squares to go - I'll add a few more after lunch (there's a danger the primrose coloured yarn is about to run out, so I may have to revise my tactics until I can buy more).  She'll be so impressed.  The end is in sight- a great feeling - but this is an endurance event, so six other projects to tackle yet.  Definitely on target for gold!

Olympics and the New Rowan Magazine

Second full day of Olympic competition and how is it going for you?

So far we've watched some cycling, swimming, archery, shooting, judo, handball, volleyball, more cycling and more swimming.  I think we need to pace ourselves a bit more otherwise we'll achieve burnout before the end of the first week.

On a completely different subject, the new Rowan magazine, number 52, is now out.

This edition contains some delicious cable patterns and scrumptious Fair Isles.  I have my eye on these.

At the moment Rowan have 8 of the patterns from the magazine available for free download - so get them while you can.

On my wish list is this gorgeous patchwork blanket by Kaffe Fasset (this is one of the free patterns).

I'll never get round to making it but I can dream.

More realistically achievable is another free pattern for leg-warmers.

Now these are a definite possibility.

I just need to complete the seven projects I've already started!  More on that subject tomorrow.